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Very nice. Woodworking has been a hobby of mine off and on my entire adult life. Two things stand out as having a big impact on woodworking in the past 15 year

by RNCTX 6y ago

Very nice. Woodworking has been a hobby of mine off and on my entire adult life. Two things stand out as having a big impact on woodworking in the past 15 years or so, related to this post: 1) The large-scale adoption of Sketchup as a drafting/designing tool. If you go to any woodworking forum you'll find lots of people talking about it, and it has raised the skill level of a lot of people who are new to woodworking considerably, just by making it a "computer friendly" hobby and making more complex designs possible for people without a high amount of basic knowledge. 2) The social aspect of the internet generally, results in a lot of knowledge about paints, finishes, equipment, and methods being shared. Before the internet, fine woodworking was still something that could only feasibly be learned by apprenticeship. These days, you see people buying historic homes that need a lot of work, for example, and "just figuring it out." PS: for anyone else who might try playing with wood, the answer to how close your measurements should be to make mortises fit JUST right is 5 thousandths ;).

jakear 6y ago
I agree, SketchUp (and woodgears) was a big part of how I was able to pick up woodworking as a kid. I don’t have much love for the product as it is now however. I would prefer the free SketchUp from 10 years ago to the current free tier (web app). Does anyone know if any good open source SketchUp-like tools?
- andyfleming 6y ago
  The open source tools I’ve seen aren’t great unfortunately. An alternative to sketchup is Fusion 360. Autodesk has a free hobbyist license.
  - imtringued 6y ago
    FreeCAD is cool but very ugly both in terms of aesthetics and UX.
    - bboygravity 6y ago
      IMO Fusion 360 is way uglier in how often it crashes (and how slow it is) compared to FreeCAD.
- northwest65 6y ago
  Are you me? They really shit the bed with the way they've steered the product. When I think about Sketchup these days, it's more, "What shall I learn next to replace it?". Man it has served me well, it's a real shame. I'm thinking Blender. It's considerably more complicated, but the things you can do with it are considerably more expansive.
  - takk309 6y ago
    Fusion 360 is a good option. CAD and CAM in one package. It is more complex than SketchUp but still accessible to someone that is not a drafter.
    - bigyikes 6y ago
      Fusion / Solidworks always feels so clumsy to me when trying to design a woodworking project like a table or something. It works, but it somehow feels like the wrong tool for the job. Maybe it’s better for more complex woodworking projects that aren’t just composed of simple rectangles. It’s certainly great for mechanical design and other use cases with smaller, more complicated geometry.
  - mod 6y ago
    As someone who has made a couple woodworking designs in sketchup, but knows nothing more, I'm curious as to what the more expansive things you can do in Blender are. I fully believe sketchup has some limitations, but I haven't hit them yet in my basic designs. Care to elaborate?
    - KineticLensman 6y ago
      Not the parent, but if Sketchup is like a simple hand saw, Blender is a massive workshop filled with a whole array of advanced power tools [0]. For example you could go from a blank screen to creating, rigging and texturing a 3D character to a photo-realistic movie featuring the character, targeted at different display devices. [0] https://www.blender.org/features/ https://www.blender.org/features/
- joshspankit 6y ago
  I’ve been really curious about whether there’s a Sketchup-like application that has simple digital woodworking tools. Bring in a couple 4x8 sheets, cut taking blade width in to consideration, join, test whether the edges are flush, etc. Maybe even import plans, then give you a cut list that maximizes the wood you want to use. (Will I need 6x or 7x 8’shelving pieces? Ok, 7, but oh right, it’s reminding me to get and extra one to allow for mistakes.)
  - RNCTX 6y ago
    https://www.google.com/search?q=cutlist https://www.google.com/search?q=cutlist Have never used any of these, but they've all come up on various woodworking forums I've read over the years.
  - dekhn 6y ago
    Not exactly what you asked for but there are a few tools that take an SVG of shapes and outputs an SVG with the shapes packed more efficiently, including space for kerf, etc. svgnest and deepnest.io.
  - dacohenii 6y ago
    This doesn't do exactly what you're asking for, but I've had good success with Cut List Optimizer [0]. You still have to tally up the list of each board you need in your project, but it will tell you the most efficient way to cut your materials. [0] https://www.cutlistoptimizer.com/ https://www.cutlistoptimizer.com/
- Jedd 6y ago
  I recently needed a tool like this ... and sadly concluded that there's no clear winner in the free software world. Sketch-up's non-Linux presence is a pain, but can be worked around - the web version's useless for me, but again you can download the last .exe version they released still, from the official page (albeit they've hidden it). FreeCAD and LibreCAD are worth diving into just because they're going to be around for a while, and at least one of them seems to be well supported. Blender's another option, and though it doesn't align feature-wise quite as well, and has a steeper learning curve - learning it is going to be useful forever, and for a wider range of use cases.
