Hi - I’m a SU novice learning to use 2017 Make.
I notice that solid tools only appear to be available to Pro SU versions. Similarly the solid tools I can find in the Extension Warehouse are also limited to Pro.
Is there a (simple) way of performing these functions in 2017 Make?
Yes. BoolTools 2 will work in SketchUp Make.
Another option which may involve more manual effort without requiring Pro or extensions: use the Intersect With (Selection/Context/Whole Model) function, and then delete the bits you don’t want. I find this very handy when my model geometry is not yet solid - say I’ve just started working on one part of a shape. If I want to cut something out of the work-in-progress shape, Intersect With Selection between the partial shape and some cutter geometry works well (with cleanup).
2 Likes
That’s great - thank you Dave.
I have another quick question for you if that’s OK. What is the best way of constructing a filet between two arcs?
If I try to use a 3 point arc to do this then the different segments of the target arcs all get picked up & it doesn’t work. If I make the targets a group then I can’t trim them. I have had a look at the Extensions Warehouse but so far haven’t found a suitable filet tool.
What would you suggest?
Thanks again
John
Thanks Tom - I’ll do some experimenting with this.
John
Can you show an example .skp file of what you are trying to accomplish?
If you are referring to 3D fillets you might want to look at Fredo6’s FredoCorner and his Round Corner. Both are available from SketchUcation.
By the way, if you aren’t familiar with Intersect Faces suggested by @TDahl, you should learn about using it. It is extremely valuable and doesn’t need to be difficult. I made the probably erroneous assumption that you had tried that but were looking for a Boolean option. Both have their place.
My problem is a 2D one - I want to construct an outline shape which can then be extruded using push / pull.
If the shape was composed of straight lines then that would be simple - it’s when they are arcs that I get into difficulty.
One additional consideration is that I would like to tweak potentially all parts of the profile (including filets) until the shape looks right before I extrude it. It would therefore be ideal if: a) I can simply enter new filet radii as required, & b) All lines are trimmed automatically. Is this possible?
By the way I’m OK with 3D filets - I already have Fredo6 & this works fine for me. When I posed my original question I had not so far found or used Intersect Faces - I’ll have a look at this.
Thank you
If the arcs are parallel and aligned with each other, then a simple approach is to draw one arc and add two straight line segments “behind” the arc (on the side opposite from the center-point of the arc) which meet the point of the corner that the fillet is intending to fill. That should be create a face. Now use Push-Pull to extrude that face across to the location of the second arc (i.e., the end of the fillet). In the following image, I’ve drawn the first arc with two connected edges in the lower left, then I’ve copied (for illustrative purposes) that arc-face and extruded it.
The radius of an arc can be changed so long as there are no edges or faces that touch the segments of the arc (and so long as the arc has not become exploded into discrete edges). Just select the arc, open the Entities panel, and enter a new value into the Radius field.
By the way, sometimes I will construct a fillet or chamfer or similar refinement of a shape out of place from where it will end up (to avoid interference from nearby geometry) and then move it into final position. Or I’ll construct it in-place but within a temporary Group context, again to avoid issues with adjacent geometry as I work on the shape (and then explode the group when done). Deleting some extraneous geometry may be required (e.g., the rectangular faces and edges behind the fillet’s curved surface).
Tom - Thanks for your responses. They don’t resolve the problem that’s blocking me however - poor description on my part is probably to blame here. Does my last response to DaveR help to clarify?
Hi John, I’m not sure what is the complication you are encountering. A 2D (flat) shape or profile can be modified up until the point when it is extruded. For example, the radius of curves can be modified numerically by selecting the arc and entering a new radius value into the Radius field of the Entities panel (sub-window thing). Edges of the profile can be moved with the Move tool, which will automatically adjust the adjacent edges. Individual points can also be moved with the Move tool, by ensuring that nothing is selected when you click-and-release the mouse while pointing very close to an endpoint of an edge.
SketchUp has some subtle features which can be very time-saving in certain circumstances. For example, let’s say you want to extrude a rounded-corner square. Draw the basic square, then draw an arc in one corner. While the Arc tool is still selected, double-click the mouse near another corner and it too will be given the same kind of arc. Double-click near the third and then near the fourth corner to given them arcs. In these cases, SketchUp will automatically delete the ends of the straight edges which formed the original corner of the square.
However, automatic deletion of stray edge bits and pieces won’t usually happen because SketchUp does not understand what is extraneous. I find that using the keyboard shortcut E to activate the Eraser tool, and then click-dragging the mouse over unwanted edges (sometimes many edges at once) can be a fairly fast way to get rid of junk.
Hi Tom - Thanks for your email. I have done a bit more experimentation & found I can now draw a radiused corner between two arcs OK.
The problem I had had with this was due to picking up on the end points of segments in the target arches instead of mid points - mid points work fine.
I have investigated the Intersect Faces function you suggested - it does exactly what I need.
Thanks again for your help & advice.
John
1 Like