Woodworking tips and tricks within SketchList 3D

Woodworking tips and trips – answers to questions

Your comments and questions via email or text form the input for woodworking tips and tricks.  They point out features in SketchList 3D that appear in many of our videos.  However they happen fast and are not well indexed.  This post will run through a number of questions and provide  ‘how to do it’ answers.

1. I have found one frustrating issue: the Board Definition Tab seems to keep disappearing. I have used it on a couple of occasions, but at some point later the tab is no longer visible after I select a board at the assembly level as instructed. The standard and rotation tabs are visible, however. I can close the program and it will reappear upon re-opening. Am I doing something incorrectly?

   Check the View menu item at the top of the SketchList 2D woodworking design software screen.  Check the tab or tabs you want to use.

   

   The cause of the tab disappearing is clicking on the red X to close the tab.  Really you want just to move the cursor off the panel and it will close automatically.

   

2. The only problem that I have encountered is applying a chamfer to the entire edge of a board.  The default is set at one third the length and no matter what I try with the three settings in the form, I can’t override it. Can you help me?

   

   Setting the stop 1 and stop 2 values to zero will place that chamfer along the entire length of the board.

3. I want to make a half-oval cut on a board at the bottom to create small legs instead of the shelf unit standing on the full edge, you know?

   If you need to cut out an oval that extends over the board’s edge use the shape tool.  A.  Now go to the board level detail and select a surface.  B.  Click the shape tool button at the lower right of the woodworking design software main screen.
   Select the edge you want to cut out.  C.  Insert points for the beginning and ending of the curve cut out.  D.  Then pick the curve tool.  Moving the red dots to the right in this case creates your cut out.  Click Exit shape.

   

4. Just wondering if there was a way to save the parts list report as an Excel file.Generate the report as usual.  Click on the File menu item at the upper left of the woodworking design software screen.  Then select export to CSV.

   

5. I can’t seem to get the tape rule to work on the SketchList 3D Pro woodworking design software on a Mac. I reviewed the online tutorials but can’t get anything to happen when I touch on the object and try dragging to get a measure. Is there a particular view I need to be in to get it to work?

   Click the tape rule icon on the upper tool menus.  Then press the t key on your set board.  Next left mouse click starting point of measurement.  Then click the ending point.  Just click the line to delete it.

   

   

6. Let me ask in your woodworking tips and tricks section How can I make a round rod 2 ½ inch diameter and 34 inches long?

   Insert a board.   Its orientation should be such that the surfaces are 2 1/2 square.  Remember that is critical  Set the thickness to 34 inches.  Go to the board detail level and select a surface.  Click the Shape tool.  Click the circle tool.  A rod results.

   

   

7. I use my calculator too much. Doesn’t the software calculate automatically?

   

   Rest your cursor in a text box in either the form to the right or the spreadsheet.  Enter the calculation needed.  Important – there is no division since the slash character will be interpreted as a fractional value.  So multiply by – for example – .5 to divide in half.  Of course you can add with the +key and subtract with the – key.  Click the button of the cell that you want to reflect the change.  In our example above clicking width will increase it by 7/8ths of an inch.

8. I need to ‘add’ some space on the front of my cabinets for face frames. How?

    

   At the project level select the assembly to change.   Then click Batch Move.

   

   Pick the front back direction.  Then type in the amount to add.  Maybe the project is not big enough and you may have to edit that.  If so go to the File menu and select edit project.  Proceed by clicking move to back.  This will move everything backwards by the amount you specify.  You can find more on this in this post.

   

9. I bought a new computer and need to move SketchList 3D.  Help?

   When you purchased SketchList 3D we sent you instructions to our server.   Go to that location and enter your email and password.  Then choose the product to download.  After that crate a new key for your new computer.

10.  How to put a board in the middle of another?

    To center the window on the floor board do the following.   Click the floor.  Hold down the shift key and click the window.  Click the alignment tab on the upper right of the main screen.  Pick the center left – right icon.

    

    And the result is as follows.

    

And there you have it. A top ten list of woodworking tips and tricks to use within SketchList 3D.   For other tips in woodworking click this.