Handout - 1767 - MI1767 Weekend Warrior Autodesk Revit Recreational Revit For The Craftsman

Weekend Warrior Autodesk Revit, Recreational Revit
for the Craftsman
Ken Murphy – Thornton Tomasetti
MI1767
Autodesk Revit building design software is an extremely capable modeler for different disciplines, but
using it for modeling simpler items such as furniture, toys, dollhouses, decks, and more can be a very
rewarding experience. This class demonstrates the use of Revit on a smaller scale to create drawings,
quantity takeoffs, renders, and cut sheets for home projects. Real-world examples are shown from
conception to fabrication. As the BIM director working at a firm with over 800 employees, there is always
a challenging project underway that requires in-depth planning, technological innovation, and complex
workflows. After this work is done, it is a pleasure to kick back and use Revit to model something fun!
This class focuses on using Revit to create models for the weekend warrior who is not afraid to build,
create, and fabricate items at home.
Learning Objectives
At the end of this class, you will be able to:
 Create practical models for building items
 Generate a simple template and family content for craftsman work
 Create renders and model options for “approval”
 Generate cut sheets and other documentation to help fabricate
About the Speaker

Ken has a wide range of experience with many facets of BIM and CAD in relation to
technology, processes, and hands-on support. Ken has presented to many different firms, and
provided training and support to large organizations with multiple locations. Currently, Ken is
the BIM Director for Thornton Tomasetti Inc, a multi-service Engineering firm headquartered in
New York. Ken began using Revit Structure in 2005 and has implemented it on many large BIM
projects internationally.
MI1767: Weekend Warrior Autodesk Revit, Recreational Revit for the Craftsman
1. Introduction………………………………………………………………… 03
2. Disclaimer:…………………………………………………………………… 03
3. Using Revit to model your project………………………………………… 04
4. Concept for creating practical models for building items………….. …… 05
5. Modeling methods for custom objects in Revit…………………………. 08
6. Using Reference Planes…………………………………………………... 16
7. Using Displaced Views to create exploded 3D isometrics……………. 18
8. Placing Dimensions & Text in a 3D view………………………………… 25
9. A little note on Level of Detail……………………………………………. 28
10. Using Groups in Your Model…………………………………………….. 31
11. Generating a simple Revit template for craftsman work……………… 33
12. Creating useful Families for your Projects……………………………... 35
13. Creating renders …………………………………………………………. 40
14. Generate cut sheets and other documentation to help fabricate…….. 46
2
1. Introduction:
After a long week working as a BIM Director for a large Structural Engineering firm, it is a really nice
change of pace to work on “Weekend Warrior” projects for fun at home. Using Revit and some associated
tools, it is possible to apply some of the same workflows in creating small scale projects such as some of
the woodworking examples shown in this class. The intent of this class is to show the application of Revit
for use in fun home based projects that can be accomplished over a weekend. This session will not cover
anything related to Standards, BIM Execution Plans or other non-work subjects 
2. Disclaimer:
I am not a trained/qualified woodworker or other craftsman, but hopefully the ideas and workflows
presented here will spark other ways of doing similar things for you.
3
3. Using Revit to model your project:

Autodesk Revit software is an extremely capable modeler for different disciplines, but using it for
modeling simpler items such as furniture, toys, dollhouses, decks, and more can be a very rewarding
experience. This handout will cover many Revit specifics that will aid in creating the models that you need
to use to build your Weekend Warrior project.
Part of the logic for using Revit for these types of applications are the following criteria that apply in my
personal setup:
- Work area and bench space is very limited.

