I am modelling a workbench with dovetails routed lengthwise and crosswise. I modelled the crosswise dados, but have not been able to model the lengthwise dados. When I push the dado it stops at the intersection of the other dado. I can’t figure out how to get it past the intersection. Any help is appreciated. I’ve also tried this with the 2017 Make version with no joy. Here is the model if that will help.
workbench-v2.1.skp (4.4 MB)
Press Ctrl before starting the Push/Pull operation. Push to the opposite end of the bench top. Then Select the geometry, right click on it, choose Intersect Faces>With Selection and final erase the unneeded faces and edges. Also correct the face orientation after you’ve finished so there are no exposed back faces.
I have never done any of that so it might take me a bit, but I’ll give it a go.
One thing that you might find useful is after running Intersect Faces>With Selection, switch the camera to Parallel Projection and choose an end view so you can look straight down the slots. Zoom in close so you can use a right to left selection window to select just the faces and top edges in the slot for deletion. You’ll also need to look down the existing slots to erase the faces where the new slots cross the others. Use the Front view for that.
OK, I got the groove to go past the intersections. Thanks. I selected everything and did the intersect with faces thing, but now I’m having trouble again. I selected the lines and deleted them, but everything was delete with no groove left. How do you select the things to delete and still have the groove left? I was in component edit mode, is that correct?
Yes. You need to get into component edit mode for the top itself. You have a lot of nesting so you need to drill down until you can access the geometry of the top. That’s where the grooves need to be. The first front to back groove is a component, too. That one needs to be exploded before you do the Intersect Faces thing.
See my addition to my first reply regarding selecting the geometry to delete.
OK. Another fellow suggested I make the groove a group and that would work. Obviously it didn’t. I forgot to explode it.
You could make a groove as a group or component and place copies inside the top but you’d still need to explode them, do the intersection, and deletion to end up with the actual grooves. Some people like to work that way but I find it more work than it’s worth.
If you were using SketchUp Pro or Shop you could create a solid dovetail “cutter” component that could be used to quick subtract the grooves from the top. Not an option in SketchUp Free, though.
Lots of geometry to deal with but quicker than doing it manually.
OK, I got the first groove done. Thank you again. How were you able to do all of the grooves so fast?
I copied the groove end shape using Move/Copy before using Push/Pull to push each on down the length. Think of it as if you’re laying out an entire dovetail joint before you start to cut.
I didn’t realize I could do that. Thanks.
