G-sketchup rocks!!!

galadduin

galadduin

Joined
Dec 25, 2004
Messages
1,363
I was planning to make a lockback folding reed knife for a custom order. I made some hand drawings but my design skills lacking for detailed work. Then I started to use Google Sketchup program yesterday. Man that is the easiest 3D program I've ever seen. In just a 1 hour I finished my lockback reed knife design. Also I can rotate the blade around the pivot see if the lock works or not. I strongly suggest this program. It is possible to design every knife in detail...

ps: dimensions are multiplied by 10 for precision...
 

Attachments

  • folder reed (Medium).jpg
    folder reed (Medium).jpg
    26.5 KB · Views: 145
  • folder reed2 (Medium).jpg
    folder reed2 (Medium).jpg
    17.6 KB · Views: 85
  • folder reed3 (Medium).jpg
    folder reed3 (Medium).jpg
    28.8 KB · Views: 109
  • folder reed4 (Medium).jpg
    folder reed4 (Medium).jpg
    18.5 KB · Views: 103
  • diver2 (Medium).jpg
    diver2 (Medium).jpg
    6.3 KB · Views: 83
I've used sketchup a bit as well, but I never figured out how to get different components to align right and rotate for multiple piece function checks. Can you point me on where you found info on that part?

-d
 
What is the cost of installation sketchup?
Click to expand...

It is free, completely free :confused: . It is strange but it is true...

get different components to align right and rotate for multiple piece function checks. Can you point me on where you found info on that part?
Click to expand...

All I do first to draw 2D silhouette of knife and components. When each component drawn it is easy to make them 3D with push tool. When you multiple select the components you can rotate them around the pivot. Then I do arrangements about the lock and blade ricasso to have them successfully move around. The stop pin under the lock bar was tricky, I selected all the blade and rotated centered to the pivot and looked if the round end of the blade is hitting to the stop pin. It hit at an angle, so I made the round butt smaller until it didn't hit. Then I arranged the flat part of the knife's end, I played with the lock size and the width of the knife pivot area. It is very hard to define the processes I used as English is not my native language.
Sketchup is not very good 3D program but I guess it is the most useful program for us. I know 3DS Max also but I didn't use it as it is somewhat overkill for this simple design of knives. It is simpler to make the knife than to model it in 3ds max. But with sketchup I dont spend too much time with modeling. It has all the goodies for draw the profile. It is unbelievably easy. After you are happy with the design you scale all the model to your needs. For example the folder at the beginning was a couple of meters long :D. I scaled it down to my liking, then I labeled the dimensions of all the components. I will print it out the drawing and I'll base my profile, spring and lock to these dimensions.
 
I have been drawing lots of models on google sketchup for about a year now, they just came out with 7. I use the pro version, it is costly (you can find it as a torrent file) :foot:

I used to draw everything on it in 3d, using the follow me tool to cut the bevels, but I now draw everything in 2d.
 
Oh and one thing that is great is that in the pro version you can export it as a cad file. I don't think it is worth paying the $500 for it, though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top