Topic: Ditch SketchUp
Okay, first of all, I love you guys (that means gals, too), you know that right? Sure you do. I ain't no hater. Except when it comes to crummy software. Or bad design.
In My Humble Opinion, after having used many of the breed, SketchUp is a great little 2D drawing program that is a poor choice for 3D drawing. Why? It creates meshes which we then have to try to convert into solids so they can be printed. And we've all experienced what that is like, frustration rules.
With the skillset you now have in SketchUp, you can easily transition over to 123D Design and get a "solid", non-flaky Solid Modeler. Your drawing starts as a solid, not a mesh. It is ready to print as soon as you are.
For Mac, PC or iPad.
It is free.
There is a series of five well-made YouTube videos that will teach you everything you need to know to be proficient in 123D Design.
It is made by Autodesk, a premier CAD software biggie. The skills you learn for Design can migrate up to their industrial strength CAD software so it is a shrewd move if you fancy a career in CAD or 3D.
Autodesk support for 123D Design is excellent. I frequently discuss ideas directly with the guy in charge of Design development and a couple of my suggestions have made their way into the product. So, they listen, what a concept!
Design is a member of a larger 123D product family that includes a Scan and Capture program, Printed Circuit Board design program, Sculpt and more. Yeah, TinkerCAD too.
About TinkerCad. I have no problem with it. It has surely brought masses of good folks into the 3D hobby. But, why go there when you can learn Design just as easily and get a much better migration path upward (to AUTOCAD and other fine high end systems) and outward to other related products (Make, Catch, Sculpt and Circuits)?
I hate to see folks continue with a frustrating (to me) program when a much better way is at your fingertips. You have more fun when you don't have to deal with crashes, conversion and printing problems. That stuff goes way with 123D Design.
But that's just me. And, remember, I love you. My mother loves you. My wife loves... wait.