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 →
It’s been a busy spring. I just completed a two-day SketchUp class. Earlier in April I taught a week-long woodworking class at MASW, and attended half of my local Society of American Period Furniture Makers chapter meeting. As often happens, … 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 →
I will be hosting a two-day SketchUp class on Thursday and Friday, April 26-26, 2018, 9am to 5pm in the Cincinnati area. This is your opportunity to learn 3D modeling from an expert SketchUp trainer in a small class, held … 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 →
Sometimes the best things appear in the most unexpected places. You wouldn’t expect to find a woodworking school smack dab in the middle of central Indiana, but that’s the location of the Marc Adams School of Woodworking. MASW has been … 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 →
About two months ago I floated the idea of offering online SketchUp classes and about one month ago I held some live practice sessions. It’s a simple idea; I can connect with students online, they can see my screen, I … 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 →
UPDATE-Wednesday June 21: Last night’s session went well. There are still a few spots available for Saturday morning. Contact me by e-mail to reserve your spot. I’m getting closer to offering a series of live online classes for using SketchUp … 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 →
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 →
Thanks to the organizing efforts of one of my readers I will be teaching a two-day SketchUp Woodworking class this May 6-7, 2017 in the Pittsburgh, PA area. This class will focus on woodworking, but the 3D modeling techniques you … Continue reading →
NOTE: This class is history! CLICK HERE to help me plan a class for Spring 2018 I will be teaching a two-day SketchUp class on March 18 & 19, 2017, at the Golden Lamb Inn in Lebanon, Ohio. This two-day … 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 →
Dec. 10, 2016 – We Have a Winner! Leave a Comment to Enter Drawing Your kitchen is the most used room in your house, and quite often a source of aggravation. But remodeling a kitchen can be a risky endeavor. … 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 →
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 →
Of course I’m going to tell you that the “New Woodworker’s Guide to SketchUp” is the best resource available for woodworkers to get up to speed in 3D modeling – I wrote it and published it. An opinion from someone … 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 →
Several readers have been in touch wanting to know when I will be having another SketchUp class in Cincinnati. If you’re in the area (or willing to travel) you can help me decide when to hold a class and how … 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 →
Next weekend I will be in Birmingham, Alabama as a guest of the Alabama Woodworkers Guild. On Friday evening, April 8, 2016 from 6-9pm I will be conducting a Woodworking With SketchUp workshop. This special event is open to the … 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 think my books are pretty good; they mix text and video in a digital format (PDF). These different methods reinforce each other so no matter what your learning style is you “get it” faster than you would with just … Continue reading →
Knowing a traditional way of doing something is certainly valuable, but it’s easy to get trapped in thinking that the traditional way is the only way, or the best way to achieve a goal. Technical drawings and project plans are … Continue reading →
