# How to scale about center of geometry **URL:** \ **Category:** SketchUp\ **Created:** [July 25, 2019, 3:17pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/how-to-scale-about-center-of-geometry/99638 "2019-07-25T15:17:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Locis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9fc29f/32.png) [@Locis](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/Locis)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2019, 3:17pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/how-to-scale-about-center-of-geometry/99638/1 "2019-07-25T15:17:22Z")
Why is it impossible to Scale an object with precision? ---
**Author:** ![dimav83](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/dimav83/32/58052_2.png) [@dimav83](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/dimav83)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2019, 3:31pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/how-to-scale-about-center-of-geometry/99638/2 "2019-07-25T15:31:47Z")
you wrote quite a long and angry comment, instead of just learning how scale tool works. Seems strange 🙂 Perhaps, this will help? [![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/original/3X/3/4/348016cd380d495272ccd7135777c499f63fd6fb.jpeg "Scale to Measurement in SketchUp - Quick Win") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrIAwy0JiOw) [![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/original/3X/5/6/563499dee881b5f5ac94385d6f5062ce54b13472.jpeg "How to use the Scale Tool in SketchUp - Skill Builder") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNhvScqE8b4) ---
**Author:** ![Geo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/geo/32/82_2.png) [@Geo](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/Geo)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2019, 3:56pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/how-to-scale-about-center-of-geometry/99638/3 "2019-07-25T15:56:37Z")
> [@Locis](#): > > Why does Sketchup insist on using relative movements instead of absolute ones? One can enter absolute or relative coordinates. • Square brackets indicate an absolute coordinate … [0,0,0] • Angle brackets indicate a relative coordinate … \<12,24,36\> ---
**Author:** ![Locis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9fc29f/32.png) [@Locis](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/Locis)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2019, 3:57pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/how-to-scale-about-center-of-geometry/99638/4 "2019-07-25T15:57:14Z")
8 minute videos will never be my preference, i prefer actual focused documentation. ---
**Author:** ![Geo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/geo/32/82_2.png) [@Geo](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/Geo)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2019, 4:11pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/how-to-scale-about-center-of-geometry/99638/5 "2019-07-25T16:11:20Z")
> [@Locis](#): > > i prefer actual focused documentation. Over time, actual focused documentation and SketchUp have become mutually exclusive terms. • See line item 6 of this help article. [https://help.sketchup.com/en/sketchup/moving-entities-around](https://help.sketchup.com/en/sketchup/moving-entities-around) ---
**Author:** ![jimhami42](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/jimhami42/32/1781_2.png) [@jimhami42](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/jimhami42)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2019, 4:32pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/how-to-scale-about-center-of-geometry/99638/6 "2019-07-25T16:32:26Z")
> [@Locis](#): > > i prefer actual focused documentation The attached PDF manual is for SketchUp version 6, but most of the instructions are still relevant today. See pages 105-110 for detailed information on the Move tool and pages 116-119 for info about the Scale tool. [ug\_sketchup\_win.pdf](https://forums.sketchup.com/uploads/short-url/qgjlRRiQxIEpW13xdg4MTyJP3YU.pdf) (3.0 MB) ---
**Author:** ![pbacot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/41988e/32.png) [@pbacot](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/pbacot)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2019, 4:32pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/how-to-scale-about-center-of-geometry/99638/7 "2019-07-25T16:32:31Z")
If you make the object a component (SketchUp can’t tell it’s an “object” otherwise) the scale tool will align to the axes of the component. Reset the axes to align how you think the object is aligned. Look at Fredoscale plugin for more options and better control. With Fredoscale you can use faces in the selection to align the orientation of scaling. ---
**Author:** ![DanRathbun](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/danrathbun/32/500_2.png) [@DanRathbun](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/DanRathbun)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2019, 7:37pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/how-to-scale-about-center-of-geometry/99638/9 "2019-07-25T19:37:28Z")
> [@Locis](#): > > All I want to do is scale something to 1/2 of its size. The grips are not aligned to the object (which is another pointless convention that has no use in design) so when I try to use the symmetrical scale the numerical input does not work because I need to release the shift/ctrl to make the numeric entry and then the resulting scale is skewed. Select the group, active the ScaleTool, Hold down the CTRL key (a red box at the center appears,) select one of the corner grips to get uniform scale about center tooltip, and (whilst holding CTRL) scale a little bit up or down doesn’t matter, let go of mouse and release CTRL. Then type `0.5` ENTER. Your group is now 1/2 the scale it was before. - [User Guide: **Scaling a selection proportionally**](https://help.sketchup.com/en/sketchup/scaling-your-model-or-parts-your-model#scale-proportion) Scroll down to “ **When you want to scale your model proportionally by a percentage** ” * * * FYI, we do not delete topic threads. We leave them to be read by others who need the same answers. ---
**Author:** ![dimav83](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/dimav83/32/58052_2.png) [@dimav83](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/dimav83)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2019, 7:48pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/how-to-scale-about-center-of-geometry/99638/10 "2019-07-25T19:48:14Z")
> [@Locis](#): > > the standard instructions did not work for the operation I am looking for OK, let’s check official help. [https://help.sketchup.com/en/sketchup/scaling-your-model-or-parts-your-model](https://help.sketchup.com/en/sketchup/scaling-your-model-or-parts-your-model) It says: _Click to set your selection’s new scale. Or type the desired scale dimensions and press Enter._ _ **Note:** Technically, in Step 5, you can type a dimension, such as **2m** or **3"** , instead of a scale dimension. However, scaling based on a dimension with the Tape Measure is generally more intuitive._ So what’s wrong here? This is an official documentation. > [@Locis](#): > > 8 minute videos will never be my preference, i prefer actual focused documentation. Actually, first video is 49 seconds. Possibly shorter than it took you too type your angry post. An why you deny short focused videos on official SketchUp channel as a form of documentation? At least there is a choice for people with different preferences. ---
**Author:** ![DanRathbun](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/danrathbun/32/500_2.png) [@DanRathbun](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/DanRathbun)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2019, 7:54pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/how-to-scale-about-center-of-geometry/99638/11 "2019-07-25T19:54:36Z")
> [@dimav83](#): > > Possibly shorter than it took you too type your angry post. > An why you deny short focused videos on official SketchUp channel as a form of documentation? If you really must know the OP’s feelings see their previous rant against the forum and SketchUp help … - [Not Loathing the community forums anymore](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/not-loathing-the-community-forums-anymore/96778/) That kind of discussion can be **added to that previous thread** , … **and leave this one on the topic of scaling geometry**. ---
**Author:** ![mihai.s](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/mihai.s/32/202022_2.png) [@mihai.s](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/mihai.s)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2019, 8:47am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/how-to-scale-about-center-of-geometry/99638/12 "2019-07-26T08:47:08Z")
> [@Locis](#): > > … scale something to 1/2 of its size. The grips are not aligned… With Scale, native tool (as @pbacot wrote). Any grip point can be chosen for scaling. ![scale-03-1](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/original/3X/0/f/0ffacd5fccbe3ee1b7025146fd512efb1657fabc.gif) With a plugin - [FredoScale](https://sketchucation.com/pluginstore?pln=FredoScale) ![scale-03-2](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/original/3X/6/3/63dff4496b88b52eae59cb4bec861dcba93916bc.gif) ---
**Author:** ![MikeWayzovski](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/mikewayzovski/32/98346_2.png) [@MikeWayzovski](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/MikeWayzovski)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2019, 7:11am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/how-to-scale-about-center-of-geometry/99638/14 "2019-08-01T07:11:39Z")
Yeah!