Way back when I was in design school (board drafting with T-square and pencil) one of my teachers mentioned that people who work with sheet metal duct work know more about practical geometry than anyone in the world. I was … Continue reading →
When I first started using (and teaching and writing about) 3D modeling with SketchUp, the differences between the free and paid versions of the software were simple to understand (this 2015 post goes into detail about the differences between “SketchUp … Continue reading →
If learning how to make 3D models in SketchUp is on your “to-do” list, and you want to shorten the learning curve, there are still a few slots available in my upcoming class, April 26-27 in the Cincinnati, Ohio area. … Continue reading →
Several people have contacted me lately, wondering when I will host a SketchUp class here in the Cincinnati area. I’m thinking this March or April will work, if I can round up enough students. If you’re thinking that now is … Continue reading →
I don’t mind answering questions from readers, because good questions often become useful blog posts. In this instance, the question wasn’t quite clear so I’m showing two solutions. One way to solve problems in SketchUp is to consider how it … Continue reading →
There are still seats available in my upcoming SketchUp class at the Philadelphia Furniture Workshop, November 11 & 12, 2017. This is the last live class I have scheduled for this year, and a rare appearance for me in the … Continue reading →
The most important skill in woodworking isn’t what you might think it is. It isn’t the ability to master a specific tool or technique. The things that look impossible become approachable, and picking up new tools and methods isn’t a … Continue reading →
I’ve been making stuff from wood for more than 40 years and I do better work now than I used to. (If you’re curious about my woodworking, you can find photos going way back at this link.) I’m not one … Continue reading →
I’m delighted to announce a SketchUp Class to be held the weekend of November 11-12, 2017 at the Philadelphia Furniture Workshop in Philadelphia, PA. You can get detailed information and register for this class at the PFW website. While this … Continue reading →
Last night I spent a pleasant hour chatting with Lance Granum and Dave Damsen of the “This Old Workshop” Podcast. We talked about how SketchUp makes woodworking better (and why I’m convinced every woodworker should learn it), the 21st Century … Continue reading →
Space Available MASW July 22-23 SketchUp Class There are still a few seats available in the two-day SketchUp class I will be teaching on the weekend of July 22-23, 2017 at the Marc Adams School of Woodworking in Franklin, Indiana. … Continue reading →
One of my favorite weekends of the year is teaching SketchUp at the Marc Adams School of Woodworking in Indiana. There are still a few spots available in this years class on the weekend of July 22 & 23. Complete … Continue reading →
Teaching yourself how to use computer software is possible, (that’s how I learned to use SketchUp) but the drawback is you suffer for a while with an ignorant teacher (I know I did). The problem is you don’t know what … Continue reading →
The good folks at SketchUp recently tweaked the features of the 3D Warehouse and it is now possible to “borrow” materials or components from a warehouse model without downloading the entire model. In this example I have a model of a … Continue reading →
In the almost 10 years that I’ve been teaching people how to 3D model with SketchUp, I’ve learned a lot about the many ways different people learn. Each of us is a little different in the way our brains absorb … Continue reading →
It’s now official! The class scheduled for May 6 & 7 in Pittsburgh, PA is set to go. There are still a limited number of spaces available, so if you’re ready to learn how to make 3D models with SketchUp, … Continue reading →
How far do you go with details in a SketchUp model? That’s a common question and the answer depends on what you’re making the model for versus how much time it will take to add the details. In my work, … Continue reading →
SCROLL DOWN FOR LIST OF AVAILABLE CLASSES Who needs to learn SketchUp? In my way of thinking everybody, or at least everybody who is involved with making things. I was trained to produce detailed drawings on a drafting board, then … Continue reading →
Designers face two big challenges; the first is getting a client to visualize what is being proposed, and the second is achieving that without spending too much time working for free. SketchUp is the ideal solution to both of these … Continue reading →
CLASS IS SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 18 & 19, 2017 CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS AND SIGN UP TODAY I plan on hosting a SketchUp class this spring in the Cincinnati area. Where and when will depend on you! I’m leaning towards … Continue reading →
