Google Sketchup users - I need some help!

Hello

At my work, I can have a few things made with a milling machine.
And since I love home made quality stuff, I thought I could save a buck or 2 as well.
Planning to make me a tripod for my200 2.8. Now this will of course be a cheap replica of the original mount.
The material I'm going to use is still open for debate. But I'm considering aluminium and some sort of industrial plastic (Don't know the precise english word).
The plastic would go around the lense and the alu would be the feet.
Hoping to make the feet(s) like a arc, perforated with holes.

Now, I could spend several days with google skecthup, but I really dont get that program at all. So if anyone could help getting me started, I would be very grateful.

The model does not have to be made with sketchup, but I prefer to have a file I could import using sketchup. So I can bring it to work and show it of to the poor man thats going to make it.
Sure, if this can be made, I can take orders as well.
Anyone?

Made something that could like the foot arcs on the mount.
Download it from here

Again, I have no idea what I'm doing here.

Okay. Seems I'm on my own so far.
Prototype part II

Can't help with that, but good luck! FYI, 40 years ago a guy names C. J. Marchioni made the Tiltall. Info:
https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?p=2420239
https://photography-on-the.net …hp?p=2420266&po​stcount=47
https://photography-on-the.net …hp?p=2422265&po​stcount=50

your design looks a bit flimsy:P how about trying to replicate the canon version a bit better... here's an idea -

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Ah, great!
Now we are making some progress. Maybe I was a bit unclear with the foot.
I'm going to try and make the foot like 2 arcs from the ring, down to the main plate. Instead of a big chunk of alu. Just to save some weight. Is this possible?
If not, I can work from this. The shop does not open until Monday, so I have the weekend to gather more samples if this is interesting for the rest of you.

Grimnar wrote in post #2496366
I'm going to try and make the foot like 2 arcs from the ring, down to the main plate. Instead of a big chunk of alu. Just to save some weight. Is this possible?
If not, I can work from this. The shop does not open until Monday, so I have the weekend to gather more samples if this is interesting for the rest of you.

from a design point of view, yes it could be interesting, but do you have any idea how much aluminium weighs?! not much at all, a block of it the size of the foot really will be very lightweight. if you're thinking of making the two arcs then joining them to a bottom plate, bear in mind how difficult aluminium is to join, i think it would be easier to mill it out of one block.

Yeah, I'm aware of that. But it would make the mount "mine". And not a direct replica. Which would kinda nice. I'm thinking about milling to paralel tracks in the foot plate for easy joining. And maybe to the same thing on the top plate. I don't know if the shop has any cnc machine available but that would really make the production a lot easier. But I doubt it. Thanks for the input