Advanced (?) Sketchup challenge...

Jason Beam

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Sacramento, CA
So I am pretty comfortable in sketchup for sure - I like to do all kinds of stuff in it and don't usually get stumped, but this one got me ... maybe some of you can help...

Attached you will find a SKP of what looks like a topographical map of the surface of a guitar. These steps represent contour points on the face - they're .050" tall relative to their neighbor. What I'm trying to do is end up with a smooth contour along the peaks of the steps, if that makes sense.

I have the Extrude Tools plugins and just haven't been able to get them to work. Anyone care to take a stab?


Erp ... i can't attach ... it's 350k - ok, find it here instead.

So the hope is to have a pretty smooth model - i don't really care about file size, in fact, the more geometry to make it smooth, the better. Anybody up for the challenge? :D
 
Thanks for that one, darren - trying it now.

I've been working with the Extrude Tools plugin trying to loft but it's just so complex in joinery my poor laptop starts to send itself into orbit with all the fans kicking in. I have given up letting it sit for 20+ minutes calculating away ...

We'll see how i can do with this one ...
 
Here's kind of what I did...

Opened your existing drawing, then using the Cubic Bezier Curve tool (blue squiggly line with red dots) I chose spots along your existing levels from the neck side to the rear side of the guitar. I repeated about 1/2" over or so. I found you have to not make the lines too far apart when the level has a sharp curve. Once the lines are laid out you use the select tool + Ctrl to select all of the bezier lines, then choose the tool bar option for Curviloft (the face). This will draw the skin over these lines.

Screenshot 2014-11-06 22.27.14.jpg Screenshot 2014-11-06 22.28.51.jpg Screenshot 2014-11-06 22.29.21.jpg

Now knowing you're going to want to convert these to gcode, I'm not sure where to go from here. Might have to take the group for the skin and then draw a vertical rectangle the length of the body, then copy it across the width of the skin, repeating it every 1/8" or so and then intersect them with the skin to get a tool path lines where they intersect (if that makes sense). I'd be interested to see what you come up with though.
 
That plugin is much speedier than the one i had been playing with before ... and so far i've gotten pretty close ...

First, i switched to a different skp file - it just has poly lines at each elevation the shape of the contour. There are 10 steps and the plugin doesn't seem to like that many. I can do 6 and get this:

topo2.jpg

Pretty dang close - just not a fan of that hard diagonal line at the waist area...

Here's the latest skp model i've been running with....
 
Jason, I'm late to the party but it looks like you and Darren have things going along quite nicely.

It's not that the plugin can't handle ten contours but rather your old version of SketchUp gets bogged down. You ought to upgrade. Especially now with SU2015. They did a lot of code optimization so it handles higher poly counts much more easily.
 
Thanks, dave!

I have stayed with 8 mostly because of the plugin architecture changing that broke a few of the plugins i heavily rely on (stl export and dxf import) -- though, to be fair, i haven't looked to see if those plugins have updated to work in the newer versions now or not.

I'll download 2015 and give 'em a shot... thanks!
 
Well so far 2015 is taking about as much time ... curviloft fails to handle the 10 sections, for some reason. If i simplify the contours, i can do 8 sections with curviloft fairly quickly but I need all 10. Trying extrude tools again to see how that does. It's taking quite a while still, but i'll let it run for like an hour and see if it finishes this time.

I think the shape is just too complex for it -- i may have to go to a real 3d CAD program with better lofting skills. Rhino or something like that.

Thanks for the help, guys!
 
I am pretty sure I could create the shape in Solidworks.

I could then create a STL

The STL could be imported into something like Vectric Cut3D

Probably not what you want though.

If I know you - what you REALLY want is the challenge to do it yourself in SKP.

Just know - I will do it if you want me to.

Other than that - I still don't know sketchup.


Ohhhhh - and if you go out and buy Rhino - I will be quite envious
 
Can you do half twice and merge them?

Sorta - but i end up with a distinct line at the join between them ... i've had the extrudetools one going for about 30 minutes now, but i'll let it keep going and see what it comes up with.

I can get really close ... but not quite.

I'm starting to look around at other apps - I think this is just too much for sketchup to handle.
 
