2. Basic SketchUp Tools

In case you want to edit the housing or you want to make your own, but you have not used SketchUp before, here is the list of the most useful Sketchup tools.

2.1. Navigation tools

The Navigation tools allow you to move all around the SketchUp viewport.

Zoom: This tool lets you get closer or farther from the object you’re modeling by using the scroll wheel of the mouse moving it forward or backward. It’s very useful when you want to see a smaller detail or a general view of the 3D model.

Orbit: You can orbit the camera view by pressing and holding the scroll wheel of the mouse. This is very useful to explore our models from different angles.

2.2. Drafting tools

Drafting tools are the ones that allow you to create something from scratch.

Line: This tool is likely used every single time you design something in SketchUp. As a drafting tool, it allows you to create any 2D surface by connecting line segments. The lines can be drawn in the X, Y and Z axis with the left click of the mouse.

Pie: This works similarly to line tool, but instead of only drawing a segment from one point to another, you designate a third point to specify the arc curvature.

Eraser: It is basically used to erase the line segments you don’t need anymore.

2.3. Editing tools

SketchUp has a lot of editing tools and each one is an indispensable resource when you are trying to achieve certain results.

Push-Pull: Without a doubt, push-pull is one of the most used tools in SketchUp. That’s because it allows you to extrude a 2D surface to convert it into a 3D shape. You can give it a determined value with the numeric pad or simply click again until you’re happy with the result.

Scale: This tool allows you to make any object selected bigger or smaller by using a bounding box with some grips. The only thing you have to do is to select one grip and move the cursor to scale your object. For a uniform scaling, always try to select the grips in the corners.

Move: To use this tool you have to press the “M” key and select the object you want to move. The place you click in the object will be your moving point. This tool is mainly used to accommodate things in your model.

In case you want to move more objects at once, select all the objects and with right-click on the mouse, choose the option make a group. In case you want to do the opposite than with right click on the mouse choose the option explode.

If you are importing the file into SketchUp, chose the options explode and soften/smooth edges to correct its edges.