When You SHOULD (and Shouldn't) "Cut opening" with SketchUp Components

[@hinesmaine]

So just worked while I rewatched your video. So one thing I figured out is if you need to cut through a thick wall, you have to do three steps. Place the cutting component, then intersect with model, and then clean up knock outs. It took a couple of tries then no problem.
Thanks for the awesome tricks

[@AndrewCoakley]

This is a very helpful tutorial - I've played with cutting components before, but hadn't appreciated their limitations. I thought I was doing something wrong when the ones I created weren't cutting through two faces! Thanks for putting this together - really well paced.

[@SketchUp]

Great to hear it was helpful, thanks!

[@JY-co1hc]

Frustrating that I can't take a built window component, making it "cutting", and slide it around on a wall with thickness. Downloaded a manufacturer's window model and couldn't figure out how to make it a cutting component. Appreciate the video as it helps explain the limitations.

[@Randor10]

I have never really tried cutting components. I’ve usually just ensured the object was solid and the cut things up that way. Your examples were great and I’ll be sure to try them at my next opportunity. Thanks.

[@RandomMooseHunter]

I was ABSOLUTELY unaware of this. A great idea that would rock all the way if it could cut through volumes. But I see some usecases for it anyway...

[@linoradi1]

i cant believe my school didnt teach us such simple things! this would've helped me save sooo much time!

[@kylemacht]

I use flextools all the time which cut multiple surfaces, which can be really helpful when I have multiple parts of a wall, say one that is new and one existing, but want the window to cut through both. That said, if the surface that is cutting through is broken, meaning two materials around the window, it won't recut once the window is moved. So it can get finicky.

[@bootlegcopy4414]

There's something I wish I had known before. Is there a way to do it with a component you've already made?

[@keggyification]

Thanks Tyson, Very useful info

[@foamheart]

Regarding cutting walls with thickness: Can you have a non-cutting window component with two cutting components, one for the outer surface, one for the inner?

[@SketchUp]

You can have 2 cutting components, one on each side of a wall, but they'll need to remain separate components, if you combine or nest them, it will break the cutting behavior. I do sometimes use cutting components this way, - separate cutting comps, it's just something you have to keep in mind if you need to make changes. It's fun to experiment though on finding a method that works for you.

[@josefestrada5202]

Hi Tyson, Very helpful videos thank you,

[@ergouzi-qi7xz]

Thank you

[@Modelado-3D]

I can't understand how he managed to cut the wall! I've watched the video several times, but I can't understand how he did it! (05:37)
It's a Sketchup 2023 new feature? (because I'm using 2020.0.363)

[@johnwehby_las6191]

Hey Tyson, great to see you! Very thorough overview of cutting components in SketchUp. I love them. I like using SuperGlue by thomthom for cutting components that should be cutting but aren't. I noticed at 6:09 (th-cam.com/video/vxaacnYvra4/w-d-xo.html) when you were trying to bundle 2 of your windows into a parent component, that "Replace selection with component" was unchecked. it was automatically checked all the other times. Maybe that was SketchUp telling us the operation would break the cutting behavior? Great video!

[@SketchUp]

Thanks John! Great suggestion on using SuperGlue. I'm pretty sure that the reason "replace with comp" was unchecked is because I was trying to create a component that would break the behavior of the existing comps, I could check it, but again, pretty sure it will still break the gluing and cutting attributes. Nice catch though!

[@bellousow2607]

Crazy stuff