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Old 03-13-2010, 05:16 PM   #1
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Design in 3D - Sketchup Instruction

Instruction #1:

Howdy All. I've been work with the computer program SketchUp. I've helped a couple of forum member with this program to design there restoration/renovation projects. Google SketchUp is the easiest 3D design program out there. You can see examples of what's possible with this program by clicking on two of my blogs below. My SketchUp blog and the Picasa site. You don't even have to have any experience to begin right away to design with this program. There tons of tutorials on line and on youtube to help you learn this program.
This thread will have the purpose to help you learn the program and to assist in solving any problems you may have.
If you are interested please do the following: Place a post on this thread stating you interest and send me a PM stating the same.
The program can be downloaded free from Google.
Let's design Don
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Old 03-13-2010, 05:33 PM   #2
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Yay!!!! Okay how do I begin.
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Old 03-13-2010, 05:57 PM   #3
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Im an architecture student.....and i second the opinion that sketchup is the easiest out there...though unless you use the tutorials its simplicity can make it difficult to manipulate. Last year in a class I did a 3d model of a Road Chief and 30 hours in I regretted not using sketchup
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Old 03-13-2010, 06:03 PM   #4
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Instruction #2:

The first step is to download the program. Have you done this?
Next you will need to follow a few simple tutorial to get familiar with the basics of the program. Go to this site Go-2-School.
Go-2-School | Login
Google SketchUp
This second site is Googles introduction to SketchUp for Beginners.
create an account and look at the first lessons. I'll be giving move in a little while.
Thanks Don
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Old 03-13-2010, 06:05 PM   #5
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Thanks for you input. Would you be willing to watch this site. And add help when you have the time of feel like it. I'm familiar with what it take to be an Architecture student. No time to live.
Don

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Im an architecture student.....and i second the opinion that sketchup is the easiest out there...though unless you use the tutorials its simplicity can make it difficult to manipulate. Last year in a class I did a 3d model of a Road Chief and 30 hours in I regretted not using sketchup
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Old 03-13-2010, 06:35 PM   #6
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Will have to wait till I am home....loading software on somebody elses machine....kind of a no no.
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Old 03-13-2010, 06:44 PM   #7
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OK, Don, I'm in. I've been watching your work in SketchUp and have been so tempted to try to learn it, but just haven't done it. Now I will.

Thanks for doing this.

cheers,
steve
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Old 03-13-2010, 07:00 PM   #8
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Thanks for joining the group.
Don

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Originally Posted by pbearsailor View Post
OK, Don, I'm in. I've been watching your work in SketchUp and have been so tempted to try to learn it, but just haven't done it. Now I will.

Thanks for doing this.

cheers,
steve
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Old 03-13-2010, 07:12 PM   #9
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Instruction #3:

I've created the following sites to go along with this SketchUp Lesson thread.
Blog: Airstream Restoration Design
email: airstreamsketchup@gmail.com
youtube: YouTube - airstreamsketchup's Channel

Please feel free to look at these sites and use them during the learning of 3d designing your Airstream project.
Don
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Old 03-13-2010, 08:52 PM   #10
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Count me in

My 71 Overlander interior is next up after I complete an entertainment center.
The EC convinced me that I need to learn Sketchup. My full size 2-D drawings left too many details to the imagination. This may be my real opportunity.

Jim
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Old 03-13-2010, 09:37 PM   #11
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I'm currently working on a model and Don has been a lot of help. The program is fairly easy to learn but can get complicated. It all depends of what you want out of it.

The biggest problem I've had is crashing. I'm using a mac mini with Leopard and for some reason it will hang up. Just remember to back your files up frequently.
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Old 03-13-2010, 10:00 PM   #12
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Jim, Glad you can join in. If you haven't read all the post from the beginning, that's the first step. Download Google Sketchup and look and try the beginning tutorials I've listed. Just click on the sites and they should take you right to where you need to get started. Please don't hesitate to ask any questions. Any new program can be confusing in the beginning.
Don

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Originally Posted by Prickly Pear View Post
My 71 Overlander interior is next up after I complete an entertainment center.
The EC convinced me that I need to learn Sketchup. My full size 2-D drawings left too many details to the imagination. This may be my real opportunity.

