Sharing my own 'sketchup' specifically made for woodworking [0] for like-minded folks. Instead of extruding rectangles you use carpentry tools on dimensional lumber from a materials library.

You can set up a digital twin of your actual workshop, with config-driven models of table/band/miter/hand saws, router tables, drill press, chisels and rasps, all sorts of fun.

I recently added a jig system too, so you can build jigs that you can actually use, both in your shop and in the tool. It's all drivable by a human or an MCP, and has video and plan authoring and sharing built in.

I've been building this as a labor of love since getting laid off in April, it's all completely free to use and people have made some really damn cool plans with it.

[0] https://sawdust.diy

I've been working on addressing a similar need, but for CNC machines and from a very different perspective and UI approach --- small, specialized tools which allow making one thing/doing one task:

- Flatten aboard: https://studio.flet.dev/run/46tp8GPq9g/

- Make rabbeted box w/ optional sliding lid: https://community.carbide3d.com/t/rabbet-box-designer-on-fle... (working on a hinged option now)

drawing on what I learned putting together: https://github.com/WillAdams/gcodepreview and https://willadams.gitbook.io/design-into-3d

This looks really cool, and the box you made looks great! I like the look of bamboo end grain, personally.

Sawdust has support for laser cutters [0] and has procedures for generating finger joint boxes, with svg export. It can also do more advanced forms via mcp, like this arcade cabinet design [1]. G-code is high on my to-do list because LightWorks isn't getting updates on linux any more would be great to send a design straight to my diode machine.

Sawdust also has support for 3d printing, both for including printable components in designs as well as printing scale models of your build [2]. No slicing built in, but full .step output for any slicer you like, with build volume aware scaling so you can print it on your machine.

[0] https://sawdust.diy/knowledge-base/how-to-use-the-laser-work...

[1] https://sawdust.diy/whats-new/laser-fabrication-enclosures-a...

[2] https://sawdust.diy/whats-new/woodworking-models-can-be-expo...

Ages ago, a fine cabinet-maker I used to hang out with (he was my great aunt's bridge partner's husband) told me, "End grain is like a belly button, you know everyone has one, but unless it's someone special, you don't want to see it." --- agree that bamboo does change that calculus a bit, and I've always wondered what he would have thought of a bamboo box with cigarette and lighter and ash tray integrated into it which was made of short little segments of bamboo glued together (but never remembered to arrange for him to see it).

wow, nice!!

I signed up inside a minute of opening it :)

Very cool. And I am working on some wood projects in the garage at the moment…

If you ever have/get any, a photo of any of the things on your site, actually built, would be a cool addition—make it real.

I work on a similar tool and felt the need to prove the engine myself, check out https://shopspec.io/gallery

I have a few projects that are in progress while continuing to build out ShopSpec. This is so that I can address any rough edges as they come up. For instance, material handling and safety during sheet breakdown.

I'm building a tortoise table next weekend for our new sulcata hatchling, and am planning on making a youtube video showing the whole process, warts and all. Should be fun!

If you go to the plans section in the 'my shop' tab [0] and click a plan, e.g. this Pinocchio puppet [1] that someone requested via the public feature/plan request board, you can upload photos of anything you build and share a comment about how it went. Credit where due, I modeled this on Instructables and Thingiverse and similar project sharing sites. I for one cannot wait to see some pics of what people build!

[0] https://sawdust.diy/myshop

[1] https://sawdust.diy/plans/8088707d-db0a-4d2a-a73a-686f2c5e2c...

Awesome. I’m not into wood working as a hobby but I do have a bunch of different tools including a few different saws; I will be checking this out! Looks awesome and I love your attitude about it being a labor of love…… the best products out there that isn’t jammed down everyone’s throats!

[delayed]

Thank you, the feedback is much appreciated!

I'm embarrassed that "drag to orbit. The page scrolls past." has escaped my notice til now, yikes. I have an entire skill [0] devoted to eliminating this kind of ui slop, sadly it missed this one.

The landing page is very old at this point and definitely needs a freshen-up. The exploded view feature was built before fastener support, so you are absolutely right about that. Sawdust already can do much better, here's the same Sawhorse project's guide [1], take a look at the video there to see the fasteners driven in with respect for actual physical collisions :)

If you do try the product out you can easily submit feedback through the MCP or via the ui chat, I get paged for every feature request and love working on things users actually want. Would highly value any additional feedback.

[0] https://gist.githubusercontent.com/birep/bb865b2799d3f86d55f...

[1] https://sawdust.diy/share/882f2473-d283-46d0-8f38-7b289253d6...

I’ve just built a kitchen that was 100% modelled in Sketchup 2017 - the free forever (AAUI?) version still available in a few places. The Mac version I use occasionally crashes, but otherwise it’s perfectly usable.

Until you upgrade to a new Mac which doesn't have the Intel chip which that version is compiled for and which lacks Rosetta.

I'm running it well on an M1. I thought all Apple Silicon Macs can download/use Rosetta currently?

Rosetta is going away in the current or next Mac OS version:

https://developer.apple.com/news/?id=w5ngl9k2