scroll components.skp (276.3 KB)
Can anyone help me with producing a cut list for these scroll components, or figuring out the length of material that I need for each one?
I think you might need to add a bit of detail. For example, what is the material you are cutting out of? Your scrolls have no thickness. Some have surfaces, others don’t.
You can measure the lengths you need using the Tape tool. Or you can add dimensions, either in SU or in Layout.
A cut list would include numbers of repeats but there is no clue here as to how many are needed.
If you want help, my recommendation is that you be more specific about what you are trying to achieve and also about exactly what help is required. People on this forum are extremely helpful but most baulk at simply doing someone else’s work for them!
Im new to sketchup, and I’m not trying to have someone do my work. It’s a 2d model that I have routed out in wood as a template for a railing that I am building. I am an artist blacksmith. The scroll material is 1/2" x 1/2" square. To be as simple as possible, I need the center line through the scroll to know how long to cut the stock. I cannot figure out how to do that (or if there is a way to take the scroll component and straighten it so I can measure). I have not used layout for anything yet as I have only been doing this for a week. I don’t need repeats. I realize that I asked for someone to help with each scroll, but I just need help with one and then I can do the rest or if there is an extension that I could use to do it. I installed “cut list” but it has been of no use so far. I have also watched videos and conducted research on this for an hour before I decided to post here.
also, my previous experience with a CAD program is AutoCAD 2D from about a decade ago. I also never had to do architectural/ornamental designs during that time, so I am lost on these scrolls.
You can get the lengths of the curves using the Text tool. Since your curves are exploded you’ll need to weld them first. I did a couple of them with TIG Weld which is available through Sketchucation. Anchor the leader for the text on an edge and not a vertex.
The precision of these dimensions won’t be real high because they will be the sums of the lengths of the segments and your curves aren’t especially smooth. The dimensions would be more precise if you had used more segments per curve. The dimensions you get will likely be close enough. You can leave the strips a little long and cut them closer later. LayOut your curve patterns full size–LayOut would make this very easy–and you can take measurements off the patterns to confirm the ones you get from SketchUp.
Editing to add: you can get the centerline distance by using Offset on a curve after welding it.
Thanks for your help again Dave! The segments have been somewhat of an issue for me, especially having it CNC’d out of plywood, but I made the scrolls using curve maker and I could not get the segments smoothed like I wanted, but that is not a huge problem for me, the precision is not a huge problem either as these get hand forged scroll ends and such so the dimensions will inevitably change from doing it by hand. I had no idea about welding anything in sketchup to do this or using the text tool. I will get on this!
When you make the curves with Curve Maker, you can specify the number of segments used. More would give you smoother looking curves. If you have a way to use them, you could export a 3D CAD file from your SketchUp file and get smooth curves. You could then import the CAD file into LayOut to use as the pattern.
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