Category: 3D Modeling

Mastering WeVideo for Classroom Creativity

Mastering WeVideo for Classroom Creativity

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Model and 3D Print A Picnic Table In Tinkercad

The first screencast in this lesson covers building a picnic table from dimensional lumber in Tinkercad.  A variety of skills are utilized with staying organized being emphasized.  There is even some basic math used to help scale the project down so it will fit on TC’s print bed.

The second video demonstrates how to export the table out of Tinkercad, slice the STL file and then actually print the pieces with minimal support material.  Finally, I glue it together.

Link to the plans

 

Install PrusaSlicer on a Chromebook

I have used several slicing programs to prepare my models for 3D printing, but none comes close to PrusaSlicer, which is open-source (free) for all to use.

Unfortunately, up until now, you need a “real computer” to use it as it needed to be installed.  Now, the Linux build can be installed on a Chromebook, making a premier slicer available to any student with a CB.  After creating their model on SketchUp, Tinkercad, or Onshape, they can export the STL file, import it into PrusaSlicer, orient it on the print bed, add supports, slice it and export the gcode.

Here is how to install it on an old, cheap CB I bought for $200 at Costco three years ago.  I wish the audio had been captured better by Loom, but did I mention it was an old Chromebook :-).

Build A Simple Table With SketchUp

This is a follow-up for students that completed modeling a basic chair with SketchUp. It uses the web-based version of SketchUp, like SketchUp For Schools. No prior experience with SketchUp is really necessary, making this an ideal project for any student. While students could build the table with most of the same skills as building the chair, this lesson goes one step further and introduces different methods that will expand the student’s toolbox and save time. Having said that, you might want to make the chair first 🙂

 

 

3D Printing The Combo Wrench In Tinkercad Now Available

Modeling the combination wrench in Tinkercad has been a popular lesson, so I made a follow-up video on the steps I used to print it.

 

Model and 3D Print The DC-3 With SketchUp

The Douglas DC-3 (the military version was the C-47) first flew in the 1930s, made commercial passenger flight affordable, flew in many wars, and still flies today.

Coming soon will be the screencasts for completing this project and they will be published on my YouTube channel.  Like many of my projects, this one is:

      • Completely free without ads.
      • Can be completed by any user regardless of experience level.
      • Can be completed on any computer with a mouse, including Chromebooks.
      • “Kid-safe”

I’ll post the link for the screencasts here once they are released.  If you want to be notified, do the usual YouTube subscribe thing and click on the bell 🙂

Here is the link for the DC-3 Blueprint we will use when modeling.

 

 

 

 

Build Wallace and Grommit’s Spaceship With SketchUp (and Pixlr)

When I started planning this project, I was asking myself what could be fun for kids, have supporting media, and be short/easy.  I think I hit the first two perfectly, but I kept wanting to introduce new skills.  Before I was done, I realized I had created a monster, but a fun monster indeed.

Anyone can do this project, but it is helpful to have some prior SketchUp experience – explaining every move for a total beginner would result in something no one could use.  However, for those that don’t, they can refer to my online indexed guide for all of SketchUp’s moves and grooves.

Here is a brief excerpt from A Grand Day Out to get your students fired up.

You can stream the whole episode for free if you have an Amazon Prime account.

Here is a link to the playlist.  Enjoy!

SketchUp Pro 2020 – Should You Upgrade?

At the end of January, Trimble announced SketchUp Pro 2020.  I winced somewhat when I saw the subject title wondering if they wrecked a near-perfect thing.  After reading their announcement, the basics have remained untouched.

Students and teachers are either using the web-version or SketchUp Make 2017, which was the last free desktop version.  Regardless, I am still a strong advocate of using the built-in and custom keyboard shortcuts.  They save time and work in any version.

I did upgrade my free version of Pro to 2020, but that is because I know I am going to get work to grade saved by others using 2020 and I won’t be able to open it with earlier versions.  Otherwise, I saw no real reason to “upgrade”.

BTW, you can save your files so they can be opened by earlier versions.

SketchUp – Modeling A 3D Pencil

This is a series of video screencast tutorials that demonstrate how to create a pencil using SketchUp.  It is a great introductory activity.

Students love doing these activities, but they don’t want to have anyone show them for 70 minutes on a projector screen and then set them free.  They also don’t want to have to figure out written directions (did you ever open up the shrink-wrapped manual?).  They just want to jump in and create. This format allows students to start from the beginning and model as they watch.  If they skip a step or have trouble, they can go back and rewatch that portion of the tutorial. If they find another way to do the same thing, that’s even better.  If a student misses a day, they have not missed any instruction.

The screencast is indexed giving students the advantage of quickly find out where they left off from the day before or go back and rewatch a segment for better understanding.

 

 

Directions, supplemental files and SketchUp files saved at various stages can be found by downloading the document below.

Complete Pencil Lesson Package Download
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