A short time ago a new SketchList 3D user called in asking if there was a real quick video introduction on using our woodworking design software.  Well yes and no.  You might know that there are a few hundred videos on our site and more on YouTube.  But still there’s always room for more it seems.

Take a look at these four.

Using a library of standard cabinets to quickly ‘build’ a kitchen or entertainment room.

Built in woodworking functions.

What reports are available?

Make a simple case with a face frame.

Another thing — if you want to use and learn SketchList 3D I am here to help.  Every day I answer a handful of questions via email and do a few online Q&A type training sessions.  If you need to use woodworking design software in your business – don’t hesitate.  Get it going.  I promise I will help you make a success of it.

Thanks for your time – Dave

The post Woodworking Design Software – 4 Useful Videos appeared first on SketchList3D.

If you want to enhance your design and make it more realistic and meaningful to your prospect, you should use the import image feature in your custom woodworking software.  This article contains a link to a video which will show you how it’s done.

Try to get a straight on photo of whatever it is you want to import.  In this case the camera was not parallel to the back wall and the result is distorted a bit.  It still works though – and it’s probably light years ahead of your competition. Camera quality doesn’t matter that much.  The image above was captured with a cell phone.

The steps are as follows.

1. Make a new material for a board.
2. Select new texture for that material from you computer
3. Set the scale to equal the size of – in this case room – the image.  If it looks funny in your design you probably got the wrong size.
4. Enter the material sizes in the stock database – keep it thin.
5. Insert a board and pick the material from the list.
6. You may need to try different grain directions.
7. Then push this wall to the back of the design and add your own design over the top.
8. In the design above the cabinets were added to the sides and under the window.

The post Custom Woodwork Software Imports Photos appeared first on SketchList3D.

A user of SketchList 3D woodworking design software emailed in asking if it is possible to cut flute columns in a board surface.  Yes it is.  The process is pretty simple and fast.  First select the board at the board detail level. Then select the surface you want to flute. The image above shows the surface in blue.  Click on non-round holes.

In this example the flute runs from bottom to top.  That is a = 0 and height = board height.  You might start the bottom at 6 and wrap the bottom of the flute column with some sort of footer. B is the distance from the left. Make it as wide as you like. For fun – make it almost as wide as the board:  14 inch board try a 8 inch wide flute.

Click contour edge and pick round over.  Accept defaults.  [It may be you need to edit this hole to set the contour.]  Then you have flute number one.

Click the Edit / Clone Holes button while at the board detail level.

Enter the number of flutes you want to cut, check fixed spacing, and set the distance between the flutes.  Pick “from the left edge”.

This is another post [2015] describing an over the top use of this technique.  You can see it at CLICK HERE.

The post Flute Columns in Woodworking Design Software appeared first on SketchList3D.

I am reading a book on dimensioned shop drawings and drafting practices for woodworkers using furniture design software.  A survey we did showed us that users place a very high value on shop drawings.

The book starts with an explanation of drawing by hand, transitions to using computer programs to generate two dimensional drawings, and then moves to how to create full three-dimensional images.

The author says  you began your 3D design effort by drawing a front side and top view in two dimensions and blend them together to create your  three-dimensional design. I’ve not done that so I don’t know if that’s right or not.

I have read articles and online comments and commentary that say that  two-dimensional design is simpler than three. Makes sense and I think I agree.

Then I thought since drawing in two dimensions is easier than drawing in three dimensions it might help new users of SketchList 3D understand the process if I put together a video creating a model using the two dimensional method.

In the video you’ll see that I use the side, top and front views to create a bookcase.

If you are a novice to SketchList 3D this video will help you understand some of the tools and processes  one goes through to create a three dimensional design using two dimension representations.

But the best thing to do is watch the video.

The post Furniture design software – 2 dimensions? appeared first on SketchList3D.

In fact if you are doing a few designs a year – it more than pays  for itself.  That’s what our users say.

Because the layout optimizer is so highly integrated with the design process – you must keep in mind the material sizes as you design – at least in the beginning.  Some new users find this difficult to do.  So based on input from phone calls, emails, and online meetings – and with the help of a customer – I now think of learning the optimizer slightly differently.

