How Do You Make a Hollow Circle in SketchUp?

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Are you looking to create a hollow circle in SketchUp? You’ve come to the right place!

In this tutorial, we will guide you through the steps to make a perfect hollow circle in SketchUp. Let’s get started!

Step 1: Drawing the Circle

To begin, open SketchUp and select the Circle tool from the toolbar. Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut “C” to activate the Circle tool.

Tip: Press and hold the Shift key while drawing to ensure that your circle is perfectly round.

Step 2: Specifying the Radius

Click once on the workspace to specify the center point of your circle. Then, move your cursor away from the center and click again to set the radius. You can also type in a specific radius value if desired.

Note:

  • If you want a larger hollow circle, increase the radius value.
  • If you prefer a smaller hollow circle, decrease the radius value.

Step 3: Creating Inner and Outer Circles

In this step, we will create two circles – one for the outer boundary and another for the inner boundary of our hollow circle.

  1. Create a second circle with a smaller radius inside your original circle by repeating Step 1 and Step 2.
  2. Ensure that both circles are concentric (share the same center point).

Note:

The difference between these two circles’ radii determines how thick or thin your hollow circle will be. Experiment with different values until you achieve the desired thickness.

Step 4: Connecting the Circles

Now that we have our inner and outer circles, it’s time to connect them to create a hollow circle.

  1. Select the Line tool from the toolbar or press the “L” key on your keyboard to activate it.
  2. Click on one point of your outer circle and then click on the corresponding point on your inner circle to draw a line segment connecting them.
  3. Repeat this process until you have connected all the points around both circles.

Note:

If you want a smoother appearance, consider using the Arc tool instead of straight lines to connect the circles. This will give your hollow circle a more polished look.

Step 5: Erasing Unnecessary Lines

At this stage, you may notice that some lines are overlapping or extending beyond our intended shape. Let’s clean up our drawing by erasing these unnecessary lines.

  1. Select the Eraser tool from the toolbar or press the “E” key on your keyboard to activate it.
  2. Click on any unwanted lines or segments to remove them from your drawing.

Note:

You may need to zoom in or rotate your view for better precision while erasing unwanted lines. Use SketchUp’s navigation tools for better control over your workspace (e.g., Zoom, Pan, and Orbit).

Congratulations!

You have successfully created a hollow circle in SketchUp! Now you can use this technique in your projects to add depth and visual interest. Feel free to experiment with different sizes and proportions to achieve the desired effect.

Remember, SketchUp offers a wide range of tools and features to unleash your creativity. Don’t hesitate to explore and discover new ways to enhance your designs. Happy Sketching!