<![CDATA[SoliForum - 3D Printing Community — List of Essential/Helpful SketchUp Plug-ins]]> 2014-02-19T20:48:16Z PunBB https://www.soliforum.com/topic/5567/list-of-essentialhelpful-sketchup-plugins/ <![CDATA[Re: List of Essential/Helpful SketchUp Plug-ins]]> That worked.  Thanks.

]]> https://www.soliforum.com/user/1175/ 2014-02-19T20:48:16Z https://www.soliforum.com/post/50250/#p50250 <![CDATA[Re: List of Essential/Helpful SketchUp Plug-ins]]> @ gwfami, All right go ahead and try now. Took away the direct download link and just directed to download the attachment of the post.

]]> https://www.soliforum.com/user/957/ 2014-02-19T04:04:47Z https://www.soliforum.com/post/50154/#p50154 <![CDATA[Re: List of Essential/Helpful SketchUp Plug-ins]]> I'll get that fixed for you in just a sec.

]]> https://www.soliforum.com/user/957/ 2014-02-19T03:59:28Z https://www.soliforum.com/post/50152/#p50152 <![CDATA[Re: List of Essential/Helpful SketchUp Plug-ins]]> Got an error message when trying to download the SP gear.

Bad request. The link you followed is incorrect or outdated.


"SP Gear - The best gear generator plug-in I have found. You can create helical, bevel, involute, and any combination of the aforementioned. Saves A LOT of time
http://www.soliforum.com/misc.php?actio … _str=957f5(direct download link - the original code has a bug that made it not play nice with any other units but inches.  So I made this version play nice with any unit you enter in the user input fields)"

]]> https://www.soliforum.com/user/1175/ 2014-02-19T03:58:18Z https://www.soliforum.com/post/50151/#p50151 <![CDATA[Re: List of Essential/Helpful SketchUp Plug-ins]]> Doesn't sketch up have that ability with Soften/Smooth edges?  Or is it different?

]]> https://www.soliforum.com/user/957/ 2014-02-17T01:44:28Z https://www.soliforum.com/post/49964/#p49964 <![CDATA[Re: List of Essential/Helpful SketchUp Plug-ins]]> My favorite one would have to be the "delete coplanar edges" script.  It removes all of the lines from triangles on faces of stl files so they can be modified in sketchup.  RoundCorner would be a close second.

]]> https://www.soliforum.com/user/1142/ 2014-02-16T21:15:38Z https://www.soliforum.com/post/49939/#p49939 <![CDATA[Re: List of Essential/Helpful SketchUp Plug-ins]]> I use the Shapes plugin too.  It creates some normals not easily accomplished with the basic setup.

]]> https://www.soliforum.com/user/4251/ 2014-02-16T15:16:29Z https://www.soliforum.com/post/49912/#p49912 <![CDATA[Re: List of Essential/Helpful SketchUp Plug-ins]]> As per usual, very nice!

]]> https://www.soliforum.com/user/957/ 2014-02-15T20:46:43Z https://www.soliforum.com/post/49832/#p49832 <![CDATA[Re: List of Essential/Helpful SketchUp Plug-ins]]> This is one of mine from a while back:

]]> https://www.soliforum.com/user/51/ 2014-02-15T20:40:54Z https://www.soliforum.com/post/49831/#p49831 <![CDATA[List of Essential/Helpful SketchUp Plug-ins]]> Here is a list of the plugin's. They are all free. Although some require you to register (for free) to Sketchucation.com to download them.   This is what I consider my core plugins.  Without these SketchUp is pretty useless for designing mechanical/product-like items. 

I use to have a real CAD package that I had put down some cash for.  But my computer that ran it went down, so I made do with SketchUp until I could get a new computer.  After being forced to use it I realize once it's decked out with the neccesary plug-ins it gets pretty darn close to the more professional cad packages. Still has nothing on the likes of Solidworks etc... but I don't have a few grand to throw at it, especially after throwing a giant chunk of change at a fully decked out refurbished 27" iMac. 

As far as other free cad packages go... I think they are all pretty abysmal and I have tried about every one available.  At least SketchUp has lots of cash behind developing it, and good prospects for continued future development. Plus there are some big benefits in the novice user department, big user base, a more gentle environment for the uninitiated.  Point is if you put some time into learning it, you can accomplish just about any modeling project without spending too much more time then you would in a more professional streamlined package. 

Plug-ins, a necessary evil to free under-powered software.

If there are more you have suggestions for let me know. I just thought it would be good to start a list of essential/very helpful solid plugins.


PLUGINS:

SketchUp STL (by SketchUp Team) - Self explanatory
http://extensions.sketchup.com/en/content/sketchup-stl

Bezier Curve Tool (by SketchUp Team) - ultra helpful for organic shape modeling.
http://extensions.sketchup.com/en/conte … curve-tool

Helix Along Curve - invaluable for creating custom threading with the Follow Me tool
http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=51770

CenterPoint - set the center point for any object/face
http://www.smustard.com/script/CenterPoint

Maxwell for Sketchup - a really nice photorealistic rendering engine (osx version is buggy, but works)
http://extensions.sketchup.com/en/conte … sketchup-1

LibFredo6 - a library required for the plug-in below
http://extensions.sketchup.com/en/content/libfredo6

Round Corner (requires install of LibFredo6 first) - more complex filet and bevel tool to speed up adding rounded edges etc...
http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=20485 

SP Gear - The best gear generator plug-in I have found. You can create helical, bevel, involute, and any combination of the aforementioned. Saves A LOT of time

Download Attachment Below: the original code has a bug that made it not play nice with any other units but inches.  So I made this version play nice with any unit you enter in the user input fields)

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VXBC4oiCYuc/Uv8BlWBysLI/AAAAAAAAAVs/NJMXNg_SHFs/w311-h248-no/Gear+Preview.png
(Examples of the gear generator and maxwell rendering in SketchUp.)

]]> https://www.soliforum.com/user/957/ 2014-02-15T06:01:24Z https://www.soliforum.com/post/49794/#p49794