- Very limited number of tools, no large bench tools or machines.
- No dust extraction system.
- No large stock of lumber and fasteners, usually buy as needed.
With the above in mind, planning out the project in Revit can provide the following major benefits:
- Make the most efficient use of materials possible, very little waste.
- From printed drawings, perform cuts etc. very quickly saving time.
- Quantities from the model will inform what to purchase in advance.
- Avoids issues by virtually constructing the piece first.
- It’s fun if you’re into this kind of thing!
Oops! That should be

a shorter screw.
4
4. Concept for creating practical models for building items:
The example below shows the concept/workflow for creating the model and drawings for a wooden bench
with storage for four baskets purchased off the shelf. The entire size of the bench was modeled around
fitting these baskets underneath it. Here are the steps involved in setting this up.
Concept or workflow for creating your model:
 Have an idea, figure out what you are going to make and sketch it down on paper and make
quick decisions about size etc.
Sketching out the idea on paper

can be a very quick exercise to
see what the design is going to
look like.
 Next start your model in Revit laying out the key geometry and dimensions.
Since Revit 2014, “Displaced Views”

have been introduced as a feature.
See the instructions on how to do this
on page 6..
 Create drawings, 3D views, Renders, material takeoffs or exploded views.
Many views can be shown on a

single sheet providing a very
understandable picture to the
“client”
Renders can be created to

match the intended location.
5
 Once your Revit model is complete, print some cut sheets.
 Now go build it using your own shop drawings and cut sheets.
Biscuit joined top and

bottom for this bench.
Strength requirements
exceeded.
Top priority for project

satisfied ; four baskets for
toys fit inside the bench 
Client is happy!
6
I have used the same process many times as above on very small to relatively larger size projects. See
some of the examples here that will also be covered in more detail later in this handout:
7
5. Modeling methods for custom objects in Revit:
Most of the objects created in craftsman style Revit are custom pieces and the use of “In-Place” families
can be very useful due to the flexible nature of this type of family. However there are pros and cons
associated with using loaded/external families versus in-place families. Here are some of the issues that
arise when using in-place families.
 Cannot easily copy/paste/mirror etc. due to reference plane association.

 Scheduling in-place families is not as flexible, especially if many objects are contained within the
same family.
 Openings and other modify tools may not behave the same way with in-place families.
 Instantiation of in-place families is not recommended, updating one instance will not update all
others. A solution to this is to use the Group command where possible to instantiate duplicates.
Face based
External Family
for Roof Shingles
Face based
External Family
for Windows
In-Place Family
for Base and
Walls
Face based
external Family
for Door
8
Here are some In-Place Family examples:
Simple shelf piece with notches
 From the Revit ribbon, use the “Component” tool to create a new “In-Place” family.
 Next choose the category that applies to your object, in this case “Furniture” was chosen, and
give the In-Place family a name.
 Next start creating the geometry that the part will consist of. Using simple commands such as
Extrusion, Blend, Sweep etc. are the easiest ways to create these parts.
9
 Note that if you want a hole to fully penetrate the extrusion, it is quicker to edit the Extrusion
sketch and place the hole there by sketching a circle. For example if you want a partial void to
represent a countersink hole, it is better to create the Void Extrusion.
 To create a void extrusion to partially cut the part, first finish the model for the extrusion. Then
create a “Void Extrusion” from the “Create” panel of the ribbon.
10
 Next define the shape of the sketch and depth of the void, you can modify the extents of the void
extrusion in an elevation or 3D view using the grips when selected.
Sketching tools for the extrusions
are very flexible allowing many
shapes, and the ability to “pick”
lines.
 You can also accurately define the depth of the extrusion in its properties.
Extrusion depth can be set here

with values for the start and end.
You can define a negative Start
value if you want to offset it from a
base plane.
 The Void Extrusion will automatically cut existing extrusions in the family, and the actual
extrusion can be copied to other locations in the family.
 At this point you can also define the material for the extrusion solid to give it a more realistic look
when rendered or shaded in the Revit model.
11
 Once the geometry for the part has been completed in the in-place family, it is now time to
load it into the Revit model. Simply click the “Finish Model” button to complete the part. If you
need to edit the part again, select it and click on “Edit in Place” button from the Ribbon.
More complex example, side panel with routed edges:

 From the Revit ribbon, use the “Component” tool to create a new “In-Place” family and choose
the Category.
 Next create the extrusion that you need to represent the overall shape of the part.
This is a side panel for toy storage bench.