I am pretty sure I could create the shape in Solidworks.

I could then create a STL

The STL could be imported into something like Vectric Cut3D

Probably not what you want though.

If I know you - what you REALLY want is the challenge to do it yourself in SKP.

Just know - I will do it if you want me to.

Other than that - I still don't know sketchup.


Ohhhhh - and if you go out and buy Rhino - I will be quite envious


Yep - you know me ... i gotta be able to do this myself -- a friend sent me an STL that's almost perfect that he generated with Rhino and it took maybe 20 seconds to render for him on an old computer. This has me thinking it's just too complex for the way Sketchup handles things. Which is okay ... it doesn't have to be sketchup ... it just has to be something i can do on my own - preferably without a multi-thousand dollar app!
 
With SU2013, the DXF export plugin was disabled so in order to have DXF export capability you have to go to the Pro version. With SU2014 they switched from the unsupported Ruby 1.8 to Ruby 2.0. This did require many plugins to be updated but I don't know of any that haven't been by now. The STL Export plugin was updated for SO2014. Get it through Extension Warehouse. Whatever you do, install fresh copies of plugins. Do not simply copy them over from the earlier version's plugins folder. On Windows machines the Plugins folder is under Users/your username/AppData.

Use Extension Warehouse, Install Extension..., or the SCF Plugin Store to install plugins.

Note that you can have more than one version of SketchUp installed at the same time so you can keep SU8 for your DXF exports. You just have to save your SKP file back to SU8 version with File>Save as...
 
Can you do half twice and merge them?

This would be a good way to handle this sort of thing. I've written a number of times about this process. The key to eliminating the ridge line down the middle is to make sure the end segments of the curves meet the centerline at 90 degrees so the faces on either side of the centerline are coplanar. Easy to do but it's a subtle detail.
 
Well after letting sketchup run for over 2 hours churning away at this, i killed the service.

I'm sorry, but i just don't think sketchup can do this as well as other software. The challenge i've given myself now is whether i can do what i want in any Free software at all. Tried FreeCAD - it might work but i haven't had much success yet. Tried Blender - nearly threw my computer across the room. Blender's UI is horrible.

Trying 123D now -- i may end up back at sketchup ... or i'll just cut what i had in the first post (or something similar that gets me closer to the smooth faces) and then fill the low spots with bondo.

My desire to be cheap is starting to take over my desire for fine rendering :p
 
Yep - you know me ... i gotta be able to do this myself -- a friend sent me an STL that's almost perfect that he generated with Rhino and it took maybe 20 seconds to render for him on an old computer. This has me thinking it's just too complex for the way Sketchup handles things. Which is okay ... it doesn't have to be sketchup ... it just has to be something i can do on my own - preferably without a multi-thousand dollar app!

I have the mulit-thousand dollar app - cause it is FREE. I - like you - really like FREE.

I think bout it too. After I retire - I no longer have that FREE app, cause it is tied to my job.

Even so - Rhino, really is a better application for what I do than Solidworks. Some day, I will likely switch over to Rhino.

But yeah - I didn't think you would want me to make it for you.
 
A'ye Mate, Just ran across you, and your MOST EXCELLENT "Eric" 335 build, WOW!! I agree with some of the comments, that your HONEST, and relaxed, (except, of course for the side steaming/bending, Ha!) video is without a doubt the BEST out there, thank you so very much for being willing to do all the work necessary in sharing with us this info, (all non-gratis I might add)!! I'm a retired CNC'er, and I thought I was pretty much done with all of that, that is until I ran across this young fellow Luthier, (that would be you, LOL). So now that I've more or less "smeared the butter, Ha!), I must ask, beg, cajole, and otherwise plead that if at all possible you might provide us, (me, at least!), with a set of plans for your CNC Router?????? I'm not talking "non-gratis", cause I'm positive they would be the BEST available! Oh, and I do remember your Idol, (E.C.), at one point sitting in with my "idols" to track a lead on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps'", all in the FIRST TAKE so I understand!! Took me a while to "nail" that one for a BeaTles trib. band I was in , great talent, strange and beautiful timings, and extreme SOUL! Guess if there ever was a caucasian B.B. King-----? My project at present, (of course0 is a Gretsch 6122 Gent. Just about completed my "Joe Woodworker" EVS from his plans. Did you build his "Venturi" model?? Anywho, God bless you and yours, and now I know "the significance" of Nov 16th, Ha!, happy "belated". bg (stands for beatle george, can't seem to shake it?)
 
