OMG!!! Look at this...

[jonny round boy]

For those that have commented on my abilities to use SketchUp, I thought I'd post this video. I've just (literally 5 mins ago!) discovered that there's a plug-in for SU that gives object realistic movement, inertia, etc.


Check out this guys other vids, too. It's SERIOUSLY cool stuff, and I'm gobsmacked!!! The stuff you can get for free thesedays....

 

[jonny round boy]

And 'controlled joints', too!!!


I can see me trying to use this to control my Kapex model!!! (when I finish it, anyway!).

 

[Brice Burrell]

Here is the link to the plug in, SketchyPhysics. I've got, I just don't know how to use it yet. This is going to be fun, thanks Jonny.

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Jonny,
This is fascinating stuff.  I still have not been able to make Sketchup do basic stuff like a bookshelf, so this is way beyond me at the moment.  But it makes me want to give it a try.

Do you think Sketchup could help me calculate the chances that three sheets of 4x8 plywood strapped down to the roof of my car on a windy day will slide off onto the road?

The stuff you can get for free thesedays....

It is incredible what's available free (or "open source") these days.  In fact, this forum is run on open-source software.

Hey, don't you start to feel bad for the little guy in the first video!

Matthew

 

[Dan Clark]

Matthew,

I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before, but check out the "Sketchup Tutorial: Drawing a Bookcase Using Groups & Components" at http://www.garymkatz.com/charts_drawings.html (fourth link down).  Besides being an excellent, clear video, it's Gary's approach that is unique.  Gary constructs his drawing from a woodworkers perspective - creating components and putting them together.  Also, his drawing is very detailed and shows the internal technical details of the bookcase, not just the pretty outside surfaces.

Check it out.

Regards,

Dan.

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Dan,
Thanks for the link.  I'll have to give SketchUp another try.  Each time I've tried it in the past, I soon came to the conclusion that sketching projects by hand is better.  I'm not defending that statement, only admitting what's happened!

Is SketchUp available for Linux?

Matthew

 

[Dan Clark]

I believe it's available for Windows and Mac OSX only.

Sorry.

Dan.

 

[Dave Ronyak]

Jonny,
This is fascinating stuff.  I still have not been able to make Sketchup do basic stuff like a bookshelf, so this is way beyond me at the moment.  But it makes me want to give it a try.

Do you think Sketchup could help me calculate the chances that three sheets of 4x8 plywood strapped down to the roof of my car on a windy day will slide off onto the road?

[Matthew

Matthew,

SU could probably do that, too.  But I already know the answer from experience (one of the stupidist things I ever did).  A sheet of 3/4 inch particle board strapped to the roof of a car through open front and rear windows, even with a fore and aft strap to the front and rear bumpers will not survive a 2 mile trip at 35 mph in Ohio.  It was a scary event when that sheet broke up and pieces went flying off the car.  Fortunately, no other things were hurt, except my ego and my wallet, slightly, but it could have caused a major accident.

Dave R. 

 

[Tinker]

Years ago, when the 2"x2'x8' polyfoam insulation first came out, I picked up a pile of them for use as insulation under a concrete floor slab I was preparing for pouring.  I must have had a couple of dozen sheets tied side by side into a couple of bundles onto the deck of my one ton flat bed.  In those days, I had not yet learned how to remove that heavy lead plate from the bottom of my right shoe and i was cruising along at my usual rate of speed where the wheels touched the road only once in a while, enough for just enough traction to hit another few mph's.  i was cruising along and happened to take a quick peek in the rearviews (Those big 16" WestCoast types) and was slightly aghast as I saw about 3 feet of air between the deck and the two piles of foam insulation.  I hit the brakes and the entire pile just settled right back into place as if nothing had happened.  I just continued on at a somewhat more sensible rate of speed arriving at the jobsite with no further problems.  8)
Tinker

 

[woodshopdemos]

...and I'm gobsmacked!!!

  I love it. Is that conjugatable?  I love the word and thought that you had invented it, but the spell check let it by so I looked it up and there it was. I have so much more to learn.

 

[mhch]

There is so much to learn !!

Woodworkers might like to learn that in French (I'm French) there are
funny woodwork related expressions similar to "gobsmacked"

- Je suis sci?:  I'm sawed
- Ca me cloue le bec:  It nails my beak

 

[Eli]

Finally I have some French for in between my Dinner French and my Gutter French. Workman's French! I love it.