12
 Next finish the sketch and view the part in 3D to verify that it looks correct.
 Now if you would like to create a profile around the part that represents “routing” the edges you
can do so by creating a “Void Sweep” along the edges.
 From the Create tab, choose the “Void Sweep” tool and start creating a path for the sweep. You
can sketch the outline or use the “Pick 3D Lines” tool. (Please note that the path can contain
only one loop of lines)
13
 After the path is successfully drawn, click “Finish Path” and now create the profile for the void
sweep. At the midpoint of the path a plane is created perpendicularly, this is where you can
sketch any shape profile for the sweep. (Keep in mind router bits!)
Once the profile is in the correct position, click the finish button, and also finish the Void Sweep.
It should end up “virtually routing” the piece.
 Next make sure to use the “Cut” tool to cut the solid panel with the newly created void sweep.
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 Next complete the same process to apply the same effect to the other edges if needed.
The above methods along with some of the other form creation tools can be used to create virtually any
shape. This applies particularly well for woodworking as generally these simple projects do not contain
very complex surfaces or shapes.
Below is an example of what not to do with in-place families for modeling. This object is entirely modeled
in the same family, which prevents any ability to itemize or edit different parts of the piece. It also makes it
impossible to quantify discretized parts within the in-place family:
15
6. Using Reference Planes:

When modeling at smaller scales instead of using full blown floor levels as reference datums, Reference
Planes are your friend in this area. You can create reference planes at any angle and also name them for
use as a hosting plane. No need for complex Grid or Level setups such as seen in larger production Revit
models:
Naming Reference Planes in their properties, enables the ability to use them as datums for hosting
objects or setting the current work plane from this dialog:
From the Architecture ribbon, “Ref Plane” is