- ageofwant 6y ago
  https://www.openscad.org/ https://www.openscad.org/ Its not SchetchUp no - but its an immensely powerful tool if you like building parameterized models. Combined with https://pypi.org/project/openpyscad/ https://pypi.org/project/openpyscad/ you can program your next project in Python :-) You write your project in you code editor of choice, auto-run on save, and set the OpenSCAD viewer to ato-load on file changes. So you have the immediate feedback of a 'visual' tool, all text driven, git managed and you are probably already familiar with most of the tools. Yea this approach is not for everyone I'm sure.
  - bboygravity 6y ago
    This is great! I've been messing around with OpenSCAD and a Clojure script that generates an ergonomic keyboard for 3D printing: https://github.com/ibnuda/dactyl-keyboard/tree/refaktor https://github.com/ibnuda/dactyl-keyboard/tree/refaktor The Clojure - OpenSCAD script is amazing but also extremely slow (and I'm no good with Clojure even after staring at it for hours). The Python OpenSCAD link seems way faster and that suggested workflow is great! Happy to read this. It'll save me many hours. Seeing code getting converted into 3D renderings that you can actually 3D print (or woodwork) into real life is super cool.
  - dekhn 6y ago
    If you want this, just go straight to FreeCAD and invest the time to learn it. It includes an OpenSCAD module but the interactive shape editing beats OpenSCAD for nearly everything (it's faster and more interactive).
    - ageofwant 6y ago
      I very much doubt a GUI interface is going to be faster than a text interface, in fact it will be the opposite. And then I'm wired to this one interface and have to poke around on lines with a mouse like its 1992. No thanks. Also I can't easily compose or build composite objects, where is a one-line loop in Python. And how do I deal with libraries of components ? Dunno, seems like a step back to me. Have not tried it though - perhaps you are right.
- tda 6y ago
  so much this, I was always able to draw simple projects in minutes. I tried fusion360 for a few minutes and figured that I would need to invest some serious time to get productive with it. I settled for the limited web version of sketchup, but it is a step back from the desktop sketchup of a decade or so ago. In some way it's kind of a relief that it's not me, there really isn't a proper alternative to sketchup of yore. Anyone looking for a startup idea here?
  - RNCTX 6y ago
    I'm still using the last free Sketchup, with some ancient plugins that only work with that version :(. Of all of Google's completely selfish moves in terms of turning their backs on viable products, selling off Sketchup seems to be pretty high on the list of worst offenders.
- avhon1 6y ago
  Solvespace is a FLOSS CAD program you may be interested in. There hasn't been a release in a while, but development has been steady on github.
- m0nty 6y ago
  Someone mentioned Blender now has Sketchup-like facilities. Haven't yet tried it. https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=blender+vs+sketchup&sp=EgIIBQ%253D%253D https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=blender+vs+sket...
- MatthiasWandel 6y ago
  The best replacement for sketchup these days is OLD sketchup (version 8), from ten years ago. You can still get it. More on that at http://woodgears.ca/sketchup http://woodgears.ca/sketchup
  - simmonmt 6y ago
    FYI Mac version 8 can be found here: http://dl.trimble.com/sketchup/gsu8/FM-3-0-16845-EN.dmg http://dl.trimble.com/sketchup/gsu8/FM-3-0-16845-EN.dmg Can you add it to your page? I found it via https://jayscustomcreations.com/sketchup/ https://jayscustomcreations.com/sketchup/, which has a dropbox url that includes the magic string "FM-3-0-16845-EN.dmg". That's all I needed to make the Mac URL from your Windows URL.
    - MatthiasWandel 6y ago
      Thanks for pointing that out. Just added the Mac URL
skybrian 6y ago
Hmmm, why SketchUp and not OnShape? When I talked about getting into 3d printing I had two people independently recommend OnShape to me.
pabs3 6y ago
Is there an open source equivalent of Sketchup?
paulstovell 6y ago
+1 your second observation. We bought a hundred year old house a few years ago. In that time I’ve gone from “knowing how to hang a picture” to full owner-builder, enclosing a garage, and lots of projects in between, all from YouTube.
matt_s 6y ago
I'm just starting the hobby and found Sketchup to be cumbersome and too big of a learning curve. I have been using graph paper and pencil to do 2d drawings, side, top, etc. to get the idea down. I found a channel from the UK of a cabinet maker [0] that uses Graphic for mac - simple, easy and I can do the same style drawings. Maybe Sketchup is more helpful when you have complicated joinery or need to sell plans online. 0 - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_FksrzP3q-IuoWTiG501LQ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_FksrzP3q-IuoWTiG501LQ
- mywittyname 6y ago
  Sketchup isn't too bad, ime. It's a lot easier than other cad programs. It's important to find a tutorial because it has some idiosyncrasies which you aren't going to happen upon solving. But overall the program is well documented and easy to use once you learn. After about 3 projects on Sketchup, I'm now proficient enough to crank out simple furniture in a few minutes. That 15 minutes spent modeling things in sketchup pays dividends when it comes time for cutting and assembly.

