This Powerful 3D Drawing Program Is Easy To Use— And It’s Free

A Quick Course in SketchUpThis powerful 3D drawingprogram is easy to use—and it’s freeB yT i mK i l l e nFor years I dreamed of using the computer to designfurniture—being able to work out the proportionseasily, preview the construction and avoid mistakes,even to see how the piece would look in the room. The 2Dcomputer-aided drawing (CAD) systems I tried were OKbut limited. For example, they didn’t let me see a piece inperspective, the way a viewer would see it later, or createexploded views of assemblies, or design complex joints.Then, two years ago, a breakthrough—I found GoogleSketchUp, a 3D drawing program from the company thatoperates the biggest Internet search engine. Better yet,Google offers a free version that’s comprehensive enoughto let you design very complex furniture. SketchUp Pro,a for-pay version that I use in my business, sells for 495and includes features that I seldom use. Both versions runon Windows or Apple computers.A half-day training course offered by the program’s developer convinced me that SketchUp could let me renderthe necessary shapes, moldings, curves, and joinery I usewhen I design furniture (Google still offers the training).I was especially struck by the power of SketchUp’s “component” tool, which treats the 3D shapes I draw like solidA scale drawing . . .78also yields an x-ray view . . .F I N E woodwo r kingan exploded view of the pieces . . .and dimensioned 2d viewsPhotos: Matt Berger; drawings: Tim KillenCOPYRIGHT 2007 by The Taunton Press, Inc. Copying and distribution of this article is not permitted.

FROMCOMPUTERTO SHOP12objects, not just a collection of connected lines. Eachcomponent is rendered separately, then easily moved,copied, changed, rotated, and connected to others.SketchUp allows you to produce an exploded viewof all the components that go into a piece of furniture,use an X-ray view to model details of the joints, andproduce detailed, dimensioned views of each component. Once I’m satisfied with each component ina design, I print full-size templates of the joints (seephoto, right) to mark out the lumber in the shop.I’ve heard people say that SketchUp is just a conceptual tool, good for quick design sketches but limitedfor making detailed construction plans. Not so. I’veused SketchUp for precise, highly detailed renderings,including a Gothic-style cornice and compound-miterjoints. I’ll never go back to 2D CAD, norwill I go to the shop without first buildinga piece in SketchUp.Sure, it’s daunting to learn another computer program. But this one is worth it,especially for woodworkers. You can learnthe basics of SketchUp in half a day, using tutorials available free on the SketchUpWeb site. You may need a couple of longweeks of practice to gain a reasonable levelof confidence, but the advice I give herewill help you shorten that learning curve.And SketchUp will change and improve theway you design and build furniture.3Dial in a design. Killenbegins each project witha 3D SketchUp renderingof the overall piece(facing page). At thisstage, he tweaks thedrawing to make theproportions and overallaesthetics just right. Thenhe zeroes in on individualcomponents, checkingsizes and details of joints(1). Once he’s sure thatpieces fit together properly, he switches from3D to 2D views (2), thenprints out templates (3).In the shop, he uses thetemplates to lay out theseparate elements ofthe real piece (4).Designing and building in SketchUpWhether I’m working from a photo ordesigning from scratch, I begin by roughing out the shape and size of individualOnline ExtraTo read and learn more about SketchUpfrom Tim Killen and other bloggers, go toFineWoodworking.com/extras.www.fi newoodwor k i n g.com4The finished piece. Timespent fine-tuning a design inSketchUp can make the actualconstruction go faster, withfewer slip-ups.NOVEMBEr/DECEMBEr 2007COPYRIGHT 2007 by The Taunton Press, Inc. Copying and distribution of this article is not permitted.79

