CubeSquare

Hi Tim,

Haven't been around for awhile, but just watched your video presentation about how to solve compound mitre angles for crown molding. I'm impressed, thank-you! There is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow! Can't wait to look back and see what else I missed.
Thanks Tim,
-CubeSquare

Matt, you wonderful you!

This is good stuff! Missing from my understanding was the creation of a plane at the bottom of the door jamb. And, now that I think of it, you've used this idea in all of your models. Thanks, I finally got it!
I love tools. Now I'm the proud owner of a digital plane!
Thanks again buddy,

-CubeSquare

Mike,
Your my new hero. I'm so pleased to see Consumer Reports enter the blog space of Fine Home Building. It just raises Fine Home Building up another notch in my personal opinion of the magazine. I've always loved both. I have nothing to do with Consumer Reports, other than being a subscriber. So, when I read your report about gutter screens, two of my subscriptions were validated. Thanks, CubeSquare.

Matt,
I really like your use of the english language. "The rafter your after" just tickled my funny bone, thanks. I also enjoyed the method you used to draw the rafters without having to know height above the birdsmouth. At first I was hesitant with you because the carpentry lesson wasn't included in the SketchUp lesson ... but I came around when I realized I was learning, in spite of the fact that my nose was somewhere up there on the scaffold. I'm kidding you, buddy. I really enjoy your videos. And I'm so pleased to see SketchUp at Fine Home Building.
"The rafter your after" was the catalyst that got me to renew my on-line subscription. This is good stuff!
Dreamcatcher put me onto layers and Debut Video Screen Capture Software ... I just tried passing Layers on to Flitch and at that point I realized ... The most difficult part of learning to use SketchUp is setting up your screen with tools and choosing your template and learning to use Model Info and Preferences setting the units the drawing attributes and the precision you'll need to accomplish your drawing. Am I babbling? Anyway, thanks Matt ... Love your brain!
CubeSquare

Flitch,
I'd like to make a suggestion. Learn to use the Layer Manager. Click on the View menu, hold your cursor at tool bars and a side menu will open, then put a check beside Layers. That will add the Layer Manager to your tool bars.
When you open SketchUp you will be on layer zero. Go ahead and start building you shed just the way you would have to do it in the field, one timber and one stick at a time. When you finish drawing the first timber, tripple click on it with the Select Tool, then right click on it and choose Make Group. Click off in white space and you've just begun the process of building your shed. When you draw your next timber, make that a Group also. Continue along until you have your four timbers set as individual groups. Once you get that far, click on the blue dial of the layer manager, then click on the plus sign and then click on the circle of layer one ... that de-activates layer zero and now you working on layer one. Notice that if you un-check layer zero it disappears! On layer one put your rim joists and floor joists ... on layer two put your floor ... on layer three put up your first wall ... ect. When it comes time to estimate, just start un-checking the layers. The best advice is to draw it exactly as you would build it, and by the time you finish your drawing you will be able to set up a production line and start turning out them sheds all over town.
CubeSquare

Dreamcatcher...Thanks!
Debut Video Capture is the first feed-back I've received about how these videos are made ... and I've been asking everywhere. My idea is to use this method to show 'how I did it' and similiarly to ask 'where do I go from here'? Breaktime no longer allows the posting of an skp file when posting and png just isn't enough.
I surely did enjoy Matt's use of components, in that the arrays were so quick. When I'm attempting something new, I'm all about groups to protect the what ever I draw first, simply because whatever you draw on top doesn't stick and also can be triple clicked to form a group.
I love your idea about using groups to estimate materials ... thanks, I'll be using that also.

I love it! As a carpenter, I've used SketchUp to compensate for the lack of my abillity to 'visualize' the end product, and to fill in the gaps in my self-taught education. And, since I'm also self-taught in SketchUp, I enjoyed your use of Components ... learn something new every day!
I do have a question. How do you create the video you post on you tube? Are these videos created using the pro version of SketchUp? Can they be created using the free version?
Hey! There's an idea for a show! Show how the show is created!

I just returned from Breaktime where you can no longer post an skp file in their new format. Once upon a time, I learned to frame hip and valley roofs, cut the roof sheathing including both the mitre and bevel, because skp files were allowed. I don't know what's going on over there any more. You know how they say "a picture is worth 1000 words" ... well, now you'll have to teach yourself articulation if you wish to explain what difficulty you may be having trying to articulate the problem!

I found the feeds to be easily understood. And it's nice to see SketchUp at Fine Home Building. It belongs here in a forum where ideas can be exchanged through the use of skp files that anyone can use and take a measure from.

The uses of SketchUp will be as many and varied as the people using the forum, so here is a suggestion:

When members or readers of your forum wish to post a comment, allow the attachment of skp files.

Of course, as soon as do that, you'll need to increase the staff numbers to handle the onslot and popularity of the blog.

Wow! This is way over my head, but the idea is very appealing. Also, the ideas of setting up a factory in New Orleans or Haiti are both great. I would think that President Obama would be interested in this project as something of a modern day Levitt Town for New Orleans. This is where to place the bail-out money! This idea could lead the way into the future on many levels. Dreamcatcher, I'd like to see you at the next beer sumit!

Just a moment, please.... it takes a minute or two for me to get down on my knees these days, but in this case it's worth it..... to worship at the alter of Paul Formisano. OMG!

Some time ago, when I began to study the Massachusetts Building Code, the first comment from the teacher, was a question: "Can anyone tell me why we have a Building Code?" There were answers from the students, but nobody got it right. The answer was "FIRE!" And as we ventured on, we found out that almost every building component had its own fire rating. And, a copy of you plans must pass through the Fire Marshal's office before you will be Permitted, so am I surprised that firefighters pack the meeting in favor of adding sprinklers to the Code ..... NO! The Fire Departments have always wanted sprinklers in your home, and we all know that they can be recessed to pop down when needed. The argument has always been cost, and we all know that that is not a valid argument in the rear view mirror of 20/20 hind sight. I say "BRAVO!" it's about time.