Hello Community!
First Post on this forum. I am Brand New to SketchUp, but I have 20+ years of CAD beginning with CADAM and including ACAD and Bentley products. I was a designer in Tool Design, engineering and mechanical disciplines as well as being the CAD Admin for a large company. It’s been 10 years since I really used CAD. Most of my experience was 2D. I am retired now and want to tinker around woodworking projects as a hobby and would like to use CAD for development and layout. I Know CAD is a “Use it or Loose it” proposition. I have piddled around SketchUp but I’m still wrapping my head around the interface and environment. Plan on using a free version until I could justify a greater investment I’m looking for the easiest way to get started.I struggle with the menus
I would think I should set up a standard template and just start with basic geometric shapes, dimensioning, I realize SketchUp is set up to be 3D, but I’m wondering if it would be easier to work in 2D until I get my bearings. Also could people out there recommend and instructional materials or learning resources that might help me get up to speed.
Thanks in advance
A short answer go to The Learning Center and The SketchUp You Tube Channel. Check out the Square1 series. Both are sponsored by the SketchUp Crew and well worth the time spent there.
Coming from a long cad background is not really a benefit to learning Sketchup, try to forget everything you expect to happen and approach it with a fresh part of your brain.
Some people teach by starting in a 2d view but I personally find it better for my students to always think in 3d. The workspace is 3d so be aware of it or you can end up drawing things that you think are on a 2d plane but as soon as you orbit around you find that you have created a loose ball of string.
Go with the links @RLGL has given you, then ask questions, with images and your model attached, when you need to.
Note, be aware that the web version has a different layout to the desktop version, so take that into account when watching tutorials, the majority you find will be the desktop version.
I started about a year ago without any design experience whatsoever learning from SketchUp Campus.
And of course, my studies at YTU.
*Acronym Reveal*
YouTube University
They have a SketchUp Web course, but I haven’t checked it out yet.