by RNCTX 6y ago

jakear 6y ago

I agree, SketchUp (and woodgears) was a big part of how I was able to pick up woodworking as a kid. I don’t have much love for the product as it is now however. I would prefer the free SketchUp from 10 years ago to the current free tier (web app). Does anyone know if any good open source SketchUp-like tools?

andyfleming 6y ago
The open source tools I’ve seen aren’t great unfortunately. An alternative to sketchup is Fusion 360. Autodesk has a free hobbyist license.
- imtringued 6y ago
  FreeCAD is cool but very ugly both in terms of aesthetics and UX.
  - bboygravity 6y ago
    IMO Fusion 360 is way uglier in how often it crashes (and how slow it is) compared to FreeCAD.
northwest65 6y ago
Are you me? They really shit the bed with the way they've steered the product. When I think about Sketchup these days, it's more, "What shall I learn next to replace it?". Man it has served me well, it's a real shame. I'm thinking Blender. It's considerably more complicated, but the things you can do with it are considerably more expansive.
- takk309 6y ago
  Fusion 360 is a good option. CAD and CAM in one package. It is more complex than SketchUp but still accessible to someone that is not a drafter.
  - bigyikes 6y ago
    Fusion / Solidworks always feels so clumsy to me when trying to design a woodworking project like a table or something. It works, but it somehow feels like the wrong tool for the job. Maybe it’s better for more complex woodworking projects that aren’t just composed of simple rectangles. It’s certainly great for mechanical design and other use cases with smaller, more complicated geometry.
- mod 6y ago
  As someone who has made a couple woodworking designs in sketchup, but knows nothing more, I'm curious as to what the more expansive things you can do in Blender are. I fully believe sketchup has some limitations, but I haven't hit them yet in my basic designs. Care to elaborate?
  - KineticLensman 6y ago
    Not the parent, but if Sketchup is like a simple hand saw, Blender is a massive workshop filled with a whole array of advanced power tools [0]. For example you could go from a blank screen to creating, rigging and texturing a 3D character to a photo-realistic movie featuring the character, targeted at different display devices. [0] https://www.blender.org/features/ https://www.blender.org/features/
joshspankit 6y ago
I’ve been really curious about whether there’s a Sketchup-like application that has simple digital woodworking tools. Bring in a couple 4x8 sheets, cut taking blade width in to consideration, join, test whether the edges are flush, etc. Maybe even import plans, then give you a cut list that maximizes the wood you want to use. (Will I need 6x or 7x 8’shelving pieces? Ok, 7, but oh right, it’s reminding me to get and extra one to allow for mistakes.)
- RNCTX 6y ago
  https://www.google.com/search?q=cutlist https://www.google.com/search?q=cutlist Have never used any of these, but they've all come up on various woodworking forums I've read over the years.
- dekhn 6y ago
  Not exactly what you asked for but there are a few tools that take an SVG of shapes and outputs an SVG with the shapes packed more efficiently, including space for kerf, etc. svgnest and deepnest.io.
- dacohenii 6y ago
  This doesn't do exactly what you're asking for, but I've had good success with Cut List Optimizer [0]. You still have to tally up the list of each board you need in your project, but it will tell you the most efficient way to cut your materials. [0] https://www.cutlistoptimizer.com/ https://www.cutlistoptimizer.com/
Jedd 6y ago
I recently needed a tool like this ... and sadly concluded that there's no clear winner in the free software world. Sketch-up's non-Linux presence is a pain, but can be worked around - the web version's useless for me, but again you can download the last .exe version they released still, from the official page (albeit they've hidden it). FreeCAD and LibreCAD are worth diving into just because they're going to be around for a while, and at least one of them seems to be well supported. Blender's another option, and though it doesn't align feature-wise quite as well, and has a steeper learning curve - learning it is going to be useful forever, and for a wider range of use cases.
ageofwant 6y ago
https://www.openscad.org/ https://www.openscad.org/ Its not SchetchUp no - but its an immensely powerful tool if you like building parameterized models. Combined with https://pypi.org/project/openpyscad/ https://pypi.org/project/openpyscad/ you can program your next project in Python :-) You write your project in you code editor of choice, auto-run on save, and set the OpenSCAD viewer to ato-load on file changes. So you have the immediate feedback of a 'visual' tool, all text driven, git managed and you are probably already familiar with most of the tools. Yea this approach is not for everyone I'm sure.
- bboygravity 6y ago
  This is great! I've been messing around with OpenSCAD and a Clojure script that generates an ergonomic keyboard for 3D printing: https://github.com/ibnuda/dactyl-keyboard/tree/refaktor https://github.com/ibnuda/dactyl-keyboard/tree/refaktor The Clojure - OpenSCAD script is amazing but also extremely slow (and I'm no good with Clojure even after staring at it for hours). The Python OpenSCAD link seems way faster and that suggested workflow is great! Happy to read this. It'll save me many hours. Seeing code getting converted into 3D renderings that you can actually 3D print (or woodwork) into real life is super cool.
- dekhn 6y ago
  If you want this, just go straight to FreeCAD and invest the time to learn it. It includes an OpenSCAD module but the interactive shape editing beats OpenSCAD for nearly everything (it's faster and more interactive).
  - ageofwant 6y ago
    I very much doubt a GUI interface is going to be faster than a text interface, in fact it will be the opposite. And then I'm wired to this one interface and have to poke around on lines with a mouse like its 1992. No thanks. Also I can't easily compose or build composite objects, where is a one-line loop in Python. And how do I deal with libraries of components ? Dunno, seems like a step back to me. Have not tried it though - perhaps you are right.
tda 6y ago
so much this, I was always able to draw simple projects in minutes. I tried fusion360 for a few minutes and figured that I would need to invest some serious time to get productive with it. I settled for the limited web version of sketchup, but it is a step back from the desktop sketchup of a decade or so ago. In some way it's kind of a relief that it's not me, there really isn't a proper alternative to sketchup of yore. Anyone looking for a startup idea here?
- RNCTX 6y ago
  I'm still using the last free Sketchup, with some ancient plugins that only work with that version :(. Of all of Google's completely selfish moves in terms of turning their backs on viable products, selling off Sketchup seems to be pretty high on the list of worst offenders.
avhon1 6y ago
Solvespace is a FLOSS CAD program you may be interested in. There hasn't been a release in a while, but development has been steady on github.
m0nty 6y ago
Someone mentioned Blender now has Sketchup-like facilities. Haven't yet tried it. https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=blender+vs+sketchup&sp=EgIIBQ%253D%253D https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=blender+vs+sket...
MatthiasWandel 6y ago
The best replacement for sketchup these days is OLD sketchup (version 8), from ten years ago. You can still get it. More on that at http://woodgears.ca/sketchup http://woodgears.ca/sketchup
- simmonmt 6y ago
  FYI Mac version 8 can be found here: http://dl.trimble.com/sketchup/gsu8/FM-3-0-16845-EN.dmg http://dl.trimble.com/sketchup/gsu8/FM-3-0-16845-EN.dmg Can you add it to your page? I found it via https://jayscustomcreations.com/sketchup/ https://jayscustomcreations.com/sketchup/, which has a dropbox url that includes the magic string "FM-3-0-16845-EN.dmg". That's all I needed to make the Mac URL from your Windows URL.
  - MatthiasWandel 6y ago
    Thanks for pointing that out. Just added the Mac URL

