Try sketchup! (Thanks Gotmike)

J

JParisi48

Joined
May 14, 2012
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198
A member here (GotMike) introduced me to sketchup. Words can't explain how easy it is to use, and how fast you can come up with a knife design in a 3d image to scale. It is free so just google sketchup and download it. I made a thread on different ways to draw knife templates, and this is by far the easiest and most detailed way to do it on a COMPUTER. I know some of you are blessed with drawing skills. Try it and give some feedback and post what you made with it :thumbup:
 
J i tried that a wile back and it kick my but maybe this old dog is to old to learn new tricks lol. i would love to learn how to use it think i will down load it again and i might be hitting you up to help a old dog learn lol.
 
I tried it a while back, and had no idea how to use it. I'm a dummy and would need someone to explain it to me.
 
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I've been using it for the last 2 hours and learned so much already, it helps to keep that tip bar open, and if you go into tools or one of the other things up in the top left you can open more tools! I have made a few good knife templates so far, and I even copied my garage workshop area. It just takes a little practice, if you have any questions, I will be sure to help as best I can. Keep in mind that I also just started using it :D
 
I use Sketchup but I have a background in GIS and my wife helped me with it (she works for her dad, who is an architect).
It's a great program for us knifemakers because it's way easier to learn than other CADD programs. However, it still requires a fair bit of computer competency. If you can't figure out the basics you can search for Sketchup tutorials.

Many waterjet companies use software that doesn't support the same file type that the free version of Sketchup will produce. In other words, don't blow hours of learning and work designing knives in sketchup and think you can send that file to your waterjet guy. If you do plan on using it for waterjet cutting then ask the contractor what file types they support. If they don't take the Sketchup format then you'll have to buy the pro version or find someone who can convert a Sketchup file to the correct file type.

If you do choose to use Sketchup, an easy way to get started is take your hand drawing, scan it, then import it into Skeptchup. You'll be able to draw your knife right on top of the hand drawing. Just be careful and measure your picture and stretch it to the correct dimensions before you start digitizing it. When I sent the file to my waterjet guy he told me he could only fit two thirds the number of knives I wanted to cut onto my sheet of steel. It turned out that my scanner distorted my picture and I drew my knives too big.
 
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It really is a great program... Any questions and ill try to answer them... And lots of tutorials...
 
Good advise Chris!
I've wasted waaay too much time on customers files created in sketchup as well as other free CAD software that's out there.
The best use for free software is to design your knife, print it & glue the full scale drawing to a piece of material (any kind of material to generate a pattern) and grind out a master pattern. The objective is to make the master pattern exactly the way you envision. Then have your master pattern professionally converted into a common CAD format if you plan on using waterjet or laser. Once you pay for the service you have a file you can go anywhere with and have blanks repeated. Amateur CAD programmers get amateur results that cost the machine shop time and you money.

fumbler said:
I use Sketchup but I have a background in GIS and my wife helped me with it (she works for her dad, who is an architect).
It's a great program for us knifemakers because it's way easier to learn than other CADD programs. However, it still requires a fair bit of computer competency. If you can't figure out the basics you can search for Sketchup tutorials.

Many waterjet companies use software that doesn't support the same file type that the free version of Sketchup will produce. In other words, don't blow hours of learning and work designing knives in sketchup and think you can send that file to your waterjet guy. If you do plan on using it for waterjet cutting then ask the contractor what file types they support. If they don't take the Sketchup format then you'll have to buy the pro version or find someone who can convert a Sketchup file to the correct file type.

If you do choose to use Sketchup, an easy way to get started is take your hand drawing, scan it, then import it into Skeptchup. You'll be able to draw your knife right on top of the hand drawing. Just be careful and measure your picture and stretch it to the correct dimensions before you start digitizing it. When I sent the file to my waterjet guy he told me he could only fit two thirds the number of knives I wanted to cut onto my sheet of steel. It turned out that my scanner distorted my picture and I drew my knives too big.
Click to expand...
 
Yeah... It's just a model... The best thing about it though is that it can let you envision the end result as long as you put enough work into the model you can get a really good idea of the end product... Used it in many different projects...
 
Draft sight is another good one. If you are familiar with auto cad, it's about the same.....and free.
 
gotmike said:
Yeah... It's just a model... The best thing about it though is that it can let you envision the end result as long as you put enough work into the model you can get a really good idea of the end product... Used it in many different projects...
Click to expand...

You're right, it's a great way to draw, I just didn't want anyone to think it's super easy with no computer experience and that the files could readily be used for CNC operations.

What I like about the program (and CADD in general) is the ease of changing things. For instance I worked for a while to get one knife just right. I wanted to make another model with the exact same handle but a different blade. Copying the existing handle takes 2 seconds.
 
Just wanted to share the fact that the company I work for (Trimble Navigation)...just bought SketchUP a few months ago. One of my best friends here just moved to their office and started working for them in Boulder, CO. I'm not a sketchUP user, but I can pass info on to him if the need arises.

I've been using DesignCAD as my home-version CAD solution. It works fine for scaled print outs...but it gets tricky when trying to get the file to my machinist (just like H2OKnife mentioned). He still has to edit it to make it useful for his CAM tool paths..... at $50 an hour.
 
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