Modeling a Complex Structure - Google SketchUp Workshop: Modeling, Visualizing, and Illustrating - page 210

Stage 5: Extruding the First Girder
Objective : To create the 3D form of the first girder.
Data : Model obtained in the previous stage.
Tool : SketchUp Pro.
Next, a suitable girder cross section was chosen from the Components
library (Components palette > Construction > Steel Cross-Sections > Wide
Flange). It was positioned using the Move and the Rotate tools. One prob-
lem is that components align themselves either to the principal axes or
to the geometry of the model, which can often mean that once they are
placed they lie “flat on their back.” Luckily, since version 6, you can define
an axis of rotation simply by clicking and dragging between two points
with the Rotate tool. This makes rotation of off-axis groups or components
much easier.
Once the girder profile was in the correct position in relation to the path, the
Follow Me tool was used to extrude it along the path. And there you go. Now
the girder just needed to be grouped and named.
FiG 12.5 The girder profile in situ: The girder is created with the Follow Me tool.
Tip
When performing an extrusion, it is best to select the path first, select
the Follow Me tool, and then select the profile. The extrusion will then
complete automatically, without the need to drag the profile along the
path. Doing it this way avoids many of the problems of the Follow Me
tool, such as badly formed extrusions and faceted faces. It is best to make
sure that the end of your path is not touching any points or edges of the
profile: If the end point of the path is impinging on a face, the path can
be selected independently of the profile by double- or triple-clicking on
it (if only we could use groups or components as profiles for the Follow
Me tool!)