skybrian 6y ago

Hmmm, why SketchUp and not OnShape? When I talked about getting into 3d printing I had two people independently recommend OnShape to me.

pabs3 6y ago

Is there an open source equivalent of Sketchup?

paulstovell 6y ago

+1 your second observation. We bought a hundred year old house a few years ago. In that time I’ve gone from “knowing how to hang a picture” to full owner-builder, enclosing a garage, and lots of projects in between, all from YouTube.

matt_s 6y ago

I'm just starting the hobby and found Sketchup to be cumbersome and too big of a learning curve. I have been using graph paper and pencil to do 2d drawings, side, top, etc. to get the idea down. I found a channel from the UK of a cabinet maker [0] that uses Graphic for mac - simple, easy and I can do the same style drawings. Maybe Sketchup is more helpful when you have complicated joinery or need to sell plans online. 0 - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_FksrzP3q-IuoWTiG501LQ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_FksrzP3q-IuoWTiG501LQ

mywittyname 6y ago
Sketchup isn't too bad, ime. It's a lot easier than other cad programs. It's important to find a tutorial because it has some idiosyncrasies which you aren't going to happen upon solving. But overall the program is well documented and easy to use once you learn. After about 3 projects on Sketchup, I'm now proficient enough to crank out simple furniture in a few minutes. That 15 minutes spent modeling things in sketchup pays dividends when it comes time for cutting and assembly.