Google Sketchup

[VH_man]

Question - Howd you make the Threads? its the one thing i really cant do ATM

[mark.f]

You just draw a helix and then use the "follow me" tool to extrude a wedge shape around it, then delete the helix.

[VH_man]

may i ask how one makes a helix?

[rp181]

rhino is great, just keep in up and minimized and it lasts along time.

[mark.f]

may i ask how one makes a helix?

There's a tutorial on Google somewhere (the sketchup talk section). Try searching there, because it's kind of complicated to discuss in text.

EDIT here's one

[i-will]

i've been using the sketchup tool for a day now and i love it except for one thing. i can't work on a scale of millimeters so i gotta use a unit converter to round to fractions of an inch. i'd rather just use millimeters on the sketchup table.

wow i feel dumb. i found out how to change measuring units.

[mark.f]

Yeah, I personally wouldn't be able to stand using fractions. I usually set it to 10^-2 accuracy and snapping to the same increment. Works good enough for me.

[psycix]

The models postsed in this thread show that sketchup is very good at creating quick models like those.
Imagine that sketchup models would replace those paint diagrams here on spudfiles
I like them! Keep it up guys!
I think I'll also get moddeling again when I have the time.

[potatoflinger]

This would have saved me and a few others a lot of time.

It's pretty much perfect

[mark.f]

Uhhh, no? That page only contains pipe, elbows, and flanges. Not enough stuff to build a typical cannon out of.

[potatoflinger]

Uhhh, no? That page only contains pipe, elbows, and flanges. Not enough stuff to build a typical cannon out of.

But it is enough to get standard dimensions for other fittings easily, and it makes it much easier to construct other fittings.

Also, you can just import models other people have made using the 3D Warehouse, they have just about every type of pipes and fittings out there.