So, do most of you use sketch up for your designs?

[LFS19]

I’ve never really got into it, but everyone seems to be using sketch up these days.
I’d be interested to know what other methods people use for design?

What alternatives to sketch up are there (paper methods or software) and is SU the best bet these days?

Cheers.

 

[DTR]

A sketch on the back of an envelope works for me.

On occasion I've done a scale drawing, usually when there's funny angles involved. An old roll of wallpaper is quite handy for drawing on; I got a roll for 25p from B&Q (or Homebase?) when they were getting rid of stock.

 

[Glynne]

This works for me: - Drawing board

 

[AndyT]

And another vote for pencil and paper.

For a simple project, a rough sketch and a few dimensions are enough.
For something more complicated or ambitious I have spent time on a full size plan, elevation and sections. I found that a useful exercise as it forced me to think about all the structural details.

 

[MikeG.]

In the old days I'd sketch something on an an off-cut in the workshop, in 3D, then just get on with it, working things out at the bench. Then later it became a quick drawing board thing. Once my profession took me to Autocad I started using that, and now I've moved over to DraftSight.

 

[dzj]

Pencil and paper. Full size plan if possible, or 1:10 on graph paper.

 

[Lons]

Sketches on A4 paper these days or if to scale I have a couple of drawing boards. I don't bother with software programs these days even though I used Autocad extensively years ago, ( that's because I've forgotten it all now ).

 

[RogerP]

Another for pencil and paper - sometimes I even use a ruler. :wink:

 

[Brandlin]

Different tools for different jobs.
Pencil and paper for most straightforwards stuff, then sketchup or solidworks for anything needing heavy lifting

 

[John15]

Paper, HB pencil, scale rule, and a rubber.

John

 

[Yojevol]

It rather depends on what you mean by design and where you are in the design proces.
If it's conceptual design - roughing out ideas, then paper and pencil is best for speed and free thinking.
Once you move on to detail design then CAD, especially if you have developed 3D skills, has huge advantages:-
You think about how you are going to make it from the outset.
You can easily save alternative versions.
You can run up part lists.
The drawing process can be remarkably analogous to shaping activities in the workshop.
You can easily print off scale or full size drawings for particular needs in the W/S.
If problems arise in the W/S they can be analysed in the CAD model if need be.

I've developed my skills over many years using TurboCad (poor man's Autocad), starting with 2D. However I would certainly recommend plunging into 3D as soon as possible. Older versions of Turbocad are quite good enough for woodworking and can be obtained for a few quid on ebay.
I get huge satisfaction from seeing something develop from my screen into a real object.
I hope that gives some food for thought.
Brian

 

[Woodmonkey]

Sketchup is great once you have mastered the basics of how to use it. There are lots of very helpful tutorials on you tube, and it's free.
I used to draw everything out, once you've got used to sketchup you will never go back.

 

[LFS19]

Thanks for the great replies! Seems I have a lot to look into. I’ve wanted to try just pencil and paper as many of you seem to do, but it seems quite daunting as I’ve never reallt designed anything unassisted. It’s something I want to learn how to do. The few pieces of furnature I have designed have been through sketch up, where I’ve muddled through.

 

[AndyT]

Drawings don't have to be pretty to record ideas about construction.

This was my fancy angled bread bin

(which some people thought was a toy car...)

and this was my chest of drawers

 

[thetyreman]

I will continue to use the pencil and paper until the day I die :lol:

 

[Tasky]

I've messed about with a couple of design packages before.
Problem is, it takes so long to make something up and you're tied to the desktop PC, pretty much. All that time spent designing and aligning everything in virtual just means I'm not making anything.

I started carrying little Molleskine notebooks way back when I was working in leather, because my best ideas and solutions usually occur when I'm out and about, at work or otherwise away from my home PC. It's also far quicker to make quick sketches, make alterations or additions, and refine them into nice pretty 3D pencilled artwork later on... if they're even needed.

TBH, half the stuff I make doesn't need a detailed design sketch anyway. Maybe a few angle measurements and dimensions, a couple of reminder notes for when I come to do the work, and that's about it.

 

[John15]

For a piece of furniture with a simple design like a table, at most you need a plan, and front and side elevations, plus a detail of the leg/rail joint. This is so easy and quick with pencil and paper as AndyT has said, I'd have thought hardly worth getting the computer out. For much more complicated pieces I can see the benefit of Sketch-up or CAD.

John

 

[Fergal]

I find Sketchup handy for visualising how something will look in its final location and getting proportions right. For example I once used it to design some under-stairs cupboards so that I could see if the doors would open without fouling anything.

I also used it to layout an ensuite shower room in a loft conversion. By putting a model of a person in the room, I could see if there was enough headroom allowing for the slope of the ceiling.

When designing small items, it is useful to be able to print them out actual size as templates etc.

I've recently been trying Fusion 360 which is considerably more powerful and consequently much harder to learn. Its main advantage is that it is parametric so that you could, for example, design a shelving unit of a certain height with an arbitrary number of shelves which would be equally spaced. By changing the number of shelves required, the program would automatically recalculate everything for you.

Fergal

 

[Beau]

I use whatever I feel is needed for the job. Sometimes a sketch on and old envelope and do the rest in your head. SU is nice for complicated joints and seeing in 3D how something is going together. Also I am poor at drawing for the customer and SU works well for this but if I could draw well would not use it for this. Favourite when possible is a rod which is a full size plans on a sheet of ply.

 

[Woodmonkey]

I've recently been trying Fusion 360 which is considerably more powerful and consequently much harder to learn. Its main advantage is that it is parametric so that you could, for example, design a shelving unit of a certain height with an arbitrary number of shelves which would be equally spaced. By changing the number of shelves required, the program would automatically recalculate everything for you.

Fergal

Sketchup can do this.