DIY - Railing in SketchUp

[CADken]

Alright, Here we have our steps:

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d82/KennEbee/Step1.jpg

The first step (if you already have created the stairs) is to create a "PATH" for the railing to follow. This "PATH" is no more than you drawing lines to follow where you want your railing to go:

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d82/KennEbee/Step2.jpg

The above picture shows how I used the line (or pencil) tool to create the rough sketch of the railings. I drew the horizontal and vertical lines first, then connected the lines with the lines that run parallel to the stairs. Each vertical line is 3" offset from the corner, you can achieve this by utilizing the "OFFSET" command, or simply drawing 3" lines from the corner to locate the position.

Here I have erased the vertical lines, since we will not need them and they will only interfere with the "FOLLOW-ME" command.

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d82/KennEbee/Step3.jpg

Now create a profile of the railing, this can be elaborate, or as plain as you want. In this case I drew a little detail, nothing fancy, but more appealing that just a circle or square.

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d82/KennEbee/Step4.jpg

I have positioned the profile centered on the "PATH" so this way it follows it smoothly.

Now the fun begins! Select the "FOLLOW-ME" tool from your toolbar: http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d82/KennEbee/Follow-Me.jpg

Now, select the "PROFILE" face and move the mouse along the lines we will be using as our "PATH".

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d82/KennEbee/Step5.jpg

Follow the entire path from beginning to end and here is what we've ended up with!

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d82/KennEbee/Step6.jpg

Hope this helps! Feel free to ask questions if you need me to elaborate more; be sure to post the questions about the "FOLLOW-ME" command here rather than PM me, PMs will not be answered, only referred to this thread.

[hiro]

thanks CADKEN for this tutorials

[97catintenn]

I have a question, how do you use the follow me tool, and also have it draw in a splindle approx every 5"s?

Nice work, CADKEN, you must have been thinking of me when you drew this up, since I never include railings, lol!!

[CADken]

I have a question, how do you use the follow me tool, and also have it draw in a splindle approx every 5"s?

Nice work, CADKEN, you must have been thinking of me when you drew this up, since I never include railings, lol!!

I'm not sure the "follow-me" tool would be able to place a spindle every 5", you'd probably have to place one every 5"... if I have time I could do an additional DIY to this one involving spindles.

[97catintenn]

Maybe there is a quick way to place points on the railing you have drawn every 5"s and then paste the spindles to each point in a specific line at one time.

I'm prolly wishing too much, lol.

[Strix]

so how come you 'sketch in' where you want the railings to go instead of offsetting from the underside of the staircase?

is sketchup savvy enough to get those lines parallel without more technical input?

[CADken]

so how come you 'sketch in' where you want the railings to go instead of offsetting from the underside of the staircase?

is sketchup savvy enough to get those lines parallel without more technical input?

you could do that, but I typically like to draw in where I want things to go, the offset command is good, I just didn't want to throw in too many things in this tutorial.

[Strix]

I always cringe at CAD mixed with freehand as errors can propagate, so I was wondering if sketchup did something more clever than expected if you banged in a couple of randomish lines - as it seems to do everything else by intuition!

[CADken]

I always cringe at CAD mixed with freehand as errors can propagate, so I was wondering if sketchup did something more clever than expected if you banged in a couple of randomish lines - as it seems to do everything else by intuition!

sorry i'm not following you.

[97catintenn]

sorry i'm not following you.

I think he quickly read through the first post and missed where you said that you did use the offset command. He thinks you free handed your "Path" for the handrail.

[CADken]

I think he quickly read through the first post and missed where you said that you did use the offset command. He thinks you free handed your "Path" for the handrail.

ahh... yeah I use the offset command to help place the handrail where I want it... the other thing that SketchUp has that is a great feature is when drawing freehand it'll show you if you are traveling in the right directions and whether or not you are parallel, perpendicular, etc to other lines.