Bob Lang goes over the details of the new release of Sketch 2013, shows the new features and explains the difference between the free SketchUp Make and SketchUp Pro Read more
SketchUp Tutorials
Make Moulding with SketchUp
When it comes time to make mouldings with SketchUp, many woodworkers struggle. They get the hang of making each piece a component, and figure out that a moulding is simply an extruded face. Where things go south is when it comes time to turn a corner; how can that be accomplished with as little blood, … Read more
SketchUp Advantage: 3D Cutlists for Woodworking Projects
Traditional approaches in woodworking are generally reliable and efficient. If you know something has worked well for other woodworkers for a few hundreds years, you can likely assume that adopting it will be a good way to accomplish what you want to do. But the traditional approach isn’t always the best method forever, and when … Read more
Live SketchUp Classes & Learning Resources
SketchUp, the free 3D modeling software is one of my favorite woodworking tools. It doesn’t cut joints or finish projects, but it helps me make sure the joints I cut are in the right places, and the experience building a project on the computer screen first makes valuable shop time more efficient and error free. … Read more
Use a Photo to Make a SketchUp Model
With SketchUp, you can use a photo of a piece of furniture to make a model of the piece. From that model you can develop your plans for building a reproduction. Here’s an example using the Shaker Stepback Cupboard made by Glen D. Huey for our April 2010 issue. I swiped the image off the … Read more
What Makes a Good SketchUp Model? Components
How productive would you be in the shop if you tried to build furniture from blocks of Silly Putty coated with Crazy Glue? Imagine the mess if one board stuck to another automatically and both parts stretched and distorted if you tried to move one. This is exactly what happens if you try to make … Read more
Classes With Bob Lang in 2012
Next year I’ll be teaching two classes on using Google SketchUp for designing woodworking projects, and a new class about making authentic Arts & Crafts period details. In April, I’ll be teaching for the first time at Annapolis Woodworks, in Annapolis, Maryland, with a weekend workshop on SketchUp, April 21-22. In August, I’ll be returning … Read more