Comments

1. 
   wtbonnell | Mar 04, 2009 03:39pm | #1

   I am new to this forum, new to wood working, and new to SketchUp as well, but I am trying to learn!

   Thanks again for sharing your techniques, I have found them very helpful. I don't know if this is an easier/different technique in which you are trying to perform with the Joint Push Pull plugin, but I was just going through some Google SketchUp video tutorials last night and came across this simple how to video that shows another way to create the crest rail without any third party plugins.

   http://sketchup.google.com/training/videos/new_to_gsu.html
   watch: Part 4 - Create a Chair (8:43)
   about 7 mins into it, it shows how to use the offset to create the crest rail - very simple technique.

   Is there an advantage or disadvantage of doing it this way? I haven't tried the Joint Push Pull plugin so I am not sure if it produces better results or not, but I thought I would share this...

   thanks,
   Bill

2. 
   wtbonnell | Mar 04, 2009 04:30pm | #2

   I tried creating a more advanced crest rail with curves (such as your example) with this offset method that I mentioned above, and I can see its disadvantages - I cannot cut-out shapes to make it fancy when on a curve (i.e. multiple planes).

   I will try the plugin and this may answer my questions.

   thanks,
   Bill

3. 
   wtbonnell | Mar 11, 2009 04:14pm | #3

   Tim,

   How did you create the curve shape of the crest rail (i.e. before you applied the Joint Push/Pull tool to give it thickness)? I tried tracing your image but I think the issue I am having is that it is coplanar and when I used the Joint Push/Pull tool I am getting a flat rail, not curved like yours. Just curious how you went about making that shape (I am new to SketchUp so I apologize if this is a remedial question...)

   Thanks,
   Bill

4. 
   Killenwood | Mar 11, 2009 11:29pm | #4

   Bill, I made that curved face by brute force and it is a tedious process. Basically I start with a flat face that I know is a proper shape and length. Usually I can trace over a drawing from a book, for example. Also these books will show a top view of the crest rail so I can trace the bending shape as well. On the curved face, which is not shaped except for the bend, I turn on hidden lines. Then I copy shapes from the flat face and connect/rotate to fit on to the bent shape. I suppose there is an easier way, or a plug-in but I am not aware of one, but looking.

   Tim

5. 
   wtbonnell | Mar 12, 2009 02:03pm | #5

   Thanks Tim! I just came across this technique that allowed me to create a curved crest rail very similar to yours without the need of the Joint Push/Pull. It's basically projecting a flat shape onto a curved object and then carving it out, check it out:

   http://www.sketchucation.com/?p=877=1

   It's certainly not as advanced as your method, but it may be good for quick turn-arounds. Thanks again Tim!

   Bill