# REALLY struggling with su



## compo (3 Jun 2008)

Hi people, can anybody help please?

I've recently downloaded su with the intention of improving my design workflow.
But, I am really struggling! I've been following different advice sites etc and just playing around but just can't seem to get anywhere.
Can anyone recommend a good book :? 
No seriously, is there a back to basics guide or similar that's suitable for woodworking? At the mo I'm using the su tutorial site but the switching to and fro from different windows on line only compounds my frustrations. 
I thought about printing out this forum, but there's just too much padding.
Any ideas, suggestions... 

no rude comments, please!


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## Slim (3 Jun 2008)

How basic are we talking? Have you done the interactive tutorials in SU (Drawing a house)? These run within SU, so there is no switching between windows.

Go to: Help>Self-paced Tutorials>Get more Tutorials.

or click here

This should get you familiar with the basic tools and functions, which will become the foundations for your SU skills.


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## compo (3 Jun 2008)

Hi Simon
Yeah, I've gone through those. I think I've got most of the basic operations and tools. I'm drawing basic boxes and bookcases etc so far.
I'm starting to think it's just a case of playing...


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## Slim (3 Jun 2008)

compo":9o7fsvam said:


> I'm starting to think it's just a case of playing...



You are right, but the learning curve is fairly shallow for a program like this. There are some great threads in this forum. Search for DaveR's tutorials.

One of the first things I think you should learn about is components. Not using components can be a very frustrating experience, as I found out when I was a SU newbie.


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## SketchUp Guru (4 Jun 2008)

Not to blow my own horn, Simon is doing it for me. , but besides reading here, you might also take a look at the Design. click. Build. blog onthe fineWoodworking.com site.

Feel free to post or even PM me with specific questions. If you have Skype we might work out a time to actually chat. I could probably walk you through a few things while we're talking that might get things flowing for you.

I'll help however I can.

Dave


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## John McM (4 Jun 2008)

Hi Compo, When you first use SU it isn't set up for woodworking. The scale is all wrong, the units of measurement might not be your choice. The toolbars aren't set up etc. You can fix all that buy setting up a woodworking template. DaveR (our SU hero) has it well covered in his blog. You have to click the archive button on the Design Click Build page and look back through the tutorials. Another thing that helped me enormously was to download a model that someone else had made. Take it apart with the move tool to see how it all goes together. Individual parts like a leg or rail kind of snap together but because they are "Components" they are protected from each other, so if you edit the leg, the rail isn't affected. Hope that all makes sense.
Some god videos appearing on Youtube too.
Good luck.


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## planetWayne (4 Jun 2008)

There's a template you can use !!? :shock:

I either get some 'man' standing there or the set square (depending if I've got v5 or v6 loaded.)


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## SketchUp Guru (4 Jun 2008)

Sigh.  

Yes, there's a template. You can make your own or send me your e-mail address via PM and I'll send you one. Let me know if you want metric or old money.


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## compo (4 Jun 2008)

Hi people.

Some good advice so far. I'll have another look and check out design, click, build.
One thing that I've noticed is that many threads / tutorials are of just random stuff or 'how to do an application' type lesson. There seems to be little in the way of an organised, structured workflow. However, it may just be me looking in the wrong place! 

BTW... 
Thanks for the offer Dave. Tho I notice your name comes up a lot, so I'll try not to hassle you with the same questions again!! ](*,) 
Tho I may take you up on the skype offer, let me have a play first...

Thanks all so far, watch this space....


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## SketchUp Guru (4 Jun 2008)

No, it isn't you. For the most part the information is a bit random in nature. It's difficult to say do this, this and that and you'll have a completed project. I've written a number of posts regarding the basic stuff. If you come up with a question, search using keywords and if you don't find an answer, don't worry about asking. It'll get answered one way or another.


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## planetWayne (4 Jun 2008)

Dave R":1v4ki6k2 said:


> Sigh.
> 
> Yes, there's a template...



eek sorry 

I sometimes work in either or tbh. Sometimes both :! - one thing I like with SU is that you can type in either and it converts!

I'll PM you my addy - if its no problem  although I would like to ask - what sort of things can you put in a template? and can they be changed 'on the fly' so to speak? (as an example - when you are in ms word and hit new - you can create a fax, letterhead blank doc etc...)

Cheers
Wayne


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## Steve Maskery (4 Jun 2008)

John McM":1xf04wo0 said:


> DaveR (our SU hero) has it well covered in his blog.



Typo. Don't you mean "DaveR (our SUper Hero)"... 
S


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## John McM (4 Jun 2008)




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## SketchUp Guru (4 Jun 2008)

Steve Maskery":21sqttbu said:


> John McM":21sqttbu said:
> 
> 
> > DaveR (our SU hero) has it well covered in his blog.
> ...



Alright, if my head gets any bigger, I'm going to have to double my fee! 

Wayne, I'll be sending an e-mail shortly but the basics for a template are setting the units, precision, the display style and the zoom distance. It's simple to do but long winded to write. Easier to send.

Install the SKP file for the templates in the Templates folder under Resources\en-US in the Google SketchUp 6 folder. On a PC that will be found in C:\Program Files\Google.

To get a template to load when you start up, go to Window>Preferences>Templates and choose the proper one from the Browse thing. The next time you open SU, it should start with the selected template.


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## Shultzy (4 Jun 2008)

Compo, try this site

http://www.go-2-school.com/podcasts

there is one specifically aimed at woodworking "The Sketchup Show #3: Digital Woodworking", you won't be disappointed.


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## Sawdust (5 Jun 2008)

Dave R":37qwjzsf said:


> Not to blow my own horn, Simon is doing it for me. , but besides reading here, you might also take a look at the Design. click. Build. blog onthe fineWoodworking.com site.
> 
> Feel free to post or even PM me with specific questions. If you have Skype we might work out a time to actually chat. I could probably walk you through a few things while we're talking that might get things flowing for you.
> 
> ...



Dave - You really are a top bloke. It's people like you that make a forum


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## SketchUp Guru (5 Jun 2008)

Sawdust":2qarmaec said:


> Dave R":2qarmaec said:
> 
> 
> > Not to blow my own horn, Simon is doing it for me. , but besides reading here, you might also take a look at the Design. click. Build. blog onthe fineWoodworking.com site.
> ...



Thank you, my friend. 

Now my fee is going to triple. :lol:


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