Sketchup time!

Google Sketchup

For our CAD platform, we will use Google Sketchup.  You may find it online  (http://www.sketchup.com/) and download the free “Make” version.  Alternately, use a school computer equipped with it and start to play around.

If you find Sketchup too limiting, feel free to try one of the many available alternatives.  See this article, for example:

http://www.makerbot.com/blog/2011/02/25/3d-design-software-101/

Run the video tutorial 1.  Here are things to keep in mind:

v Pick a template.

v Be mindful of the (default) units.

v Choose your starting views (ISO, or isometric is great for 3D).

v Get used to “click and release.”

v Get used to Edit (undo).

Start drawing – note the dimensions and scale.

Also note these features:

v Inference points

v Push/pull tool

v Eraser

v The flexibility of using a 3 button mouse (scroll, to change viewing size)

v Orbit

v Pan

v Rotate

v Move tool

v Shift and mouse

v R G B axes (for alignment)

After you are sufficiently comfortable making designs, go through the other tutorials at your leisure.

Your first project is to do a mock-up of a building (your house or a favorite structure), to scale and (3D) printed.  Take photographs first and work from these.  The 3D print process will be described in class.