# 3D Design Image Program??



## neilyweely (13 Apr 2008)

FOLKS

I am setting up by myself, and want to rope my Mrs in to help with all the admin side of things. A lot of the work I do will be kitchen fitting and property refurbs. I am wondering if anyone can reccommend a program which would allow us to produce 3D images of proposed designs.
We are both fairly incompetent when it comes to computers so it would need to be easy to operate. I hope there is something out there that could help us to give any potential customer a professional looking image of what could be.

Hope you can help us, thankyou very much in any event.

Neil.


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## TonyW (13 Apr 2008)

Have you thought of trying Sketchup? In its basic form it is free and you can get add ons for photo rendering etc.

LINk http://www.sketchup.com/

Search the Design forum for some excellent tutorials by DaveR

Cheers  
Tony


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## neilyweely (14 Apr 2008)

tony

That sounds great, and I will give it a try later on today.
When I go to my local magnet they have a program that they type in the rooms dimensions and the program does the rest. It looks so easy, I'm sure its not, but it looks like even I could master it!!!!

Thanks for your help,
Neil


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## CNC Paul (14 Apr 2008)

neilyweely":2yan4847 said:


> tony
> 
> That sounds great, and I will give it a try later on today.
> When I go to my local magnet they have a program that they type in the rooms dimensions and the program does the rest. It looks so easy, I'm sure its not, but it looks like even I could master it!!!!
> ...



Neil the problem is their software costs about 6 to 10K. Have a look at eCabinet... you will need to register but it is free, it will also give you a cut list and sheet layouts. The downside is there is a big learning curve.

I have found Sketchup the best. I have the Pro version which has the addition of Layout which produces very good client presentations.



Paul


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## SketchUp Guru (14 Apr 2008)

SketchUp can also output a cutlist using a free plugin. The plugin will also generate a file for Cutlist Plus if desired.

As Paul mentions, the Pro version of SketchUp, while not free, does have Layout for presentations. I use it also to make construction documents.

Here's a preliminary thing I did for a client. The drawing was done in SketchUp and the rest in Layout. The entire prelim document is five or six pages and the construction documents will likely run to 10 or 12 depending on the details required.


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## wizer (14 Apr 2008)

Dave, what is the plugin that creates cutlists?


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## SketchUp Guru (14 Apr 2008)

There are several out there. The best one I've found is called CutListandMaterials33 and comes as a ZIP file. The only source I've found for it is the Files section of Google's SketchUp Pro Group. You have to register to get the file.

check your e-mail.


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## neilyweely (14 Apr 2008)

Dave and CNCPaul
for all your help- I feel like I am getting a lot out of this forum without putting anything back , but as soon as I can help someone I will.

Ok - Sketchup it is. I do a lot of kitchens and bearing in mind I am computer illiterate I was hoping to find something easy, I am sure you gents are more capable than I when it comes to these things.

The basic version, is it easy to use, and can I get the same sort of pix as the one Dave used as an example? That looks great.

what I need is a friend who works at Magnet!!!!!
Never mind, onwards! Roger, over and out.....


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## neilyweely (14 Apr 2008)

Me again.

it wont let me have it! Whenever I try to download the basic version it says the requested url.download is not available. Typical, It was all going so well. However, tomorrow my Mrs is gonna look at all your tutorials Dave, so many thanks in advance ( I am presuming I will be able to get the basic pack at some time).

Thanks everyone.


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## Slim (14 Apr 2008)

neilyweely":96ffivau said:


> Me again.
> 
> it wont let me have it! Whenever I try to download the basic version it says the requested url.download is not available. Typical, It was all going so well. However, tomorrow my Mrs is gonna look at all your tutorials Dave, so many thanks in advance ( I am presuming I will be able to get the basic pack at some time).
> 
> Thanks everyone.



It works for me. Try this link

http://dl.google.com/sketchup/GoogleSketchUpWEN.exe


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## neilyweely (22 Apr 2008)

slim

you're a gent mate, 
thats how i need to be treated!!!! 

i am a cyberclutz, and the only way i ever gonna make progress is like that, where I get straight into the site!!!!

Thanks mate


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## Drakkn (4 May 2008)

Google Sketch up ?

Will it be any good for me for designing guitars ?
What sort of learning curve does it have

Anyone know if it can save files in dxf format because whatever I end up using to design with I have to save as dxf and convert to gcode

Regards

Tony


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## SketchUp Guru (4 May 2008)

Yes, you could use it for drawing guitars.

The learning curve isn't bad. Considerably shorter and shallower that AutoCAD.

To get DXF output, you'll have to buy the Pro version but that's cheaper than a seat of AutoCAD or similar.


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