When it comes to wood working , nothing beats a solid set of plans. And here at Woodsmith, we’ve prided ourselves on our plans. But, like most woodworkers, I often build things “off the cuff.” Sometimes it’s from a picture someone sends me and says “Here, can you build this?” or it’s something that’s been in my head and is trying to break free. But there are times, especially when designing a commission piece or working through a complex project, that you need to flesh out the napkin sketches that so many of us often work from.

SKETCHUP. I’m sure by now you’ve heard of SketchUp. Formerly, it was powered by Google, but has since been under a company by the name of Trimble. Regardless of the company that owns it, SketchUp remains a powerful (and free for personal use) software for the home workshop trying to put a design onto paper. However, like most 3D design software, SketchUp can be a little overwhelming when you first dig into it. Luckily, if you take baby steps and master a handful of key functions and tasks, you’re well on the way to converting your design to a full 3D model.

Before we start talking about designing and drawing parts, let’s eat our vegetables and understand how functions. The world of , and most other 3D software, is built off of a 3-axis design. You can see this