Sketchup: Trying to print plans to transfer to DTFB - scale issues

[leighb2282]

Hey folks, apologies if this is in the wrong location, I designed some parts I want to print out to transfer to DTFB but I can't seem to get the scaling correct either in printing (turns out tiny) or exporting to pdf (turns out HUGE).

I used the Construction Documentation - Millimeters template and designed a part that is less than the size of a piece of letter sized paper (the part is 206mm x 240mm) but it seems to print out a quarter of the size it should be when just plain printing and 4 or 5 times the size when exporting to PDF.

is there some sort of voodoo magic that needs to happen (or more than likely is there something silly i'm doing wrong) that is causing this? I would love to start making my own designs and such but I seem to not be able to print them out.

Thanks!

~Leigh

 

[TEAJR66]

I can lay out how I do it step by step. Then you can compare to your process. I use Cute PDF to make my PDF files.

1. Make sure you are looking at it squarely. I like to put it flat on the ground then select top view.
2. Go to camera and zoom extents.
3. Here is the tricky part. Under the file, select print setup.
4. Cute PDF shows up as a printer to choose in the drop down box for the name of your printer. Select Cute PDF as the printer.
5. Open properties and select advance.
6. Under the drop down for paper size select PostScript Custom Page Size. I also drop the print quality to 300dpi (just to save ink).
7. Set your height and width about 10" larger than your parts to print and select all the ok's till you are back to just Sketchup.
8. Under file go to print preview. select use model extents and look at the box that says Tiled Sheet Print Range. With all selected you should see from: 1 to : 1. If it is not 1 to 1 go back to print setup and adjust the postScript page size till the print preview says 1 to 1.
9. Once you have the size set, check preview and it should be on one sheet. Then print to the Cute PDf printer.
10. Now it is just going to write a file, give it a name and you save it where you want.
11. Now you open your PDF and under edit select take a snapshot.
12. frame your part as tight as possible with the snapshot tool (there will be a large white margin around your parts and the PDF will print all that blank space), this will make it print on as few sheets as possible (if it is bigger than your printer paper).
13. With your parts framed and highlighted, right click and select print.
14. Print to your printer with the page size and handling set to poster and 100%.
15. When that prints, it will be actual size.

Hopefully, I did not lose or confuse. Let me know if you have any other questions.

CutePDF is free on line here

http://www.cutepdf.com/

Just choose the free one.

 

[TEAJR66]

The above is my preferred method.

You can print direct from Sketchup. But even the smallest parts will rarely fit on one sheet of standard (A4 or either 8.5x11) printer paper.

sketchup likes to generate a 5" margin. So what generally would fit on one page gets tiled into 4 pages. You can still print to scale as long as you select model extents and scale 1 to 1. It will just be tiled automatically.

Printing to PDF allows you to select a wider range of printing options. Plus the PDF can be shared easier.

 

[suvansh]

Are you using SketchUp Pro?
Make sure the camera is at the parallel projection and resize the sketchup window as all the things print which can be seen on the window..
and if its the pro version then go to the file then export and then 2d graphic, select the place where you want to save the PDF, make sure that the export type is PDF File and then go to options... There in the drawing size check full scale(1:1)
unckeck the show profile
check the extend edges and match screen display and also always prompt for hidden line options and then OK.

 

[leighb2282]

Both of you are Awesome! helped me out greatly and I finally got my PDFs ready to print! time to make some foamies!

Thanks again!