In January 1902, Gustav Stickley suggested to readers of The Craftsman that they should examine furniture in the same way they would examine prospective friends, to look for moral and agreeable qualities in both. That may seem like an odd … Continue reading
Just Type The Number I think this post is more about me and the way my brain works than it is about learning to use SketchUp. Now that I’ve become somewhat adept at modelling, I really admire the simple and … Continue reading
Click and Let Go, ClickClick, and ClickClickClick One thing I plan on emphasizing in this year’s SketchUp classes is using the mouse effectively. Modeling in SketchUp is a very efficient process if you click the right way at the right … Continue reading
Navigate With the Mouse At SketchUp Base Camp I was in a group of people who teach SketchUp, and someone suggested that saying the program is “intuitive and easy to learn” may not be such good advice. It can be … Continue reading
Those Colored Lines and Dots Mean Something Learning how to use software that’s new to you is like adapting to the way things are in a foreign country. The language is different, the customs are different, and behavior that is … Continue reading
I Can Get Rid of That Guy Standing in The Corner All of us had at least one teacher in junior high who liked to point out the negative consequences of making an assumption. For me it was Mr. Sawyer, … Continue reading
I received an e-mail last week from a reader who feels that he is being “forced” to move from AutoCAD to SketchUp, and he isn’t a happy CADer. I can relate. I first learned to make design drawings with pencil … Continue reading
Arts & Crafts furniture finishes, especially the “proper” finish for quartersawn white oak are not difficult to achieve, if you know what you’re really after. A lot of woodworkers want the grain to “pop”, which is a worthy goal for … Continue reading
I’ve been selling plans online for 10 years through craftsmanplans.com, large format printed plans. They’re nicely done, but if you’ve never made any furniture or worked with measured drawings, they can be intimidating. Over the years, there have been requests … Continue reading
I never set out to be a writer. I’m a cabinetmaker first and foremost and have been since the early 1970s. In those days resources were few and I was continually on the prowl for new information about woodworking and … Continue reading
Update: A revised & updated Version of my book is now available! CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THE “NEW WOODWORKER’S GUIDE TO SKETCHUP” Hi Bob, Any plans to update your SketchUp 7 ebook to SketchUp 8? Time frame? Thanks. Pete … Continue reading
With all of the interest in ancient texts, I’m surprised that no one else has mentioned this recently discovered missive from the Dead Sea scrolls. Dr. Heime Schmulevitz, an Aramaic scholar (and amateur woodworker) has kindly shared these excerpts from … Continue reading