How to do smooth bends / Arcs? For Components

Hi All,

I’m currently learning Sketchup as a hobby while at the same time it can benefit my job! Brucie Bonus!

There are a ton of tutorial vidoes out there, which are massive help. Primailry most are how to build interior’s and from 2d floor plans to 3D or a few on little square boxes etc.
I can not locate a guide or set of tutorials that explain engineering componenets (obivsouly there wont be a guide for every item in the world) but I’m after doing smooth angles for cable lugs, rail way steel etc…
Example below, I want to generate some cable lug terminations, I’m ok for the flat palm and the cylinder but struggling with generating the smooth rounded angle / trianagel from cylinder to flat palm. How can I acheave this in Sketchup? Are there any guides that can assist??

Any help, is really really great and I thank you all in advancced!

Generally you’ll find it easiest to break it down into more basic shapes. I would also divide and conquer since the shape is symmetrical and I’d only draw half. I’d draw the flat lug with the triangular end and add the cylindrical part afterward. There are some extensions like Fredo Corner that can help with things like radiusing the edges. There are places where Solid Tools would be useful which of course requires SketchUp Pro or SketchUp Shop. (And since you are using it for work, you’d need one of those versions, anyway.)

The chamfer details on the sleeve end could be done in numerous was. One way would be to include them in a profile cross section of the sleeve and use Follow Me to extrude the profile into a cylinder. You could use and extension like Fredo Corner to do it or you could just use Offset on the edge of the hole and then move the original edge inward with Autofold.

Hi,
Thanks DaveR for the response, really appreciate it.

Alot of it does not make sense to me as a beginner…Are there any visual aids that can help describe?

Also, maybe it’s my ignorance but I feel extensions are a way of cheating to learn the proper way of using Sketchup and 3d modelling in general. Is there a way to acheaive my requirement without using extensions that do it all for me? Or am I just being daft?!?!

I don’t know of any visual aids specific to drawing that particular type of thing but you could start with the Getting Started videos from the SketchUp.com site. Also look at learn.sketchup.com and go through the fundamental SketchUp learning materials there.

As for extensions, I don’t think you are being daft at all. I would always advise new users to learn how to do things with native tools before adding extensions and you certainly could draw that entire item with native tools. Extensions are sometimes just a more expedient way to get things done. Understanding the basics of how to manually do what the extension does will go a long way in helping you diagnose what happens when things don’t go as you might expect.

I could probably make you an example SKP file showing how to draw some of that lug after I go clear away the snow and ice from last night.

You sir, are a blessing!

Thank you!

Thank you.

Do you have dimensioned drawings for that part or the manufacturer name?

Lug.pdf (112.1 KB)

Could I be so rude and ask that you could record / video the process? or am I asking too much! :wink:

I’m starting to follow the sketchup videos as you’ve suggested. I been learning from Udmey course I bought. I made a concrete trough by myself below, Im happy for a first time but needs improving.

That PDF is perfect. It’s often much easier to model things when you have dimensions and all the needed views.

As for the video, that will take me a bit more time to do. I’ll work on it.

Good work on the trough. Keep practicing on the basics and it’ll come. It’s like cooking. Learn the basic lessons and then you’ll see how you can put them together to make more complex recipes.

Hi DaveR,

Hope you are well.

How did you get on, if you did?

Many THanks