Getting started with Sketch up

Hello,

I just downloaded Sketchup and the Tf Rubies and would like to get started to design my first project. I followed the instructions from Northern Lights, but I don't see any folder within Sketchup 8 and from what I see on my Mac, its different from what is written on the instructions. In the ZIP folder, I don't know what I need to use and it does not seem to contain any file I can use. I was able to open the example kindly provided. How do I find out if the TF rubies is going to work? Anybody who had success with a Mac?

I just had timber delivered for my first project,a miniature saltbox tool shed/ cabinet that will be a miniature version of the cabin I will build. Its driving me crazy to look at my tools and the timber, I feel like a kid who received brand new toys but was told he can't use them yet.

Serge

Forget about the Rubies for a moment. Can you draw your frame in SketchUp without joinery? Have you done this already using components?

Hi Mike,

Thanks for the input, I saw on your blog that you are a pro. I just took my first timber framing workshop at Heartwood this summer, its was just awesome!

I am totally new to Sketch up, just downloaded the software. So the rubies are for the joinery? I should go ahead and design without the joinery?

I want to practice using the software, its why I am using it now, the project is just an excuse, the shed (its a cabinet basically, and it could be done with stick frame in a day).

I will take months timber framing it, practicing joinery, and learning the traditional Japanese skills of earthen walls and lime plastering. I am trying to fit in as many different joints as possible just to practice before I forget what I learned last summer.

Serge

The Rubies help to automate some aspects of the design... you'll still need to have a good handle on drawing in the program, and using components to create 'timbers'. The vast majority of your modeling will be straightforward SketchUp use.

After you build up the model using components, you'll be able to use the TF Ruby to create a timber list (you already have your material, so you won't need this). Then, when you feel like you have a mastery of moving, copying, rotating, precisely aligning parts in relation to one another, etc., you can begin creating joinery and adding it to the already created timber components. The joinery bits are just additional components that live inside the timber components, and the Ruby scripts are behind the scenes data that tells SketchUp how to handle certain elements - for example - peg counts or creating the mortise and housing when using the shop drawing Ruby.

Clark may have a different opinion, but if you have little experience with SketchUp or other 3d modeling programs - I'd work on the basics first, and add the Rubies as you aquire skills.

And you'll likely be able to cut that frame just fine no matter where you are on the 3d modeling learning curve...

And, I should add, we are doing another class this spring at Heartwood.

We typically do not spend too much time on the rubies - maybe a few hours at best showing off the basic on how they work - but we do focus on core skills and building a small timber frame model - then using the data in the model to streamline material take offs, doing presentation images for potential clients, etc. etc.

Serge:

You won't get far without the manual, which is available from the Guild. And if you're not a Guild member, you should be! It's truly the key to learning what you need to know about timber framing. CB.

Hi Clark,

Thanks for the advice, I will definitely get the book, I am in japan now, I will try to get it this summer. Once I can finish my first mini-frame, I may consider my self a timber framer and join the the Guild. Until then, I am a guy with chisels, I don't deserve to be called a timber framer, but I am sure excited about learning and I really appreciate everyone's advice.

Serge

Posted in the wrong topic...
Couldn't seem to find a SketchUp manual in the Guild store. Any help?
Thanks

http://tfguild.stores.yahoo.net/tifrdeusgosk.html

Gracias!