Simple tools make building easyparts, working only on the front view, usually. Thisvery preliminary stage produces only surface planes. Idon’t worry about the third dimension at this point.Once I have a rough drawing, I begin to flesh itout. Using SketchUp’s “push/pull” tool, I give eachelement thickness, width, and length. Push/pullis probably the most used of SketchUp’s uniquetools; it turns a flat 2D shape into a solid object ora 3D recess with a click and drag. One rectanglebecomes a leg; another, a full mortise.I don’t worry about joints at this stage. I’m onlytrying to get all the parts defined and connected intoan attractive whole. For example, if I’m designing acase with a bracket foot, I’ll simply draw in the basicoutline of the foot. Later, I’ll shape detailed joints.I also make many adjustments to the sizes, thicknesses, and positions of the components. Here, I usethe tape-measure and protractor tools to check dimensions and angles, and to create on-screen guidelines showing where to place holes, pegs, mortises,and the like. Again, these elements start as simpleshapes and then the push-pull tool pulls them outfrom a surface or pushes them in to make a hole.With the joinery completed, I detail the moldings.For this, I use SketchUp’s “follow me” tool. It allowsyou to profile a shape for, say, a turned leg or acornice. From there, I create separate X-ray views tocheck the design of each joint, an exploded view ofthe components, dimensioned drawings, and full-sizetemplates and patterns for the actual construction.If I need to check a dimension or take a closer lookat a detail, I go back to the computer. In some casesI may add dimensions to a file or add detail to themodel. I continually update the SketchUp images asSTARTINGA PLANyou can bring a photointo sketchUp anduse it as the basisfor a drawing.Killen often doesthis for his periodreproductions. foran original piece,you can beginwith a shape defining itstop or face.1. import A drAwingWith a photo placed as a starting point,you can use SketchUp’s “photo match”tool to keep the lines you draw properlyoriented on the different axes andfollowing the edges in the photo.2. drAw simple shApesDraw rectangles to define legs,aprons, and other elements.Designate each rectangle as acomponent. That lets you modify itwithout affecting any other element.3. give eAch one thicKnessSelect a component, such as the top ofthis table, and use the push/pull toolto give it the proper thickness. Work onone component at a time. Later, you’llduplicate identical components.A SketchUp galleryprofessionalwoodworkers andhobbyists alikenow use sketchUpregularly, creatingpresentationdrawings for clientsas well as workingdrawings for theshop. the imageson these pages giveyou a taste of thefurniture styles andshapes thatyou canrender.80FINE WOODWOrKINGBOB BABCOCK, CARVER, MASS.When I began using SketchUp three years ago at work, I immediatelysaw its potential for woodworking. I like being able to draw something,then try various changes without starting from scratch. I designed thestraight-leg Morris chair (foreground), then the end table. I liked the table’sreverse-tapered legs, so I quickly gave the chair tapered legs, too (center).Gallery images courtesy of the contributorsCOPYRIGHT 2007 by The Taunton Press, Inc. Copying and distribution of this article is not permitted.

MAKING ACOMPONENT1. drAw ArectAngleUsing sketchUp to create acomponent like this table legmeans using the computer tomimic tasks you’ll do later in theshop—make the basic leg thecorrect height, width, and length;mark and shape mortises,dovetails, and chamfers. Butunlike working in a shop, youonly have to do things once.when you’ve drawn one chamfer,just copy and rotate it; the samegoes for the completed leg.2. Add dimensionThis is how mostcomponents beginin SketchUp. Youcan either draw thefour sides one at atime using thepencil tool, orcreate the shapedirectly using therectangle tool.SketchUp hassimilar tools fordrawing circles andpolygons.1. Lay outguidelines.The push/pull toollets you drag therectangle along oneaxis, converting thetwo-dimensionalshape into a 3D solid.The tape-measuretool lets you checkthe dimensions.You also can type incritical dimensions,entering the numbersin a small on-screenwindow called theValue Control Box.3. chAmferone corner,then repeAtUsing the penciltool, draw in theshape of thechamfer. Thenerase the cornersof the leg to createone chamfer.Finally, highlightthe chamfer outlineand copy it onto theother three corners.3. Add depthwith thepush/pulltool.2. Drawmortise onleg face.5. copy the finished leg4. locAte And shApe the mortisesThe tape-measure tool lets you add guidelines to outlinemortises. Draw a rectangle in the space defined by theguidelines and use the push/pull tool to “cut” the mortise.Working in the X-ray view lets you see what you’re doing.Once you’ve completed one leg, youcan copy it, rotate it, and move it. Thearrow keys on the keyboard let yourestrict the movement of a componentto one direction only—left or right,front to back, up or down—in order tokeep similar components aligned.DAVe RiCHARDS, ROCHESTER, MINN.For the past several years, I’ve been helpingother woodworkers around the world learnto use SketchUp. I’ve made a wide range ofdrawings, from tiny parts for medicalequipment to large architecturalprojects. Sometimes I’llwork from a photo, as Idid for the front view ofthe dining table (left),where I worked outconstruction details.The female figureis a stock image inSketchUp, providingscale. Other times, I’lldesign from the ground upin SketchUp, as I did for thelumber rack (right).COPYRIGHT 2007 by The Taunton Press, Inc. Copying and distribution of this article is not permitted.