the tool to draw reference planes
You can draw Reference Planes in any plan, section or elevation in Revit. From the properties, you can
enter a name so that it will appear in the list of work planes available. (If no name is input, the reference
plane will not appear in any hosting lists)
16
Now that the Reference Plane is named, it can set as the current Work Plane for modeling. This can be
very useful in 3D views where you need precise control of the current plane.
EQ – EQ – EQ – EQ
You can use Reference Planes to layout geometry quite simply.
 Draw as many Reference Planes as you need at intervals, then lay a dimension string between
all the planes.
 Next with the dimensions string selected, you can toggle the ‘EQ’ parameter which will constrain
the planes equidistant from each other. (You could call this the equivalent of the AutoCAD
“DIVIDE” command since there is no similar command in Revit)
17
7. Using Displaced Views to create Exploded 3D isometrics:
Since Revit 2014 was released, Displaced Views were introduced as a feature to easily create
parametric exploded views of 3D information from the model. In the case of creating models for
woodworking assembly etc., this is a very useful feature which was very difficult to achieve previously.
While the objects in the view are moved (displaced) the actual model geometry is not affected. See the
following steps for how to successfully use Displaced Views in your Revit model:
1. In your Revit model create a new 3D View from the View tab on the ribbon:
2. This will create a new view under the Project Browser with some default name, you may want to
rename it to differentiate it from other 3D or isometric views:
18
3. Next open the new view and orient it to an angle that will make creating the displacements easy.
Use the shortcut combination of SHIFT + Middle Mouse Button to orbit the 3D view.
4. Setting the view’s display mode can also greatly help to navigate what parts are going to be selected
and displaced. At the bottom of every 3D view is the Graphic Display selector tool. Sometimes
wireframe is a helpful option to select objects obscured by other surfaces.
19
5. Next, select a single object or a logical group of objects that you would like to displace:
In this example, all the plugs are selected, counting 24 objects that Revit will automatically group into
what is called a “Displacement Set.”
6. Next, with the objects still selected, click on the “Displace Elements” tool found on the View tab of
the context sensitive ribbon. A “gizmo” will appear in the view at the centroid of the current selection
and will allow you to move the objects in the X, Y, or Z axis. (Please bear in mind that this is only a
view specific effect and does not alter the actual model geometry)
7. Continue the same process of displacing objects to the locations that you like. This is not a
dimensionally accurate operation and is purely for visuals. You can however, use normal orbit,
zoom, pan commands or the view cube to line objects up approximately.
20
8. If you make a mistake in your selections and accidentally include some objects that do not need to
be displaced or part of the displacement group you can do the following: Select the displacement
group, and on the ribbon will be an “Edit” button. This will allow you to add or remove objects from
the displacement group. You can also reset all the displacement operations for a given selection.
21
9. A very useful feature when creating the displacements is the ability to show the displacement sets in
the view in a default orange color. You can toggle this setting in the view at the bottom of the screen
using the “Highlight Displacement Sets” button. Note the border around the view turns orange to flag
this behavior.
10. Now that you are displacing the objects to the locations that make sense to describe your assembly,
it is very helpful to add simple line “paths” back to the original location of the object. This can be
done by selecting the displacement set and from the ribbon click on the “Path” tool.
Simply click on the edges or corners where you would like to place the paths which appear as
dashed lines and are scaled automatically by the view scale. You can place paths at many different
locations but it is up to you to decide what is appropriate.
22
11. Now that you can displace objects, you can create very instructional assembly views similar to what
is provided in a lot of commercial instructions for furniture assembly.
23
When you are satisfied with the orientation and notatation on a 3D view such as the displaced view, you
can “Lock” the views orientation so that it is not inadvertently rotated or modified.
24
8. Placing Dimensions & Text in a 3D view:
Some of the most useful and informative views in the Revit model are the 3D isometric views with
displacements and also notes and dimensions. Here are the steps to place dimensions in a 3D view:
- First, it is advisable to lock the orientation of the 3D view to maintain the same angle that will be
printed to a sheet later.
- Next, set the correct scale for the view to make sure the notes or dimensions/text will be legible.
Use the Scale selector at the bottom of the view.
- Next, it is very important to set the “Plane” where the dimensions/text will be hosted in the 3D
view. You can vary the plane used to create dimensions either vertically, horizontally or aligned to
a sloping plane. You can set the current work plane by going to the main Architecture/Structure
tab and from the “Work Plane” panel click “Set” (Note, you can also show the plane, which can
sometimes be useful)
25
- Next, a dialog will appear which will let you select from the following options:
- You can select from the following options:

“Name” = planes such as Grid Lines, Floor Levels or Reference Planes with names.
“Pick a Plane” = Allows you select a face or surface in the model.
“Pick a line” = Allows you select a line and use the plane it used.
- The most useful option for 3D dimensioning is the “Pick a Plane” option, as you can dynamically
set the plane to whatever location graphically in the view.
- Once the Work Plane is set, you can simply use the regular dimension or text tools from the
Annotate tab on the ribbon. Note, that dimensions to “displaced” objects in a 3D view will not
work.
26
- If you want to do something fun like place text aligned to a sloping surface or similar, you can set
the work plane to the surface you need and then use the “Model Text” tool to add 3D text:
27
9. A little note on Level of Detail:
Depending on the size of the model it is totally up to you as to what you would like to model. Some of the
examples shown here have individual screws, boards, biscuits, plugs etc. but some of this is partly for fun
but also for the practical side. Since this is for recreational use, all standards, BIM Executions Plans and
other strategies go out the window!
When you model to the level of detail where each plug or screw is itemized, these guys can show up
happily in a schedule of quantities. This can save a little of the headache of having to return to the
hardware store to get another box of screws, or other miscellaneous items. Note that the contents of the
schedule are very useful for determining some of the cost, or whether you have enough supplies to get
the job done.
In the screenshot above the 2.5” screws are totaled in the schedule of quantities and also selectable in
the model from the schedule location.
Obviously you cannot take advantage of this type of schedule if it is either not modeled, or not present as
a parameter somewhere in the Revit model.
Other details shown in the model such as routed edges or other finishes can be included purely for fun
and may not necessarily improve the intelligence of the model but mainly the visual aspect.
28
In this example of a dollhouse, a fun trick to populate some of the furniture was to place miniatures of
other Revit projects into the model. To do this each RVT was exported to a 3D DWG file and imported
into a Generic Model family. When the DWG is inserted, it is possible to control its scale from the
Properties dialog.
One thing to note about materials for DWG

