Plugin - Sketchup Shape Bender

Shape Bender is a popular SketchUp plugin that allows users to bend and manipulate shapes in a non-uniform way. Developed by Alex Pro, this plugin is a game-changer for anyone who works with complex curves and shapes in their SketchUp models. With Shape Bender, you can easily create smooth, flowing curves and shapes that would be difficult or impossible to achieve with native SketchUp tools.

Press the or Right Arrow keys to flip the start and end positions along the curve. Step 6: Commit the Change

Bending 3D text around a cylinder or circular sign. Final Thoughts plugin sketchup shape bender

While Shape Bender is an essential tool, it's not the only solution for curved geometry in SketchUp. Several powerful alternatives exist for specific scenarios:

Before clicking a single button, you must understand the math. Shape Bender does not "smush" geometry. It performs a . Shape Bender is a popular SketchUp plugin that

Make sure you have installed the plugin mentioned in the installation steps. Without it, the script cannot complete the final calculation phase. Conclusion

| Extension | Key Strengths | Best For | Price | |-----------|---------------|----------|-------| | | Bends geometry like a flexible rod; very intuitive | Simple, one‑directional bends (e.g., pipes, tubing) | Free (sometimes premium) | | FredoBend | Real‑time preview; can update the bend when the original model changes; works on complex containers | Advanced organic forms and projects where the straight model may be edited later | Free (via SketchUcation) | | Flowify | Maps geometry onto any curved surface, not just a path | Wrapping a flat pattern onto a complex 3D surface (e.g., a logo onto a dome) | Paid | | Bezier Spline / Fredo Spline | Create smooth, editable curves for use as bending paths | Preparing the perfect curve before applying Shape Bender or FredoBend | Free / Paid options | Press the or Right Arrow keys to flip

Imagine you have a piece of dough (your model) and you want to fit it along a specific shape (the curve). Shape Bender does exactly this.

Despite its clunky interface and axis obsession, Shape Bender does something no other native tool can do: it maintains proportional volume along a curve. Native SketchUp’s Follow Me tool extrudes a profile along a path. Shape Bender takes an existing object and warps its internal logic to fit a new path.