Fine Woodworking

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Fine Woodworking

Creating complex curved faces in SketchUp

July 1, 2020

Tim Killen uses a SketchUp plug-in, Fredo Curvaloft Skin Contours, to help him model a complex shape on a challenging Queen Anne leg.
Using SketchUp to create patterns

June 17, 2020

Using SketchUp and Layout, Dave Richards demonstrates how to create full-size printed patterns to use for router templates or bending forms.
Adding phantom lines in SketchUp

June 4, 2020

SketchUp makes it easy to explain technical details, including a way to show phantom lines demonstrating how pieces connect
3 great tools for SketchUp

May 20, 2020

Dave Richards is doing a lot of teaching these days. In this blog, he shares some tools his students have found extremely valuable.
SketchUp of a mock-up

May 7, 2020

When inventing a new design, Tim Killen doesn't see a need for a cardboard mock-up. He jumps right into SketchUp, guided by rough handmade pencil sketches.
Making miters and splines in SketchUp

April 15, 2020

Dave Richards helps a fellow woodworker design legs for his table in Sketchup, working out the joinery along the way.
Flattening a full-size template in SketchUp

April 2, 2020

SketchUp master Tim Killen demonstrates how he "flattens" shapes in SketchUp to use as templates in the real world.
Scaling in SketchUp

March 18, 2020

Dave Richards is a fan of the scale tool, but not for everything. This short video shows a case where scaling wouldn't be the best choice and another example of where it is a good choice.
Multiple SketchUp views for help in the shop

March 4, 2020

Tim Killen finds it extremely helpful in the shop to have multiple views of the components from different angles and positions. SketchUp makes this possible by using various Scenes with separate dimensions used in different layers.
Using “Flip Along” for mirroring in SketchUp

February 19, 2020

For models created in SketchUp, symmetry is easily achieved in an efficient way when using components and the Flip Along commands.