The distance between your object and the base line is mirrored when the object is bent onto the target curve. For precise alignment, place the base line exactly on one of the object's edges. Where to Download
Shape Bender only works cleanly on geometry that is fundamentally linear . If your object has internal curves or complex faces that rely on absolute angles (like a gear), bending it will introduce shearing. plugin sketchup shape bender
: Make sure the object you want to bend is a Group or Component . Place it so its length runs along the Red Axis . The distance between your object and the base
The plugin's name was modest — Shape Bender — but its promise was incandescent: take any straight geometry and coax it smoothly along a curve. It sounded simple. In practice, it turned evenings into little acts of ritual and discovery. Evan's first experiment was humble: a bookshelf side panel that needed a graceful sweep. He drew a rectangle in SketchUp, modeled a simple spline above it, invoked Shape Bender, and watched as the rectangle melted into the curve, its faces stretching and folding like fabric over ribs. The plugin preserved edges and textures, and for the first time he could preview deformation without fear of ruining topology. If your object has internal curves or complex
In the physical world, bending wood or metal is a natural process. In the digital world of SketchUp, bending a 3D object usually involves a complex dance of the Rotate tool, copying arrays, and a lot of manual cleanup. The result is often a jagged, unrealistic mess that kills your workflow momentum.