# Dovetails and Box Joints



## SketchUp Guru (12 Jun 2009)

This could be useful if you use SketchUp.


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## SketchUp Guru (15 Jun 2009)

Didn't trip anyone's trigger, eh?


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## wizer (15 Jun 2009)

Sorry Dave, meant to reply the other day. Whilst I appreciate the process, I'm not sure if I want my sketchup drawings to be that detailed. I'm sure for the working woodworker it's good to show a piece with it's joinery. But for me I just want something to work from. One thing I did notice was that the plugin was imperial. That's like speaking French to me.


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## SketchUp Guru (15 Jun 2009)

I understand the level of detail thing. You do what works for you. It depends upon what you need to show. It'll certainly be a time saver for me when drawing plans for others to follow.

As I posted at the end of the blog entry, there's a revision coming--probably today, according to the author--that will make the plugin use Model Units for the values. That should take care of the language issue for you.


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## wizer (15 Jun 2009)

Merci Monsieur


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## SketchUp Guru (15 Jun 2009)

Yer what hurts? 

You're welcome.


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## MikeH (15 Jun 2009)

Downloaded the latest version but couldn't get it to work properly. It seemed to draw all of the tails on top of each other, not nicely spaced out. WIll have another play!


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## MikeH (15 Jun 2009)

Ahh Haa, got it now I think, all stretched out so onto the next bit. Looks really neat so far. I have only got to grips with SU in the last 10 days so am learning fast. The basics are very easy once you start.


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## SketchUp Guru (15 Jun 2009)

Mike, glad you got it.

There was an update in the last hour or so. Now it should work with your Model Units.


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## MikeH (15 Jun 2009)

Sorted it now, I like that, very easy once you get the hang of it.

Thanks for pointing it out.

Dave, have you got a stock list of decent plug ins for the free version of SU for woodworking pls along with where I can get them? Anything for an easy life.


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## Steve Maskery (23 Jun 2009)

Mike
There are more decent plugins than you can shake a stick at. The problem is that every single one of them slows the loading process down a bit and, furthermore, the plugin menus can get so big you can't find what you want.

It's much better to install only those you really need.

My personal ones are:

Weld
Set Center Point (_sic_-very useful as an anchor)
Make faces 1.1
Mirror Selection
Dashed Lines

but it all depends on what sort of work you do. All except the Dashed Lines are free, and all, IIRC, are available from the Smustard site.

Dave, thanks for that, I'll take a look. It may well be useful for my illustration work.

Cheers
Steve


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## MikeH (23 Jun 2009)

Thanks Steve, will check them out.


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## outcycling (29 Jul 2009)

Slowwwly getting to grips with SU and saw this topic so given it a go but am struggling. I created some sides and a dovetail template with the pluggin and have moved the template onto the end of the draw side. Zoomed right in to make sure it is all aligned up on the side but when I go to the push/pull tool it will only select the whole side of the draw, not just the tail or pin ? No doubt am missing a stage somewhere but damned if I can see it. Any ideas what I am failing to do ?


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## SketchUp Guru (29 Jul 2009)

outcycling,

Have you made the sides of your box components or groups? If so, the dovetail template is outside the component/group. In order for the 'template' to modify the component or group, it needs to be inside the component or group. Copy (Ctrl+C) the template then open the component for editing. Go to the Edit menu and choose Paste in Place.

If you are using V6 of SketchUp, the edges from the template won't automatically break the edges of the side so you'll need to select the template and the drawer side geometry, right click and choose Intersect>Intersect Selected. In version 7 the intersection is done automatically.


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## outcycling (29 Jul 2009)

Thanks Dave, I had made the side a component. I downloaded the latest version of SU just this week. I pasted in place and have then moved to the PP tool, but strangely when I select the pin to push it out it extends a line across the end of the rail but doesn't actually erase the tail section ? Weird. 

Russ


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## outcycling (29 Jul 2009)

Wehay. I saved it then exited and re-fired up SU. Loaded in the drawing again and the rail was still a component. So exploded it and was then able to push/pull the tails. Excellent. Thanks Dave.

Russ


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## SketchUp Guru (29 Jul 2009)

Russ, Glad you got it to go.

Why would you explode the component? There's no need to do that. Just open it for editing.


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## outcycling (29 Jul 2009)

Well tbh I don't know the difference. Just clicked on the first thing in there that looked like it'd do the job.

Haven't managed to go through all the SU tutorials yet so jumping ahead playing with the dovetail plugin but saw your post and couldn't resist, I know, I know, RTFM I hear you cry  But manual is always a last resort isn't it ? :lol:


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## SketchUp Guru (29 Jul 2009)

That's fine but you might find it helpful to read all that I wrote about using the dovetail plugin. I think I made it clear how to deal with getting the 'template' into the component.


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## outcycling (29 Jul 2009)

Yes Dave, many thanks for all that. I did indeed read all your reply to me & it worked a treat. Did the intersection etc. I just for some reason used explode rather than edit component. All working fine now though thanks.


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## SketchUp Guru (29 Jul 2009)

I meant read what I wrote in the blog entry to which I linked in the first post of this thread. If you are using the current version of SketchUp, you don't need to use Intersect. the intersection is done automatically.


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## outcycling (29 Jul 2009)

Yep, worked through that thanks but got stuck when I got to the Cut & Paste section due to having the side set as a component.

Think I'll go back to working through all the rest of the tutorials...

Ta.


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## SketchUp Guru (29 Jul 2009)

Probably a good idea.

I suspect you missed the following from my blog entry though.



> With both sets of lines select, I chose Cut from the toolbar. You can also use Ctrl+X on the PC or Opt-X on the Mac or pick it out of the Edit menu. Then I opened the component for editing and, from the Edit menu, chose Paste in Place.



Happy sketching.


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