The You Tube video will show this in detail.  The basic idea is optimize EARLY and OFTEN.  You’ll identify problems before the project becomes too big.  This makes them easier to underrstand and fix.

Watch this video and try in out in your SketchList 3D designing.

The post Optimized Material Layouts Save Time and Money appeared first on SketchList3D.

Compare these two images.

A simple 2D line drawing.

A 3D model imposed over a photograph of the prospect’s cottage.

Which picture helps the sale more?  Of course. And if I knew more about how to design fences – the photo would be even more realistic.

It took me about 30 minutes to do this model.  Remember those 30 minutes also gave me all the reports, layouts, drawings, and material cost estimates I need to plan and bid the job [if I was a fence maker – which I am not!].

Save time.  Sell jobs. Increase profits.

Price of the software – the Pro version is $750 but is available for a short time with a steep discount.

Time to implement – Pro users will get two free online training sessions to get them going.   FREE.  People consistently tell us that they feel comfortable after the first hour.  Some never call back to the second session.

Fence Design Software isn’t all you can do.  Cabinets, wall units, kitchens, mantles, pergolas — really you can design almost anything you can build.

If you have been thinking about design software to enhance your business – give me a call or shoot me an email.   I’d be more than happy to set up a training session with you.

The post Fence Design Software paints a picture of what you are selling. appeared first on SketchList3D.

SketchList 3D has a new feature to make this kitchen design software even faster and more accurate – without keying in any numbers. Our latest release – due out this week – supports a powerful align tool. Using the align tool you pick the board [or object] you want to align to, hold down the shift key and mouse click on other boards [or objects] then click the align tool object.
You can align in three directions – left / right, bottom / top, and front / back. You can choose to align to the inside of a board [like butting boards] or to the outside of the boards. You can also align to the center of a board.

Again – click the ‘target board’, hold down the shift key and click one or more ‘moving boards’, and click the appropriate icon. Simple.

You can also combine align functions. Move a board so it butts against the edge of the target board, then click the centering icon so the moving board is also centered on the target.

You can also insert a temporary board, set it in place, and use it as a bit of a target or snap to line. When you are finished – delete the temporary board.

Make a quick book case? Insert the left side. Insert a shelf. Align the shelf to the inside of the side board. Red dot-drag the shelf to the proper side. Clone and space shelves. Clone the left side. Click one of the shelves. Hold down the shift key and click a side board. Click the align right – outside icon. Boom. How easy was that?

Watch this video…

Align is a very powerful and flexible tool. Think about the ways you can use it. Experiment and see what it can do for you.

The post Kitchen Cabinet Layout Software Designs Numbers-Free appeared first on SketchList3D.

A manufacturer wanted to see how SketchList 3D would work as case design software.

There is plenty of detail here, a review of all reports, and a good example of the kinds of information you get from SketchList 3D.  It applies to manufacturing, cabinet making, remodeling — anywhere you need to model, manage and produce your work.

The first step is to determine your output requirements, the first of which are the images.

The door would have a hinge allowing it to close against the back part of the box.  The two drawers would also ‘close’.  There is a round metal bar for hanging clothing and a set of heavy rubber casters on the bottom.

A large part of the quality of the image has to do with images available for use [like the handles], angle or view of objects, background color and light adjustments.

One report available in SketchList 3D is PDF output.  This exports the design to a file that Adobe PDF reader [free software available from Adobe] can open or your or your client’s computer and actually move the design around on the screen.

In addition to being able to examine all views of the design, the
users can change lighting, make a line drawing, and modify their view of it.  SketchList 3D users tell me they love this feature.  Remember they can rotate it with their mouse.

The PDF can give different looks.  And it’s free.

Other types of outputs include the following:

1. Shop drawings – this example shows a standard drawing. You can make as many drawings, as detailed as needed, as you want.

