dbhost

I am trying to work up a new layout for my shop using Sketchup, and I am really close to where I want to be. However I am having difficulty with the dust control system layout. Every time I try to rotate a pipe segment, I get angles I do not want, say I want to rotate simply on the X axis, but I end up with rotation on Y and Z axis as well... How do I constrain rotation of an object along a 2d plane so I can rotate a pipe a simple 90 degrees?

__________________
-- Trying to follow the example of the master...

frankp

dbhost, I often have the same issue. I think you can use the arrow keys to constrain to one dimension or another. The sketchup help documents do say something about doing it but I've not been able to tell how it works exactly. I've found I have to just make sure to pay attention when the helper lines pop up that say what dimension I'm moving in.

__________________
"I care not what others think of what I do, but I care very much about what I think of what I do! That is character!"

--Theodore Roosevelt

LGC KX5 TC

the easiest way is to hold the shift key when you get on the Helper lines(red, green, Blue lines). when you see that your going in the right direction hold the shift key and then that is the plane you will move in no matter what.

The way i do pipes is in this way. it is easy and fast. you have to use the follow me tool, if you don't have a button out for it you can find it in the tools section underneath the push me tool

the first thing you do is draw your layout of where you want the pipes to go, using just one line. this is the line that the "follow me tool" will use or follow. I usually use the center line of the pipe. Then you put in a radius for it to follow. it doesn't need a radius as this tool will bend anything do with it. I'll put up another example in a minute.

after you have all the lines drawn of where you want it to go and the radiuses are in then you put a circle, or square(house heating ducts) or whatever shape you want to have follow that line.

Then select the follow me tool and you use it in the same way as the push/pull tool only you follow the line and watch the magic happen. You can stop at any point as i showed you, but if you stop on a radius sometimes you can't keep going so i always stop on a strait run. That way i can make it longer if i need to.

Attached Images

    

LGC KX5 TC

here is my example of how the follow me tool will use any shape and follow it on any line. weather or not there is a radius

Here are some random shapes that i made and the one on the far right is one i just drew to show you that it really can be ANY shape. And the line that it will follow is kinda random also the last bend is not 90* its just one that i drew. as you can see it will follow any line with any shape and put all the lines in the right spot to get around the angles. you can even use these weird shapes to go around radius's.

Let me know if you have any more questions about sketchup. I have played with it for many hours and watched i don't know how many videos on it so i hope i can help. I also have the book Sketch up for dummies which is very good. I could look stuff up in there if you need help

Attached Images