I love it. It makes planning, machining, and assembly so much easier. I can 'build' it piece by piece and it helps me think through the joints, order of assembly, and can give you measurements based off other pieces.
When I was making the boatbed I knew the dimensions of the frame the triangular drawers would sit in, and sketchup told me the exact angles and the dimensions I needed. My trig and geometry have long passed me by...
Plus you get a good visual feel for the overall look and balance of the item you're building.
I like it because I design all my ideas based off of my own ideas and pictures. I haven't used any commercial plans yet- not that I wouldn't if I found something that fit the bill. |