I'm debating whether to model the collar as shown. It does make the fitting more realistic but it does add some volume to the overall solid, which may affect my volume calcs if needed. I suppose I could figure out a clever way to calculate this out of the volume if it ever becomes an issue.



Thoughts?

Here is the start of the "boot" library:

4", 5", 6", 7", 8"

The naming convention is:

BOOT90_4X10X6_2

The last number indicates the vertical rise of the register box.



I think I have a enough now to start testing the component insertion logic.

Wow!  Thanks Erik

Thanks!  It was so much fun to be there!

The same duct assembly switched to round and oval profiles:





I don't really see any other duct profiles being used than these three (Round, Rectangular, Oval).

In the next week I will be adding the "Edit Segment" and "Edit Node" menus/tools. Once those are complete I will need some beta testers to provide feedback and feature suggestions. If you are interested and can provide high quality feedback then I would be willing to issue you a license. Please be aware that this plugin is in no way ready for a production environment. I still need to clean up the global settings (borrowed from the Floor plugin) and a number of tools are still needing to be added.

Please email me (nathan@medeek.com) if you are interested. I probably will only issue about 10 licenses for BETA testers, I don't want too many voices at this point. My preference is that you are familiar with HVAC and you do some of this modeling within SketchUp.

First look at the main assembly edit menu:



It seems like these menus always start off simple but then get overloaded with parameters. I will do my best to keep it simple but feature requests will ultimately dictate what form it evolves to.

Rectangular duct appears to be working as far as corners that "bend". I've still need to add in round and oval ducting, both of which should not be too much more difficult than square or rectangular ducting.

A few more editing tools to add (ie. segments, nodes, edge editing etc...). My youngest soon suggested that I also include a copy or eye drop tool similar to what is in the Wall plugin. I think this makes sense since it will be quite tedious to edit a bunch of segments or nodes and have to update them all separately.

I think it might also be useful to create a tool(s)which allows one to join or split an assembly into different assemblies.

After that I need to start adding in options for the nodes (ie. registers, boots, transitions etc...)

When creating a new duct assembly from a bunch of edges currently one has to select each edge by clicking on it. I think it need to update the tool so that one can drag a window and select the edges this way if desired. I've actually never programmed a "window selector" in any of my tools thus far so that should be interesting and maybe a little challenging.

Awesome that you recorded this, Erik - chainsaw carving is so satisfying to watch. Thanks for posting!

Gated communities tend to be hostile to small houses and tend to have onerous covenants, I looked at quite a few and none of them would accommodate a countryplans DIY kind of scenario, so read carefully the title search discovery documents.  If you are building yourself it will be incredible difficult to get loans for construction. 

If finances are tight consider someplace with no utilities in bum****landia, with no HOA or covenants, and loose build regulations. Haul water, and build shed and slowly establish infrastructure as money comes in.

In many cases when you introduce a stairwell opening into  a floor like this it will be along the perimeter of the floor assembly as shown.  In these cases it is simpler to create your floor perimeter with the opening in mind:







Note, in order to create the additional gable truss (2x6 ply) I first changed my ply width to 5.5" then copied the gable truss at the interior of the stair well, then pasted it in place in the root of the model and then edited the floor assembly back to the typical 3.5" ply width.  Alternatively one could simply frame this small pony wall with the Wall plugin (ie. conventional framing) just as easily.

I'm not exactly sure how the trusses would work where the LVL beam/header is positioned at the start of the stairwell, obviously we would need some kind of header at that location.

Here is a link to the model for those who are interested in examining this floor truss example in more detail:

https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/embed/62200e55-7a11-4b43-bdac-4d00119d4f01?token=4RdrisG1fJM=&binaryName=s21

Version 1.0.8 - 06.08.2025
- Updated the SUBTRACT and SUBTRACT_JOIST features so that they can better handle MPC wood trusses, steel trusses and open web "Redbuilt" trusses.
- Updated the Floor Opening module so that it can handle MPC wood trusses, steel trusses and open web "Redbuilt" trusses.
- Added a "None" option for the header type in the draw and edit menus for floor openings.