# Dave Richards makes SketchUp easy



## IrreverentJack

Dave Richards helped many of us when he posted on LJ's. His video on modeling Jefferson's Bookstand is my inspiration to make it through SketchUp's learning curve. There are a couple of really good tutorials that are free - I'm still going to buy this one. Thanks for the review Jeff. -Jack


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## Dennisgrosen

thanks for a well done rewiew Jeff 

Dennis


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## davidroberts

Really nice review. Thanks for taking the time to really give us some good information. I saw this just advertized on FineWoodworking but did not click to see the price because I just don't have the $50 or $100 I was expecting the video to cost. Dang, $12.95 is a giveaway. You just confirmed that my approach to Sketchup is like a lot of other folks out there. Mess around with the program, get confused fast, watch youtube videos, get more confused, read blogs, get frustrated, type in a question on Goggle search, find out a bunch of people had the same problem, more watching, reading. a lot of time. I just did a sketchup for a set of steps-stairs for a slope in the backward that washes out. Two hours later, and I have a working model, a very rough working model. Sad really. I guess some of us need to be knuckleheads first. I'm always first.


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## JoeLyddon

Dave Richards contacted me when I expressed interest in it some time ago…

He went out of his way to Help me get started…

A Super nice guy…

I wish he would come back to LJ… I miss his contributions…


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## ajosephg

Thanks for the review.

Dave Richards is one of a kind and has to be one of the best if not the best Sketchup practitioners. Besides his technical abilities, he communicates well.

One of the problems with SU is that their "HELP" is basically a web search so if you look for help on a given topic and click the help button you buried with thousands of hits, most of them not very good. Dave's video should be a major asset in minimizing the SU learning curve.


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## jeffbranch

Thanks for the comments. I have emailed Tim Killen a number of times for advise, but for some reason, never Dave. He has always been quick to reply to a comment I leave for him at FWW.com; so I suspect as ya'll say, he is a super nice guy.

Just for the heck of it, you can see some of my SketchUp models at my blog:

http://www.woodfever.net/2011/11/really-authentic-sketchup-model.html
http://www.woodfever.net/2011/07/evolution-of-bookcase-design.html


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## jeffbranch

Thanks Jonathan. I am a member at Sketchucation, although I have not spent much time there. Too many places on the internet to spend time at.  I'll look for him there.


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## Ken90712

Great review. I am like alot of others on here as well. I made and designed my outdoor kitchen on SU but it took alot longer than it should have. I fumbled around went back to the training videos on you tube and when I thought I had it tried again. This sounds like a great program, and I look fwd to watching this video. 13 bucks is a small price to pay for saving time.

Thx and great review!


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## JGM0658

Yep, Dave is a super nice guy, like many here he has helped me and I am certainly getting his video since there is still a lot I don't know. BTW, you can do with SU many things that other programs want you to pay $1000 or more for their software, or are terribly hard to learn if they are free.


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## jeffbranch

Ken - I did the same thing! YouTube training videos repeatedly. I could never get the hang of the Follow Me tool (which BTW is covered in Dave's DVD).  I am currently working on a bedside table in SU and it is taking me too long as well, but faster than it used to take.

JGM - What can be created with SketchUp is almost unlimited. Some of the things showcased on Google's official SU blog (check it out here) would take me years to create. The post they have up today is something to see.

Thanks for the nice comments.


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## MSketcher

Yeah, sketchucation is a great site for learning Sketchup too. I find it's the best place to find answers for those obscure problems you have with Sketchup, when you feel like you're the only one in the world having that problem. Just go over to Sketchucation and do a search, I guarantee someone has already answered the question. And if not, they're pretty quick to respond.

Also, www.sketchupforwoodworkers.com is a great site too. It has a small collection of videos, but I've heard many people say they've tried Sketchup and quit, until finding Rob's site. He walks you through a couple of woodworking examples in Sketchup. Highly recommended if you've ever felt overwhelmed using Sketchup.

I've just started a site myself where I post free Sketchup tutorials, www.MasterSketchup.com . I was a carpenter by trade for about 8 years, so I plan on making a number of tutorials focused on construction. But I will also focus on writing about the 3D modeling industry in general. I just came back from the JLC convention, which was awesome! If you ever get a chance to go, it's worth it.

I actually met Gary Katz, who writes for Fine Homebuilding and JLC, plus has authored numerous books. He sat down with me and did an interview, and we talked about Sketchup. I'll be posting that shortly on my site as well.


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## jeffbranch

Matt - quite the impressive site. How long has it been up?


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## paulnwa

Thanks for the review.

I downloaded the DVD and it is impressive. I like the simplicity of the presentation and explanations. I hope to give it a workout when I get a chance to work on my next project.


