Google sketchup tutorial?

Precise

Member
While working on my first knife from a copied pattern, I decided to play around with starting to design my own knife. My drawing skills are horrible, so I want to use google sketchup to make it nice and neat (and to easily make lots of good copies).

Anyone know of any tutorials for designing knives in Sketchup? I've never used anything like it before, but everyone keeps saying how great it is...
 
Steve,

I Googled 'google sketchup knife tutorial' and came up with only one on how to animate a knife, not sketch it. Could you post one of the links you found? I am interested in this also.
 
I'm certainly not a computer guy, but if you search for "sketch up tutorial" you'll get dozens of hits. Knife-specific is irrelevant because the basics of making a house or the like go hand-in-hand with making a knife. Heck, I made a beautiful mock-up of a canoe hull and sliding seat apparatus that's dang near perfect, and I don't know jack about the system.
 
Do you guys just polygon in the bevels? I've tried using SketchUp on a few simple designs, but any knife with a belly requires hand-drawing a bunch of triangles. I've got limited experience with drafting software, so that may be normal. It seems like an awful waste of time though.
 
Thanks for the reply.

I'm getting a little better with it, but I haven't got down adjusting scale though. Apparently, the knife I drew is over 15 feet long and 6 foot wide!?!?! I don't even think I have enough paper to try and print that out!
 
Precise,

I do most of my graphics with Xara Xtreme Pro 5.0. They have a free trial version and some older versions reduced. It is great vector software at a reasonable price and the learning curve is easier than PhotoShop or Illustrator. I think the newest version is still under $300 and there are on-line tutorials on youtube and at talkgraphics.com.

Xara
 
Thanks for the reply.

I'm getting a little better with it, but I haven't got down adjusting scale though. Apparently, the knife I drew is over 15 feet long and 6 foot wide!?!?! I don't even think I have enough paper to try and print that out!

If you can print it? I know where you can get the steel. I always start with 8.5 x 11 canvas size.
 
Guys, I've been using Inkscape for some time.

It's free and easy to use.

I can play around with designs easily using it.

These all used the same design and were altered for different ideas.

Rock3.jpg
 
ms paint?

i have something called paint on my computer.
i guess it's probably from microsoft.
i just go to start-all programs-system tools i believe.
you will see it.
it works really well to design anything you want to.
you can draw simple things.
here is a knife i drew in about 5 minutes or less.
you can't detail the blade in that time like showing
grind lines,but a basic knife pattern is all you really
need to make a pattern i would think?
jd

trapperturqred2bolster2-1.jpg



trapperturqred2bolster2open-1.jpg


firstbowie.jpg
 
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I've got inkscape myself, it is an excellent vector drawing program. Jd, ms paint will only go so far, pixel art and strait lines, as well as the complete inability to edit curves without having to erase and work the curve pixel by pixel. Things like inkscape will let you adjust curves you set with what are basically sliders, enabling you to get the exact shape you want.

Even though I do know allot about computer use and programs, I still find myself drawing out all my designs in paper. I can be so much more precise when I'm working in one to one scale on paper, but I suppose that comes from having a strong art background.
 
my ms paint has a curve acc. and slider to adjust.
i know it's not like the other programs,but you can make the basic outline of anything the way you
want it to be i think.you don't have to erase and create pixel by pixel to make a curve.
just don't get the detail like steel,etc.
it works good enuff to design a basic outline of what you want to make.
you can print and go from there.
i am sure others are better,but for those who don't have others,or requirements to download the freebies like inkscape.
my computer has windows xp,but i got the empression i needed more to download inkscape when i checked it out.
i may be wrong,cause i am computer dumb.
jd

Jd, ms paint will only go so far, pixel art and strait lines, as well as the complete inability to edit curves without having to erase and work the curve pixel by pixel. Things like inkscape will let you adjust curves you set with what are basically sliders, enabling you to get the exact shape you want.
 
that looks great.
looks like you been doing it for awhile.
how much does that cnc kit cost?
is that all you need to cut your own stock?

here is a couple mock ups i did
in about 5 minutes on my basic ms paint.
nothing fancy,but it gives you idea of what your design would look like finished.
jd

randyscopy-1.jpg


randyscopy3-1.jpg
 
jd, the cnc is to light to be used for cutting steel......it is used for cutting foam, balsa wood, and other soft materials. i got it for doing my r/c plane hobby. i just used the cnc with a scribe, just to layout the profile. also this is my first build....im very much a newb....randy.
 
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