SketchUp SCALE TOOL TIP – Set Distances with the Scale Tool
In today’s video, we’re going to check out on the functions of the SketchUp scale tool that usually gets overlooked – the ability to scale to a distance!
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Generally speaking, I think a lot of people believe that the scale tool only works to scale objects based on a ratio or a percentage.
So for example, they think that they can only take an object, activate the scale tool, and cut or grow the size of the object by a percentage, like 50%.
However, the scale tool actually allows you to scale to distances as well. The way it works is fairly simple – select your object, then activate the scale tool. Single click on one of the green grips, then type a length value and hit the enter key. This will scale the distance between whatever grip you had selected and the opposite grip to the distance you typed in.
So for example, if I had a 4’ x 4’ box, and I scaled it across the center so the length would be 2’, I’d then have a 2’ x 4’ box. This also works for 3D shapes in the same way.
Now one of the things I really like to do with the scale tool is to scale uniformly so I don’t mess up the proportions of my geometry. At first glance, it doesn’t appear that the scale tool will allow this, because you have to hold the control key in order to keep uniform scaling activated. However, actually, what you can do is activate the scale tool, single click on a grip, then hold the shift key and click again. This will adjust your object, but then you can type in a value after the fact to uniformly scale your object based on the grips you had previously selected.
Like all the tips I teach on this channel, there’s a time and a place for it. A lot of the time, I prefer to use the move tool to make changes like this, but this is a great trick to have in your toolbox as well.
About Justin Geis
Hi, I'm Justin Geis, and I'm the founder of The SketchUp Essentials. I started using SketchUp as part of my work as a general contractor in 2008. I quickly realized the power of the software and started using it for personal projects. I started The SketchUp Essentials as a place to share easy to follow SketchUp tutorials and tips to help everyone harness the power of 3D Modeling in their lives. When not working with SketchUp, I enjoy playing soccer and spending time with my wife and our two dogs.
