Continuing the discussion from Welcome to our forums! Please introduce yourself 
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@jerry1 I’m starting a new topic since your post doesn’t really belong in the Welcome to the forums thread.
It should be a fairly quck thing to create a shape for the base with Follow Me and then cut away the bits between the legs with solid cutters.
Here’s a quickie example which just needs the third side cut.
Hi DaveR, thanks for the new Topic & the tip. Going try that route with a more detailed profile to begin with & then FMe. Might even try combining two profiles sitting ontop of one another to introduce more shape to the underside. Then cut away.
Onwards & Upwards!
Assuming the base is a monolithic thing you can draw the cross section as it would be. Obviously I didn’t add the center boss for the post but that could easily be included as part of the profile.
Good luck.
FWIW I went looking to see if I could find some things I’ve already modeled that use the same basic idea. I haven’t ever modeled a base for a stand like that but here are some other objects.
The cage on this check valve was done with Follow Me and then cutter shapes arrayed radially around it.
The piercings in the ends of this lfting drum were done using the same idea.
Even the helical groove on the outside of the drum was done with the cable as the cutter.
The knuckles for this U-joint started as a profile for Follow Me and then it was cut with different cutters.
I did a video of modeling this U-joint if you want to see the process.
Great examples - video would be great - think i am missing the full capability of FMe!
Follow Me is a very fundamental feature of SketchUp and shouldn’t be that difficult to sort out.
Here’s a link to the video. It’s not short but shows everything in real time. It would actually be shorter if I didn’t talk about what I was doing. 
Many thanks Dave. We’ve had a 3D printer for sometime but using it more & more for bespoke components - this type of Workflow looks perfect for that.
You’re quite welcome.
One thing I’ve found useful for modeling for 3D printing is to model with Units set to Meters and enter either inches or millimeters as meters. Like I did in the video. The .stl export is done in Model Units or Meters and then the .stl is imported into the slicer using inches or millimeters as appropriate. If your slicer doesn’t allow for inches but you are modeling in inches, scale the model so that I meter equals 1 millimeter. Then make the export. Modeling large like that allows you to avoid the tiny faces issue and get finer detail.
I did that for this little machinist’s jack. The base printed out at 2-1/4 in. tall but in the SketchUp model it is about 57 meters tall. The screw works perfectly and the tiny knurling detail is all there.
The thing looks a little grubby because I started sanding it with a piece of sandpaper I’d previously used on some carbon fiber plate. 
I will pass onto Jon who operates our 3D machine; might also iron-out some cross platfrom issues we’ve had in ths past. From modelling in OS and exporting to Windows??
OS? Mac? Going between Mac and Windows with SketchUp model files should be no trouble at all.
Hello Dave, I will definitely check out your tutorial and would also like to draw it myself as a training at the same time as watching the tutorial.
Can you add the original drawing to this post?
Sorry. I don’t have the original drawing anymore. I don’t keep those after I create the models.
No problem. I was able to take a screenshot from your video that is good to use for the “lesson”
We will start practicing right away!
I enjoyed watching your tutorial and as a workout, while watching your tutorial, I drew along. It worked very well.
This tutorial shows very well how to use the cutters.
Unfortunately, the combination of Components, Tags and Trim creates strange situations in my design. The created components disappear when applying Trim. Also the assigned tags disappear.
Thanks for this nice tutorial Dave!
Thanks.
Did you use the native Solid Tools?
BTW, some of my cutters could have been combined but I’ve found it’s usally safer to split those into several cutting steps.
That’s correct I used the native Solid Tools.
That explains your experience. The native Solid Tools convert components they modify into groups. That’s a key reason I don’t use the native Solid Tools and use either Bool Tools 2 or Eneroth Solid Tools. They both respect the “component-ness” of components.
Clear. Then I’m going to experiment with these extensions. Thx!