imports into a family: you can control the
material assignment bylayer inside the actual
Revit project. Just go to Object Styles and
under the “Imported Categories” you assign a
material for each individual layer.
29
This particular family is a face- The Scale Factor parameter for the DWG
based generic model. import can miniaturize the object, making it
possible to place in the dollhouse model.
When this dollhouse was made, off the shelf toy furniture was used along with small LED string lights to
light the interior.
30
10. Using Groups in your model:

Using Groups in your model can be very beneficial when working in a fluid manner to quickly design parts
and copy these to other locations. One workflow is to create an in-place family for a part, then create a
Group containing this geometry.
When the Group is copied to other locations, any instance that is edited will update all instances in the
model. Here is a simple example of a shelf with some cutouts that is a Group in the model.
The above part was created as an in-place family and then a group was created from the selection. Next
the group is copied to multiple locations.
31
To make edits to the Group that will replicate to all instances, select the new group and choose “Edit
Group” from the ribbon.
Next make edits to the geometry inside the group, you can add/remove additional items, and edit the
actual in-place family inside. In this case, a cutout is added to the extrusion profile.
After the edits are made, click on the “Finish Group” button and changes are replicated to all copies of the
Group.
If necessary, you can Ungroup a part like this if you need a unique version of it in the model.
32
11. Generating a simple Revit template for craftsman work:
Some of the most important items to include in your template are the following:
- View templates with much smaller scale for smaller projects.
- Titleblock and small sheet sizes if you are printing at home.
- Most used families for the type of work being done, some example for woodworking are:
o Nominal lumber sizes for creating framing or other pieces.
o Screws or fasteners frequently used such as 1.5” or 2.5” screws.
o Wooden plugs or buttons.
o Commonly used off the shelf sizes for pineboards or stair treads.
o Your favorite materials for rendering finishes and paint.
Possibly the best way to begin creating your Revit template is to create your first project in Revit and
simply save that model as a template once it has been populated with the most useful items.
Existing Views can be used to

create View Templates for future
use in your Revit template.
33
You can preload as many families as you need for other projects. The template will be more
useful with frequently used families that will be easily accessible:
Once you have configured all the settings that will enable you to work faster on creating projects, simply
go to the Application menu and use the Save As command to create a template version of the model.
34
12. Creating useful Families for your projects:
Some items are quite repetitive when creating woodworking Revit models. These can be simply created
as families so that they can be loaded into other projects for future use.
Some examples that I have created for this purpose are:
- Standard biscuit sizes for biscuit joints.

- Oak plugs/buttons to seal countersunk holes.
- Stair treads available off the shelf in home improvement stores.
- Pine boards in various sizes available off the shelf in stores.
- Various nominal lumber sizes, 2x4, 6x4, 2x8 etc.
- Fasteners and screws.
- Hinges or other latches.
- Nails or staples.
Many of the sizes of these items can be located online from the supplier website or other resources.
35
Some examples below are of families created for screw types and also plugs used on some of the
projects listed in this handout.
These are external families created

under the “Structural Stiffeners”
category (there is no fastener category
in Revit)
This screw family basically consists of

a Revolve defining the shape of the
screw. A steel material is also applied
to make it look better for renders etc.
These families are loaded as “face-