I realize that this website is a mixed bag, but it is a reflection of what I do. I’m interested in many different things and old enough to be pretty good at several of them. As it’s time to get … Continue reading →
James Hamilton (aka Stumpy Nubs) has included a video review of my latest book “SketchUp For Kitchen Design”. Jim is the host/author/publisher of the online “Stumpy Nubs Woodworking Journal” and you can read the latest issue (and start your free … Continue reading →
Marc Adams School of Woodworking is a special place and I’ve been invited to teach a few classes at MASW in 2017. It is the largest woodworking school in the country with an incredibly well-equipped shop and an experienced staff … Continue reading →
SketchUp 2017 has just been released and the new version is definitely a change for the better. Almost all of the changes are “under the hood”. Much like rebuilding the engine of a car, SketchUp has reworked their “graphics pipeline”. … Continue reading →
Woodworking is an interesting blend of the practical and the romantic. Like most woodworkers I swing back and forth; I love the artistic side but I also need to pay the bills or put something nice in my house that … Continue reading →
To give you a better idea of what my new book “SketchUp For Kitchen Design” is like, I recorded a short video. Watch the video below to take a four-minute tour of this book. If a kitchen remodel is in your … Continue reading →
As an independent author/publisher I enjoy being free of corporate policies and rigamarole, so I can give stuff away if I think it makes a product better. While I was working on my new book “SketchUp For Kitchen Design” I … Continue reading →
I readily admit to being lazy, and that’s one of the reasons SketchUp is my favorite design software. I never have to model something a second time if I’m careful about where I put it. The Components window has some … Continue reading →
The good thing about running an online business is extended reach; folks from the other side of the world purchase and download my book the “New Woodworker’s Guide to SketchUp” all the time, usually without a hitch. Once in a … Continue reading →
Here is a question I get asked relatively often: I purchased “SketchUp Guide for Woodworkers”. Is this the same as your book? Here’s my answer, and a quick look at recent history. They are not the same, in spite of … Continue reading →
I will be teaching a two-day SketchUp class on June 2 & 3, 2016, at the Golden Lamb Inn in Lebanon, Ohio. This two-day class (Thursday and Friday) will cover how to use SketchUp to design, plan and problem solve … Continue reading →
In a good SketchUp model anything that is a distinct piece of wood in real life is a component. (Click here to read about why components are so important). With components, you rarely need to draw anything more than once; … Continue reading →
If you’re learning how to use SketchUp you have a lot on your plate. As it is with any new software you need to remember what happens when you click on this or that, but SketchUp is more complex because … Continue reading →
Question from a reader: I’m trying to do a simple paneled door; 2 rails, 2 stiles, and a panel in a groove all the way around. I made stiles no problem, the rails have a groove and a little tenon, … Continue reading →
I spent a little time this morning making a SketchUp model of one of the pieces from Gustav Stickley’s “The Craftsman” magazine. This table has always intrigued me, it was designed by Ernest Gimson in the early 1900s. This was … Continue reading →
What do middle school students and amateur carpenters have in common? Neither group realizes how tricky and troublesome compound angles can be. Carpenters will have fits trying to run crown molding and one group of middle schoolers recently hit a … Continue reading →
One of the most popular posts on this blog is my “SketchUp Shortcuts Cheat Sheet”, a handy list of the shortcuts I use all the time. Those are all standard shortcuts that exist when you install SketchUp. A few years … Continue reading →
Since the first post on this site in August, 2011 I’ve written about woodworking, the American Arts & Crafts period and SketchUp. My interest in SketchUp began with my own use and that led to teaching other woodworkers how to … Continue reading →
SketchUp is a program that tries to make things easy. There are inferences at the ends and midpoints of every line. When you get close to one with the mouse cursor a colored dot appears along with a yellow tag. … Continue reading →
Last week I spent a most interesting day in the tech lab at a Michigan middle school, showing a group of five (a middle school technology teacher, an 8th grade science teacher, a high school technology teacher, a high school … Continue reading →