Jim
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Old 03-13-2010, 10:06 PM   #13
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Instruction #4:

Save, Save, Save. you have got that right. I would add another thing that I do. When I get to a certain point. I will save the model under a new name. Like Flying Cloud 2a. That way I feel a lot easier about experimenting. If I mess it up I can always go back to the model with the previous name. On the 55 Flying Cloud model I'm working on now I have 8 versions saved. The other thing that works well about this approach is if I total delete a part by mistake I can go back to an earlier save and copy the part I need.
Don

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chikusho! View Post
I'm currently working on a model and Don has been a lot of help. The program is fairly easy to learn but can get complicated. It all depends of what you want out of it.

The biggest problem I've had is crashing. I'm using a mac mini with Leopard and for some reason it will hang up. Just remember to back your files up frequently.
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Old 03-14-2010, 06:41 AM   #14
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Alright, I've downloaded and did the tutorials. Standing by for more instruction. I played with this program about a year back, but never really got the hang of it.

I'm going to be customizing the interior of my '75 Sovereign and this will help out tremendously!!
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Old 03-14-2010, 10:25 AM   #15
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Brian, welcome aboard. I'm working on the first youtube as text. Hopefully it will be up in the next couple of hours.
Don

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Originally Posted by CrzyCorpsman View Post
Alright, I've downloaded and did the tutorials. Standing by for more instruction. I played with this program about a year back, but never really got the hang of it.

I'm going to be customizing the interior of my '75 Sovereign and this will help out tremendously!!
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Old 03-14-2010, 10:29 AM   #16
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instruction

Something that will be needed from all participants is .jpg pictures of the front, back, and both sides of you trailer. If you don't have pictures or a way to get them, go to vintageairstream.com/archives/index.html and find picture that are similar to you trailer. Having a copy of Adobe Photoshop Elements 8 will help you start this work. You can download a trial version of this program. The one month trial should be plenty for what we need.
Don
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Old 03-14-2010, 11:07 AM   #17
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instruction

This should be a click-able link to Vintage Trailer Archives.
http://vintageairstream.com/archives/index.html
Don
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Old 03-14-2010, 11:54 AM   #18
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Are these pictures what I need to use to "build" the shell shape or is there an Airstream template into which I can put windows and design elements?

I haven't researched what's currently available on Sketchup with respect to Airstreams. I played around with it a lot a couple of years ago when thinking of designing a cabin.
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Old 03-14-2010, 12:30 PM   #19
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I used it a while back, too...not for shell or interior stuff. (too advanced for me). But sketchup was used extensively at my former place of employment. (architecture firm--its one of their main tools!).

One thing its really handy for, is for planning tank arrangements in the frame area. I had a facimile of the airstream frame made up, and I see how stock tank "objects" could be fit inside. Lots of the stock tank manufacturers give pretty detailed dimensions, and you can easily re-create them as sketchup objects, and drop them into place, see how they fit, how you might plumb them together, etc, etc.
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Old 03-14-2010, 12:31 PM   #20
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instruction

Yes the pictures will help in getting the correct shape of your trailer year. It also helps in the location of the windows, doors, and other openings that are in your trailer. At present there is no template. As you know the shape of an Airstream has change over the years. The approach I'm using here is so that you can start out designing your trailer. If you have pictures you should be able to adapt the instruction to your needs. The following site has trailer shapes form 1935 to 1981.
If you rig is newer you will have to search the web for pictures, unless you can take some picture yourself. Even pictures from a cell phone will work.
http://vintageairstream.com/archives/index.html

Don

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Originally Posted by webspinner View Post
Are these pictures what I need to use to "build" the shell shape or is there an Airstream template into which I can put windows and design elements?

I haven't researched what's currently available on Sketchup with respect to Airstreams. I played around with it a lot a couple of years ago when thinking of designing a cabin.
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