How to make a hole in a complex component?

SketchUp
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1

I have a big cube made up of many smaller cubes. Theoretically, all surfaces should be paralei/perpendicular, but maybe I didn’t alligh something (I can be sure). Also, each layer of my big cube is shifted with respect to the previous one by half of the length of side of the smaller cube. So the odd and the even layers are aligned, but an odd layer isn’t alligned to an even layer.

I’d like to make s hole trougout the cube, The hole should intersect surfaces of the smaller cubes.

I’ve found numerous examples of how to make a hole in one component (using the push/pull tool). However, I haven’t found any information on how to deal with such a complex component . How can I make a hole throughout my cube?

2

Are your smaller cubes components or groups? I’d draw a cylinder for the hole and group it. then use Trim from the Solid tools to trim the cubes in way of the hole.

3

Have a look at Fredo’s Vizuhole. It will do what you want.

But, and it’s a big but, i have to question how you are using layers!
Do you understand that they don’t separate geometry, they only affect visibility?

4

@DaveR, My smaller cubes are just components. I’m using Sketchup Make, so I don’t have the trim tool.

@Box, Hmm, I don’t use layers. I just draw what I need. I’m a newbie. What’s wrong with the design I depicted? How should I use layers appropriately?

And in my question by “layer” I mean a set of small cubes lying in one plane. So I think you may have mistundersood me.

I’ll have a look at Fredo’s Vizuhole. Thanks.

5

Layers are often misunderstood in sketchup, but if you were just meaning how the components are stacked it’s ok. Read up on how layers work before you start using them.
Here is a quick gif of how Visuhole may be good for you.

6

@Box, thank you. I’ll try it out.

7

I understand what you mean by “layer” and I’m relieved that you mean a physical layer of your structure, not a SketchUp Layer!

Using Make, you could cut the hole using the Intersect Faces With function. The cleanup will be considerably messier than with the Pro versions’s solid tools Trim or with Vizuhole, but it is feasible. It would be worth your while to master Intersect before resorting to extensions/plugins so that you truly understand what it going on.

Are all the small cubes independent components, or are they instances of a single component? If the latter, you are going to need to rethink the model structure because each distinct way that the hole cuts a small cube will create distinct geometry that needs to be a distinct component or group (this is another detail that Pro’s tools or Vizuhole handles automatically for you). For example, if the hole trims off a corner of one small cube but a broad arc from one side of another small cube, those cubes can’t be instances of the same component. You might be better off initially building the large cube using copies of a small cube group. SketchUp will automatically make the group copies independent as you cut the hole through them.