based” objects and can be hosted on
any face in the model. You can even
press the Space bar to rotate them at
90 degree angle increments.
36
This biscuit family with 3 different types was created in the Family Editor. This family is useful in that the
bits for biscuit joining can be loaded into the model and have the available types available. This family is
very simple and contains a basic oval extrusion with some parameters to control the depth, width and
length.
In conjunction with the biscuit family, it is also possible to create “Void” families to be used with the “Cut”
tool in Revit. Once the family is created as a face based generic model, you can effectively model the
void created by the biscuit joiner tool.
In this Generic model family, it is simply a “Void Extrusion” modeled to the approximate size of the cut
made by a biscuit joiner blade.
37
When this family is loaded, you can use it to cut the locations in your project that will have biscuits. This
gives a definite higher level of detail when visualized in 3D.
The same concept can be applied to countersunk holes for plugs or buttons, although it can also be
simply achieved by editing an in-place extrusion to have the corresponding holes:
38
If you need store sizes for wood you can always check out specifications online from the websites of the
supplier. This can greatly help in configuring the shape of extrusions or profiles in your model families,
obviously a 2”x4” is not always 2”x4”!
39
13. Creating renders:
Creating renders of the project can greatly assist in visualizing how the finished product is going to look.
For these simple woodworking projects, the model has been setup in a very basic room replicating the
intended location for the finished piece.
40
Revit has a built-in Render engine that is superb at rendering small scenes such as shown below. The
actual Revit model for the project below is simply a room with windows on both end walls enclosed by a
hardwood floor and ceiling.
Revit render Revit render
Finished piece Finished piece
41
Suggested workflow for creating renders:
 Create your model in Revit and add all the details, entourage or other geometry.
 Next ensure that materials are assigned to all objects.
 Then create perspective Camera views that will be used to generate the render images.
 Now generate renders and save image files to the project, or export to file.
At the bottom of every 3D view in Revit is the Render “teapot” icon that invokes the Render dialog.
From the Render dialog, you can

control all the settings for the view.
Choosing the Draft setting for quality

will produce the quickest renders but
of lower quality.
The Lighting settings can be adjusted

to very accurate location based
settings but for the simple interior
renderings, the default of “Interior Sun
only” setting is used.
From here, the rendered image can be

either saved to the project as a View
or exported to a file.
42
Creating a 3D Camera view:
This provides a much more realistic view of the project than just standard isometric views. Cameras can
be tricky to position in the model but possibly the best way is to draw the camera direction and target on
plan. Follow these steps for camera setup:
 First open a plan view and then from the View tab of the Ribbon choose “Camera” from the 3D
View dropdown.
 Next on the plan, click and drag to place the location of the camera and it’s associated target.
43
 Next open a section or elevation view and use the ‘WT’ shortcut key to tile the plan and
section/elevation view.
 Next right-click on the newly created 3D Camera view in the project browser and choose “Show
Camera” which will display it in the other two views. Then move the camera to whatever location
on plan or elevation needed.
44
Some tips on creating renders of your Revit model:
 Apply materials to all of the objects in the model, making sure to cover everything or you may end
up with gray colored default materials on certain surfaces.
 Some objects can only have materials applied or edited while editing the family, or actually
selecting individual extrusions.
 To improve rendering times, always enable the “Section box” on the 3D view that you are going to
render.
 One of the shademodes in 3D Revit views is called “Interactive Ray Trace” and is an excellent
way to preview your model in a more realistic mode with shadows and lighting active. This type of
view setting will iteratively improve the quality the longer the view is open without any changes to
the zoom factor or angle of view.
45
14. Generate cut sheets and other documentation to help fabricate:
Revit has an unlimited potential for variation on different views along with great annotation and dimension
tools. When it comes to creating documentation for your project you can basically setup all the views that
will assist you in the most efficient way to fabricate the project. There is no limit to the level of detail or
view angles or types you can use.
Usually plotting out several views types is the best way. Typically plan, section/elevation, 3D and
exploded 3D are the most useful. For more complex projects, the displaced view showing how parts are
put together are particularly helpful.
46
Generally for weekend warrior projects, the plots and drawings can be of a very small scale and printed
on 11x17 (A3) or Letter (A4) size sheets. Having these in your work area as plots with all the dimensions
that you need to begin cutting the wood for the project is very useful.
47
The process used for creating these isolated parts was the following:
- Duplicate the 3D View containing the part.
- Next, isolate the part that you want to detail with dimensions.
- You can select the part, then use the sunglasses tool to isolate it.
- Remember that the sunglasses tool is a ‘temporary’ setting so you will need to apply this setting to the view.
- Next rotate the view the angle you want normal to the part, so that it can be placed on a sheet.
- Lock the view orientation and then set the work plane so that you can add text or dimensions.
- Repeat the above steps for other parts to be placed as views onto sheets.
48
49
50
51
The AU Lego man:
Head consists of a Revolve solid

