Design and print a funnel (with basic Sketchup video tutorial).

In the winter time we refill the bird feeders regularly. Invariably I'd get bird seed all over the floor as I'd try to refill the container from a large bag of seed, so I decided to resolve the issue once and for all, and have some 3d printing fun along the way!

The solution was a funnel with a wide exit, and a shoulder that would enable it to sit securely on the top of the container being filled.

Didn't spill a single seed!

I drew the funnel in Sketchup, using a simple construction method, first drawing the cross-section of the desired shape and then using the "follow-me" tool to rotate that shape about a vertical axis. I've also been playing with various screen-recording tools, to find ways of enhancing blog presentations. As an experiment I've recorded the Sketchup drawing technique in "screencast-o-matic" and shared it below.

Finally...
The birds were very happy with the refilled feeders!

Thanks for viewing!
NumberSix