Hi Everyone!!!

This is exciting. My first post as Forum host. I really look forward to helping you all as much as I can on the forum

I want to do some topics on SketchUp fairly quickly for you all, so during the coming week or (Weeks) depending on my personal daytime job, I will be getting content together and posting on here for your viewing pleasure. Also, we will be having free SketchUp  classes for OUR MEMBERS and  OUR VISITORS. Hopefully this will get people over here to check the class and in return get a few members from it. I think this is all very exciting.

SketchUp

SketchUp can help take the guess work out of a new project. My goal is to take the guess work out of SketchUp for you.

For those that do not have SketcUp downloaded, you can get it HERE and it's FREE.

GIMP

Another software package that is very useful and FREE as well is Gimp. Gimp is a photo editing tool. I currently use it to turn photo's into scroll saw patterns. You can download Gimp HERE. I foresee live tutorials on this as well. 

With software out of the way, we need to touch on plans. If you find an interesting plan or have a set of plans you designed yourself, don't hesitate, post them up. We all love free plans!! I find my self a "Plan Hoarder" I know I will not build half of the plans I have, but it's like scraps of wood. I never know when I just may need them.  

Here is my first Free plan to offer you as the Forum Host. It's a Desktop Rocking Horse. My son Matthew built this Rocking Horse after watching The WoodWhisperer build a full scale version. I believe you can find the full scale plans over at www.woodmagazine.com/plans . Our version once again is just a tiny desktop version but kids love em! I created these mini plans for Matthew's build. I hope you get a chance to check it out. Desktop Rocking Horse PDF

That's all for today. I hope you enjoy your stay over here on the forum! Be sure to stay tuned and drag some friends over to check out The Patriot Woodworker. 

Kind Regards,

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Michael and Matthew Agate (Newfoundland Canada)

This is wonderful Michael, and it looks like you hit it out of the park with your first post!!!!! We are so looking forward to your tutorials and the Gimp is completely awesome, no expensive Photo Shop needed!

The Rocking Horse is cool. I have the earlier version of Sketchup when it was owned by Google, do you see any advantage keeping it or should I go ahead and download the new version by Trimble? Thank Michael!

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John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker
Proud Supporter of Homes For Our Troops and Wounded Warriors Project

John,

Thanks for the comment. Happy to be posting!

Staying late and great with software is always a plus. I have the newer Trimble version but I haven't noticed any differences between the two. You should be fine with your version for now. If I happen to come across any documentation that states a valid reason at this immediate time to move from Google to Trimble I will add it here. 

The rocking horse was as you may have heard - A way for woodworkers to raise money for "Woodworkers Fighting Cancer" Perhaps in the future we could do something similar but raise the money for our Wounded Warriors. If anyone was to come up with a specific build or idea, I would be more than happy to draw up the plans for distribution. Perhaps we can speak on this more in the future. 

I forgot to mention; another free software package. This one is similar to Adobe Illustrator. It's called InkScape and can be downloaded HERE for free as well

John Morris said:

This is wonderful Michael, and it looks like you hit it out of the park with your first post!!!!! We are so looking forward to your tutorials and the Gimp is completely awesome, no expensive Photo Shop needed!

The Rocking Horse is cool. I have the earlier version of Sketchup when it was owned by Google, do you see any advantage keeping it or should I go ahead and download the new version by Trimble? Thank Michael!

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John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker
Proud Supporter of Homes For Our Troops and Wounded Warriors Project

Michael,

I've been playing around with GIMP for a while now.

I use it to recreate the decal images for my old machines.

A few of the ones I've done are over on the Vintage Machinery website in the WIKI.

Here's a photo that I copied off of an ebay listing.

And here's the badge decal image I created from it.

 

When you print it on clear decal paper, the white areas remain clear allowing the metal badge to show through.

 

Larry

Old Woodworking Machinery Forum Host

Larry,

That is just DEAD ON. What a fantastic use of technology to bring the past back to life. That really is amazing work you do. 

Larry Buskirk said:

Michael,

I've been playing around with GIMP for a while now.

I use it to recreate the decal images for my old machines.

A few of the ones I've done are over on the Vintage Machinery website in the WIKI.

Here's a photo that I copied off of an ebay listing.

And here's the badge decal image I created from it.

 

When you print it on clear decal paper, the white areas remain clear allowing the metal badge to show through.

 

Larry

Old Woodworking Machinery Forum Host

Thanks, Mike!

I think our members will find Gimp every bit as powerful as Photoshop and the price is right, too!!

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Lew Kauffman-
Wood Turners Forum Host

Time traveler. Purveyor of the world's finest custom rolling pins!

Michael,

Another Cool & Free program is Blender, it can be downloaded here.

http://www.blender.org/features-gallery/movies/

Another fine program from the Open Source Code Linux Community.

Larry

Old Woodworking Machinery Forum Host

I would like to encourage our visitors, to join The Patriot Woodworker and show your support for us, Michael has been kind enough to offer the class to all, and it would be good to see folks come aboard and show our appreciation and feedback for the classes he is going to offer in the future.

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John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker
Proud Supporter of Homes For Our Troops and Wounded Warriors Project

Checking this out now!

Larry Buskirk said:

Michael,

Another Cool & Free program is Blender, it can be downloaded here.

http://www.blender.org/features-gallery/movies/

Another fine program from the Open Source Code Linux Community.

Larry

Old Woodworking Machinery Forum Host