object with void extrusions to
create the eyes and mouth.
Arms consist of 2 swept blends

with other void forms cutting the
shape.
Hands are made from a simple

extrusion with a void extrusion
cutting the curved back.
Legs are simple extrusions.
Just for fun, this guy is

interactive ray-traced inside a
dollhouse model, with a
miniature dollhouse model in
front of him. This could go on
to infinity 
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Handout - 1767 - MI1767 Weekend Warrior Autodesk Revit Recreational Revit For The Craftsman

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Weekend Warrior Autodesk Revit, Recreational Revit

for the Craftsman

Ken Murphy – Thornton Tomasetti

About the Speaker

3. Using Revit to model your project………………………………………… 04

4. Concept for creating practical models for building items………….. …… 05

5. Modeling methods for custom objects in Revit…………………………. 08

6. Using Reference Planes…………………………………………………... 16

7. Using Displaced Views to create exploded 3D isometrics……………. 18

8. Placing Dimensions & Text in a 3D view………………………………… 25

9. A little note on Level of Detail……………………………………………. 28

10. Using Groups in Your Model…………………………………………….. 31

11. Generating a simple Revit template for craftsman work……………… 33

12. Creating useful Families for your Projects……………………………... 35

13. Creating renders …………………………………………………………. 40

14. Generate cut sheets and other documentation to help fabricate…….. 46

3. Using Revit to model your project:

- Work area and bench space is very limited.

Oops! That should be

4. Concept for creating practical models for building items:

Sketching out the idea on paper

Since Revit 2014, “Displaced Views”

 Create drawings, 3D views, Renders, material takeoffs or exploded views.

Many views can be shown on a

Renders can be created to

 Once your Revit model is complete, print some cut sheets.

Biscuit joined top and

Top priority for project

5. Modeling methods for custom objects in Revit:

 Cannot easily copy/paste/mirror etc. due to reference plane association.

Here are some In-Place Family examples:

Simple shelf piece with notches

Extrusion depth can be set here

More complex example, side panel with routed edges:

This is a side panel for toy storage bench.

6. Using Reference Planes:

From the Architecture ribbon, “Ref Plane” is

You can use Reference Planes to layout geometry quite simply.

7. Using Displaced Views to create Exploded 3D isometrics:

8. Placing Dimensions & Text in a 3D view:

- You can select from the following options:

9. A little note on Level of Detail:

One thing to note about materials for DWG

10. Using Groups in your model:

11. Generating a simple Revit template for craftsman work:

Existing Views can be used to

12. Creating useful Families for your projects:

Some examples that I have created for this purpose are:

- Standard biscuit sizes for biscuit joints.

These are external families created

This screw family basically consists of

These families are loaded as “face-

13. Creating renders:

Revit render Revit render

Finished piece Finished piece

Suggested workflow for creating renders:

From the Render dialog, you can

Choosing the Draft setting for quality

The Lighting settings can be adjusted

From here, the rendered image can be

Creating a 3D Camera view:

Some tips on creating renders of your Revit model:

14. Generate cut sheets and other documentation to help fabricate: