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Old 11-01-2010, 12:52 PM
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ct ertz ct ertz is offline
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CSS Texas how to with Google Sketch up.

Hello everyone. Because I have been asked and because I have hit mental blocks on many of the models I am currently working on, I will attempt to layout a step by stop on how to make an ironclad. I use Google Sketch Up because it is free, and works for me. i am in no way an expert and some of you wil be scratching your heads wondering why I am doing things the way I am. Well, because it worked in the past for me, that's why. I am also not a teacher and I do not design manuals or programs, so If I fail to relate some information, my apologies. Now, that being said, I will do my best.

First you need good information and a nice three way drawing is also helpful. For this I am indebted to John Wallis. His research has provided me with many of the plans I based my models on. the CSS Texas will be no exception. First I converted his Word document into a PDF then into a JPG image, using Gimp to adjust the scale and so on. Now the drawing is in an image that the GSU will recognize. Now we can use it for a back drop in Sketch up.

But first, some notes about the Texas. Had it been finished and deployed, it would have been deadly. Notice too that the duel pilot houses are on the deck, like the Wilmington, making them hard to hit and freeing up room in the gun casemate. It is interesting that the US navy went from deck plased pilot houses like on the original monitors to putting them above the guns, and the south went the other way. Also note that the Texas had only four guns in a shortened casemate. This allowed more armor to be placed on the casemate - eight inches in this case, rather then spreading the armor out over a longer casemate with more guns. Combined with working engines and a speed of may be eight knots, this ship would have had some punch to it.

Now, on to the process.
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CSS Texas how to with Google Sketch up.-css-texas.jpg  
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Old 11-01-2010, 02:25 PM
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First open GSU, I am using 7, and you will notice that the human figure and the axis lines are all in perspective. This will not do. Go to the Cammera button up top and click it, then in the drop down you will see that "Perspective" is checked. Click "Parallel Projection" instead. i find this much easier to work in. Then go back to cammera and click on standared views and hit top. Then use the hand button to drag the corner of those axis lines into the corner of your screen, and use the magnifying glass button to back away, giving you plenty of space to work in. Now we are ready to import the picture we are using for the guide.

Go to file, go to "import" and find the file you need. In this case we are using the saved CSS Texas JPG file. MAKE sure that the Use as Image button is pressed, see the red arrow.

next place the picture and drag the edge to make it large. We will scale it in the next step. Your Sketch Up screen should look something like the picture.
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CSS Texas how to with Google Sketch up.-css-texas-1.jpg   CSS Texas how to with Google Sketch up.-css-texas-2.jpg  
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Old 11-01-2010, 03:03 PM
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Next we will scale the drawing so it will be a 1-1 scale in the Google sketch up world. We know that the Texas was a whopping 217 feat in over all length. So using the profile view as a guide, I used the "rotate" button first. I placed the cumpas on the aft of the deck and the pointer on the bow, then rotated the whole thing until the main deck was on the red axis. Then I used the tape masure button and measured the length of the ship. It was like 69 feet long, way small. So I typed in the correct measurement of 217 feet into the box and pressed enter. A box popped up asking me if I wanted to re-size the model. I clicked yes and Bamb! now my main deck measures 217 feet long in the google sketch up world. Cool, hu? now we are ready to start drawing.
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CSS Texas how to with Google Sketch up.-css-texas-3.jpg  
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Old 11-01-2010, 03:40 PM
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OK, now we can draw. Using a combination of the tools in the toolbar I mad a 1/2 plan of the deck. Do not waste time doing the whole on something like this, (as I used to do). It will be quicker and more accurate to copy the half and flip in, the put the two halves together, but that's later. Now for some fun. I use the camera button to view that back side, then the orbit button to tilt the model, finally I use the push pull button to pull up the main deck from the waterline, a free-board of five feet. Then I click on the drawing and it should light it up with a blue outer line. Now I click on "edit" then push hide, to get the drawing out of the way. Then use the camera button to get to the "bottom" view in the "Standard views".

Now using the scale button I pull in the back and sides to fit the angles of the drawing. I leave the front alone as the pow is pretty straight in this drawing. This takes some practice using the scale button, but it is a hand tool. I also use the "front" "back", "left" and "right" buttons in the standard views to help me make it look right. Because the scale button use percents, you can probably do a bunch of math to get the exact angles.
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CSS Texas how to with Google Sketch up.-css-texas-4.jpg   CSS Texas how to with Google Sketch up.-css-texas-5.jpg   CSS Texas how to with Google Sketch up.-css-texas-6.jpg   CSS Texas how to with Google Sketch up.-css-texas-7.jpg  
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Old 11-02-2010, 08:19 AM
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Now by clicking "Top" in the standard views and then clicking "un hide all" in the edit drop down, you will see the model from the top with the drawingas the back ground again. Now we know the casemate is about 8 feet off the deck, so go to "view" and then click on "fase" then click "x-ray". now we can draw our casemate out line on the deck using the back drop. Afte making those outlines turn off the x-ray and go to the back view and orbit the model, slightly. Then you can use the push/pull button to raise the casemate 8 feet up.

Coming next: we will use the compass feature to add the angle of the casemate walls and the real cool "follow me" button to shape those walls. But I need to make a quick run to the doctors first.:o
CT
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CSS Texas how to with Google Sketch up.-css-texas-8.jpg   CSS Texas how to with Google Sketch up.-css-texas-9.jpg  
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Old 11-02-2010, 09:49 AM
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Darn it, now you're going to force me to make the CSS Arkansas. Thanks for the information, keep it coming.
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Old 11-02-2010, 10:58 AM
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Go for it Knife, your talent for coloring will be put to good use on the Arkansas's rust-rail armor.

So the Doctor confirmed that I was in fact still breathing so I guess we can continue. Next we go to the compass tool and place it on the back bottom corner of the casemate. We know that from John Wallis's research the walls of the casemate were set a 35 degree angles, so type in 35 in the box. Then draw a line along the dotted line. Next chose the "follow me" tool. Click on the fase that you just created with your line and then follow the outer top edge of the casemate around and click when you get to the stopping point. Cool! You now have the casemate out line. To double check against the drawing simply use your view buttons to go to "top" and see if all is well. You can see on mine that it easily lines up within a margin of error of the drawing. We have something looking like an ironclad now!:D
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CSS Texas how to with Google Sketch up.-css-texas-10.jpg   CSS Texas how to with Google Sketch up.-css-texas-11.jpg   CSS Texas how to with Google Sketch up.-css-texas-12.jpg   CSS Texas how to with Google Sketch up.-css-texas-13.jpg  
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Old 11-02-2010, 11:27 AM
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CT, Glad you are still breathing. Always good to know that when you leave a doctor's. Thank you for explaining the process you utilize in creating your ironlcads. Looking forward to seeing the whole process.
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Old 11-02-2010, 11:43 AM
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CT, thanks for that tutorial. I am looking forward to the unfolding part, that's where I usually go mad
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Old 11-02-2010, 05:32 PM
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CT,

This is great information. I'm following and look forward to seeing more. I really would like to try my hand at designing models for a change. Thanks.

Jeff
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