I was looking for a CAD program to help work out some demensional problems and tried it.Took 30 minutes to learn the basics using the tutoral vids.It's a full 3D program so you can view your master piece from every angle.I'm not great yet but I made a PC work station.Forgot to save it.I tried 2D CAD programs and just couldn't grasp it.To complicated.Posted a link to the free educational version.Mac is supported also.
http://sketchup.google.com/download/gsu.html
ya man, g-younameit is always awesome stuff. awesomely simple, awesomely cool.
gawesome ?
i dunno, but everything they do ROCKS !
I got bored and started fooling around with a shallow draft boat design I been working off and on for 2 years on paper.Got it done in a couple hours with Google SketchUp.Here's the results.Just the idea I had for the shallow lakes around here.
(http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb17/ben_2_go/chugger16bottomveiw.jpg)
(http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb17/ben_2_go/chugger16rearview.jpg)
(http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb17/ben_2_go/chugger16rightview.jpg)
(http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb17/ben_2_go/chugger16sideview.jpg)
This design is loosely based on the "Chugger" by Lewis Boat Designs.I plan to make my boat a little more sea worthy than their Chugger 8.My design is 19'4" over all hull length and 6' wide.Draft is 8 inches with captain Ben and 12 inches loaded for a weekend trip.Estimated compacity is 1500lbs or 6 persons.Power is any out board up to 30hp.Head room is 6'6".Sleeps 6,4 inside and 2 in the rear chicken pit.A folding removeable Bimini top will enclose the rear chicken pit.It has a head,galley,dinette,wheel house,A/C,ac/dc power,queen size forward birth,side windows will open out,and front windows will fold up.May install a sky light.Plans are to use battery power with a small genset for back up.Depending on the engine I use,fuel compacity will be, 20 for weekends and 30 for week long trips.20 gallon tank will be built in with a 10 gallon portable tank for reserve.I have it all planned in my head,just gotta get it out on paper.
It was suggested to me to use a 4stroke jet ski jet drive.I dunno how well that would work in the shallows and sucking up mud and rocks.Plus I don't wanna loose any space in the rear chicken pit area.That would make a good spot for the kids to sleep.
I love the SketchUp, not least of all because it's free. :icon_mrgreen:
I designed some table legs and bench seat legs (to scale, of course!) for a welding job - had such a fun time playing with it. And I'd guess I'd only just scratched the surface of its capabilities. :thumb:
Now if only they appealed the recent court decision to hand over our YouTube info to Viacom :nono:, Google would still be my favorite company... :cry:
If you have accsess to a plotter that plots to size you can make full size patterns with the program.That maybe what I do with some things that are small.
Hmm, I don't have access to a plotter (of any kind) but that sounds like a great idea. Throw up some more screenshots if you can. I love seeing that stuff! :)
Quote from: pronator on July 08, 2008, 10:51:34 AM
Hmm, I don't have access to a plotter (of any kind) but that sounds like a great idea. Throw up some more screenshots if you can. I love seeing that stuff! :)
You can have a print shop do the plotting.I'll post more as I design more.Haven't much time but I'm sure I'll do some soon. :thumb: