How Do You Cut Two Sections in SketchUp?

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Welcome to this tutorial on how to cut two sections in SketchUp! Whether you’re new to SketchUp or an experienced user, knowing how to cut multiple sections can greatly enhance your 3D modeling skills. In this article, we will guide you through the process step by step, so let’s get started!

Step 1: Selecting the Sections

The first step is to select the sections you want to cut. To do this, follow these steps:

  1. Click on the “Section Plane” tool in the toolbar.
  2. Move your cursor to where you want the first section plane and click once.
  3. Drag your cursor to adjust the size and orientation of the section plane.
  4. Click again to set the first section plane.
  5. Repeat these steps to create a second section plane.

Step 2: Cutting the Sections

Now that we have our two section planes set up, it’s time to cut through our model. Follow these instructions:

  1. Select one of the section planes by clicking on it.
  2. Navigate to the “Tools” menu and choose “Section Plane”.
  3. Select “Create Group from Slice” from the drop-down menu.
  4. Name your group and click “Create”. This will generate a new group containing only what is visible within that section plane.

  5. Select the second section plane using the same method as before.
  6. Repeat steps 2-4 to create another group from the second section plane.

Step 3: Viewing the Sections

Now that we have our two sections cut, let’s learn how to view them:

  1. Navigate to the “Window” menu and choose “Components”.
  2. Select the first section group you created from the dropdown list in the “Components” window.
  3. Click on the “In Model” tab to see all components within your model.
  4. Select and drag the desired component into your workspace to view it in detail.

  5. Select the second section group from the “Components” window, and repeat steps 3-4 to view its contents.

Tips and Tricks:

To make your experience with cutting sections in SketchUp even better, here are some additional tips:

  • To hide or unhide a section plane, right-click on it and choose “Hide” or “Unhide”. This can be helpful when working with complex models.

  • You can also adjust the display of your section cuts by going to “View” > “Edge Style” > “Section Cuts”.

    Here, you can change colors and line styles for better visualization.

  • If you want to edit a section cut, simply double-click on the section plane. This will activate the editing mode, allowing you to modify its size and position.

With these techniques and a bit of practice, you can easily cut multiple sections in SketchUp and take your 3D modeling skills to the next level. Happy modeling!