2. Parts List – any part of the design can be shown or not on the parts list. The list can be sorted many different ways.  You can specify – for example – only parts of a certain thickness to be shown on a reports list.  The parts list can be exported to a spreadsheet for more work – for example inventories.  Of course you can print it.

2. Optimize material layout diagrams. SketchList 3D will take all parts and lay them out on the specified materials in a way the reduces waste.
3. Purchase report.SketchList 3D takes the material requirements from the layout function, aggregates them, and produces a report showing how much of each type of material is needed and what that costs.  This example from the travel box is very simple.

5. Export to DXF files for use by your CAM software is generated from the layout function.

Consideration of the objects of each output is important.  Certainly drawings and reports go to the shop.  They will also be part of proposals to potential customers, input for estimating and quoting jobs, and web page and marketing materials.  Each use of output starts with the same information and perhaps presents it a bit differently.

The other desired output is a library of standard designs, components, and parts.  The travel box design incorporates wheels, handles, and corner material which can be saved as standards.

One early task in implementing SketchList 3D might be to create a list of the contents of the library.  Of course this can be done as you go along, but experience shows this can result in multiple parts which are really the same with different names.

Once a library of “boxes” is created, new projects can be a matter of taking an existing ‘box’ and changing its size.  This may be the entire process or you may make other types of modifications – such as adding drawers.

The output will definitely adjust as you gain experience with the software and the process.

Planning the setup steps is important.

Again this can be done as you progress, but some thought should occur front end.

When you start you will put some effort into determining the elements of your design.

1. Joinery types – what kinds of joinery do you use and where?
2. Materials – standard materials for all jobs and/or custom material for custom jobs?
3. Materials cost – entering what you pay for the materials and vendors.
4. Report contents – what data will be on the reports.
5. Customer setup – entering customer information and including it on report headers.

Thinking about design structures. 

The effective use of assemblies and sub-assemblies greatly enhances productivity.  This is a skill you will develop as you become more experienced with SketchList 3D.  For example, in the travel box I used one assembly and included in it a large door.  That might have been two assemblies – there are advantages to each approach.

Starting

There are several steps.  Once you purchase SketchList 3D you can begin training and setup.  We do remote training via the internet and telephone,

Many customers find they become very productive with only two training sessions.  In the first we cover basics and begin to design a project they are about to begin.  At the end of that session probably 80% of the work is finished.  The user will attempt to finish the other 20% on his or her own.  During this time, I answer questions via email, phone, of sometimes with an online computer connection.  The second session covers final questions, resolves problems or misunderstandings, and reviews report generation.

The two session approach works because in the case of a customer woodworker – there is really not that much complexity.  They know how they build, build more or less the same thing over and over, and usually do not use the entire set of features of SketchList 3D [at least at first].

Your situation may be like that or may be more complex.  The more detailed cutting of foam inserts, more complicated case interiors, different use of materials all can affect the time to learn and adjust.

SketchList 3D will provide you an easy to learn and use design tool that will enable you to create both custom and standard parts and products.  Your customers will love the images they will see before buying.  It is certainly easier to get sign off when you have a detailed picture of what they are paying for.

Creating a standard library of objects will help you quickly and accurately create new designs.

The parts list, purchase list, cutting diagram, shop drawings, and DXF files will help you manage your production.

The post Complete solution case design software appeared first on SketchList3D.

Layout Software – aligning boards and other objects

We are in the final phases of testing a new release that adds a powerful alignment tool to the SketchList 3D Layout Software.

Layout software function allows aligning multiple objects at once – right or left, top or bottom, front or back, and center to center.

Watch the video.

The post Layout Software for object aligning appeared first on SketchList3D.

One major feature in our Professional version is the design software for material layout.

A user wrote in with a question about a problem he was having trying to optimize his project.

I put together this short video of me analyzing what might have gone wrong.

The source of problems with the optimizer – evidenced by red highlight boxes around part names — is almost always one [or more] of three things.

1. The material exists but is not sized with the stocking function.
2. Wrong orientation for a board.
3. Wrong direction for the grain.

Watch the video.

So if you have questions or problems send me an email.

The post Design software for material layout appeared first on SketchList3D.