A'ye Mate, Just ran across you, and your MOST EXCELLENT "Eric" 335 build, WOW!! I agree with some of the comments, that your HONEST, and relaxed, (except, of course for the side steaming/bending, Ha!) video is without a doubt the BEST out there, thank you so very much for being willing to do all the work necessary in sharing with us this info, (all non-gratis I might add)!! I'm a retired CNC'er, and I thought I was pretty much done with all of that, that is until I ran across this young fellow Luthier, (that would be you, LOL). So now that I've more or less "smeared the butter, Ha!), I must ask, beg, cajole, and otherwise plead that if at all possible you might provide us, (me, at least!), with a set of plans for your CNC Router?????? I'm not talking "non-gratis", cause I'm positive they would be the BEST available! Oh, and I do remember your Idol, (E.C.), at one point sitting in with my "idols" to track a lead on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps'", all in the FIRST TAKE so I understand!! Took me a while to "nail" that one for a BeaTles trib. band I was in , great talent, strange and beautiful timings, and extreme SOUL! Guess if there ever was a caucasian B.B. King-----? My project at present, (of course0 is a Gretsch 6122 Gent. Just about completed my "Joe Woodworker" EVS from his plans. Did you build his "Venturi" model?? Anywho, God bless you and yours, and now I know "the significance" of Nov 16th, Ha!, happy "belated". bg (stands for beatle george, can't seem to shake it?)

Wow! Hey George! Such kind words and I really appreciate that you're getting something out of my videos. CNC Plans - shoot - closest I have is the sketchup model I drew early on - I had to do a few "on the floor" designing in a couple places so I wouldn't consider the model as "plan worthy" but definitely gets the gist across. Here's a link to download the zip. It also has the dust shoe and the fret slotting saw rig i built in it as well.

Vacuum press - yes, that's the Joe Woodworker venturi "plus" kit with a slightly different reservoir (i had the 6" pvc lying about so i used it). I think that one has to qualify as my longest running "self made" tool so far (the CNC still holding together after 3 years still amazes me, though!).

I played a Gretsch at Brent's place (another member here) a couple years ago and fell in love with that tone. I might have to build one of those, too :D

Thanks again for such kind and awesome feedback! It's comments like yours that keep me motivated to continue pumping out videos and I really appreciate it! :)
 
A'ye Mate, Just ran across you, and your MOST EXCELLENT "Eric" 335 build, WOW!! I agree with some of the comments, that your HONEST, and relaxed, (except, of course for the side steaming/bending, Ha!) video is without a doubt the BEST out there, thank you so very much for being willing to do all the work necessary in sharing with us this info, (all non-gratis I might add)!! I'm a retired CNC'er, and I thought I was pretty much done with all of that, that is until I ran across this young fellow Luthier, (that would be you, LOL). So now that I've more or less "smeared the butter, Ha!), I must ask, beg, cajole, and otherwise plead that if at all possible you might provide us, (me, at least!), with a set of plans for your CNC Router?????? I'm not talking "non-gratis", cause I'm positive they would be the BEST available! Oh, and I do remember your Idol, (E.C.), at one point sitting in with my "idols" to track a lead on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps'", all in the FIRST TAKE so I understand!! Took me a while to "nail" that one for a BeaTles trib. band I was in , great talent, strange and beautiful timings, and extreme SOUL! Guess if there ever was a caucasian B.B. King-----? My project at present, (of course0 is a Gretsch 6122 Gent. Just about completed my "Joe Woodworker" EVS from his plans. Did you build his "Venturi" model?? Anywho, God bless you and yours, and now I know "the significance" of Nov 16th, Ha!, happy "belated". bg (stands for beatle george, can't seem to shake it?)

Hi there George - welcome to a lifelong CNC'r. That is my role also - CNC'ing about 30 as a professional. I am neverending thrilled at CNC. The new world of CNC routering is a fabulous place to be, as a retiree.
 
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