Hey guys I am a newbe to sketch-up (like 4 hours max) and I just ordered my MKIII the other day :mrgreen: . I can't wait. I looked at a few of the videos you guys have posted on the sketch up. I learned a few things to get me started, but I learn better hands on so I decided just to play around with the program and this is what i have created so far.

Now my delima

Attached is the file for my first plane. I have noticed that when I expand the parts to how wide I need them they do not always create a solid object. An example of this is the fuse Half. Now I know there is a random line going down the middle as this in my center line for my thrust. I have the stab placement marked through and the vertical stab area recessed in for the stab placement into the plane.

I have noticed this problem on my elevators as well. But my vertical and rudder both worked fine. Can someone please tell me where i have gone wrong.

Thanks
Tom


PS, If you guys see anything that will help my design please feel free to comment. I am trying to work in all of the little things that I would want in a plane into the design. Attached files extra2.skp (44.6 KB)Â

 

Well, the first thing you need to do is flatten everything down to the X-Y plane. If you rotate your view and look at the bottom edge of your fuselage, you'll see that all the parts are NOT on the same surface. That's a dumb thing that Sketchup does, often. I use a plugin called "Flatten 2D" (because I paid for it) but I think Tim or Ewo or Kwok added it into the Phlatscript sometime back.
First things first, Select All then Right Mouse Button, select "Explode" and keep repeating that until there are no groups or components remaining in the entire model. Then Select All again, then RightMouseButton, "PhlatEdge" , "Phlatten Selected Edges". NOW, everything should be on the X-Y plane.
Next, zoom in closely at the fuselage/rudder joint area and you'll notice a number of lines are overlapping. Sketchup will try to put faces inside those tiny areas and it will drive you crazy! Decide which lines to keep and delete the rest, including any stray leftover nubs.
Now the faces should auto-create, but you may want to straighten some of your lines to true verticals.
The horizontal stabilizer just needs a few lines redrawn to create the faces for it.

Oh, and Welcome to the Forum and to PP ownership! You're going to be blown away with your PP III !

 

Thanks guys. I found the culprit. It was a bad line. Man this takes some getting use to.

Dorsal I will try those tips. Some times these learning curves can be tricky. It was the same kind of things when I started cutting vinyl. But with a little time Im sure it will be alot easier.

 

topflight36, You can draw the model in 3D, but when it's time to create the flat patterns and generate the G-code, all those patterns must be laid flat on the X-Y plane. It's an issue that drove me crazy until I got into the habit of "flatten"ing the parts, often. It's probably something I'm doing, but Sketchup seems to love to draw a point a few thousandths of an inch above the plane, and every line attached to that weird point will create havoc and heartburn when you try to manipulate the faces.
I learned from the same experiences you're having. :geek:

 

Here are my tips:

You will want to keep the 2D flat parts, as those will be used later for plans and marked up for cnc gcode. So save those over on the side and make a copy to do the 3D model. You don't necessarily even need the 3d model for a flat foamy, but it's a nice visual aid.

Your centerline is a straight line but in three segments. You can combine it into one line with a plugins called, "Repair Broken Lines"

I kind of think this "flatten" issue is overblown. I am just saying I personally don't "flatten", not to contradict other people's experience. The reason being is that sketchup has inferencing and also snaps to stuff. My opinion is, it not possible for it to be arbitrarily off, by a few thousands. Yes, when I first started and was trying to figure out why my drawing or someone elses drawing had problem, it was very easy to just say flatten it. But now I see it as a crutch. Once you start trying to figure out why things are happening, then your drawings will stop having these strange problems. Note the one big problem with flattening, is it destroy the arcs and curves and replace them with individual edge segments.

-Kwok

 

Thank you guys for the feed back. I have the plane made into both componenents and groups so I could split it up when I went to cut it. I was putting all the peice together to make sure I made everything right. Is that the right thing to do? Another thing that bugs me issketch-up seems a little jumpy on moving parts around so I can get it close enough to see that it will work but I cant get it exact.

I like the idea of making seperate parts to make the 3D model.

Thanks
Tom

 

Yes, I forgot about checking for fit. That is a good thing.

You probably want to turn off "Length Snapping". I am assuming it's snapping to a grid.
Also, sometimes it help the use "X-ray mode" when trying to fit 3D parts.

You will learn alot, if you spend a evening on youtube looking at a few tutorials. Like this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDvwHon6-zY

Oh, 1 more thing. I don't see why you are coloring the parts, now. It just make your edges hard to see. You can always add color when you are completely done.

Attached files

 

Kyyu thanks for the additional tips.

I have been watching some of the videos. I pick up a few things from them then play with the program for a while. I tend to learn more by just messing with something rather then watching someone do something. Its all about that hands on learning lol.

BTW my model is typically in a single color. I did that to try and make it easier on your guys to see what parts are which.