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## dakotawood

Excellent review! Awhile back I tried it and then it fizzled. I got a little overwhelmed I guess. So, after reading this review it's engnited a fire to get back to it and learn it for once and for all.

I downloaded it last night and updated my version of sketchup. I watched the first couple tutorials and I like what I see so far. Hopefully my learning will continue. I like what he said in the intro video about not taking forever and sketching a masterpiece design. Instead, learn to get the details into your sketch - just enough to get your ideas on paper and then get out to the shop.

Thanks for your good review!


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## oldnovice

A very good review!

I must be wired differently in that I cannot get over the fact that SketchUp pieces are not solid! I have used SkethUp extensively and for just doodling an idea but when i get serious I layout my parts and assemblies with a free solid modeling program so i can get individual piece part prints and assembly prints.

Since Google is just around the corner from where I live I was fortunate to get SketchUp a long time ago.

I must have a mental block about hollow wood!


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## jeffbranch

Paul - So true; the best thing about the video is Dave takes the complexity out of SketchUp, and I think we all know that SU can be extra frustrating at times.

Travis - I have a hard time not making my models precise; and I mean down to adding dowels and such. Dave is right.

Oldnovice - Curious, what "free solid modeling program" do you use? I'd be interested in taking a look at it.


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## oldnovice

Jeff,

I responded to your question in a PM to you and for anyone else interested here is essentially what I said.

I have nothing against SketchUp as I stated above I have used it extensively and for getting an idea on the screen.

_I don't know if you saw my previous posts on Creo Elements from PTC (Parametric Technology Corporation) as they have a 3D Solid Modeling program that is free. It important word in this title is *SOLID* and not not "skin" modelling like SketchUp. It is nearly as a professional 3D CAD program you can get for FREE! Below are some points of why I use Creo Elements Direct.

1. SketchUp parts are not solid while on Creo they are truly solid, as a piece of wood. SketchUp requires a lot of "clean up" when you intersect two pieces as on a mite joint and/or lap joints.

2. I do other designs besides woodworking and SketchUp doesn't allow holes smaller than 1/16".

3. I found it very difficult in SketchUp to make assemblies very accurately and much less exploded assembly views. Creo has numerous ways of assembling assemblies; face, centers, edges, and more! Then by naming a exploded view an assembly can be exploded in a number of different way, and imploded exactly where the item were originally.

4. Creo includes a complete 2D annotation package that provides any views, including exploded numerous isometric views, of any part or assembly. This 2D portion also includes all of the normal tools for dimensioning and adding notes in any human understandable form. If you want, you can actually select one, or all views, and automatically have all items dimension.

5. You can use the 2D portion by itself …. but it's much easier to start at the 3D model and have it make the 2D prints!

6. The *free* Creo Elements Direct allows a *maximum of 60 parts in one assembly* and *DOES NOT* include any rendering it does however, allow changing the color of parts or individual faces of a part.

Give it a try, after all, it's FREE.

Here is a link to the download site:_
http://www.ptc.com/products/creo-elements-direct/modeling-express/

*
If there is enough interest I can post some items I have designed in Creo Elements Direct in this review, or start another!*

Hans


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## jeffbranch

Thanks for providing more info on Creo. I'll be sure to check it out. Looks like it is pretty cool.


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## DesignerHacks

Jeff,

I'm curious to know if you've ever found sketchup tutorials that focus on architecture helpful?

I work in the architecture industry and have found watching sketchup woodworking tutorials to be helpful in a very different way. I don't spend a whole lot of time on woodworking details specifically, but still feel I can pull things from the sketchup woodworking tutorials. I guess I ask because I wonder if in order to really understand sketchup you need to know how it applies directly to your field.

I started a site not that long ago focused on helping designers become more efficient at what they do. One of my core values is teaching, so I've started to amass a nice library of sketchup tutorials. I'd love to here how you think my free sketchup tutorials on www.designerhacks.com stack up to this course. I have both written tutorials and video tutorials.


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## jeffbranch

Tony, I am sure your site is excellent and it looks to be high quality, but for woodworkers it is hard to beat the simplicity of Dave's DVD. Since I wrote this review, several other DVDs have been created designed to help woodworkers with SketchUp. I still believe SketchUp Guide for Woodworkers - the Basics is the single best way for a woodworker to begin learning SketchUp. A super easy learning tool and well worth the money.

Best wishes for much success with your site.


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## Lowie

You have written a very good review well done. Unfortunetly I can not be so kind about the dvd. I purchased the dvd from Finewoodworking about 2 years ago and it left me a little confused and very little idea of how to use sketchup still the program started around the middle of the video and went round in a loop eventually it got to the start of the vid near the end of the disk. sorry for the negetive feed back but to date I still can not use sketchup but that could be just me. regards 
Lowie


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