Joint Push Pull is a powerhouse extension for SketchUp 2021 that overcomes the limitations of the native Push/Pull tool, specifically by allowing you to extrude multiple or curved faces at once. Developed by Fredo6, it is widely considered an essential "Swiss Army knife" for complex 3D modeling. Key Tools & Features
The extension is a suite of distinct tools, each suited for different geometric challenges:
Joint Push Pull: Extrudes multiple faces simultaneously while keeping them "joined" at the seams, perfect for thickening curved surfaces.
Vector Push Pull: Pulls faces along a specific direction (vector) rather than just their individual face normals.
Normal Push Pull: Similar to the standard tool but works on multiple faces at once, leaving gaps between them.
Round Push Pull: Extrudes surfaces and automatically rounds the resulting edges.
Thicken Mode: A specific setting that creates a solid volume from a surface by generating a back face, effectively adding "thickness". Joint Push Pull Sketchup 2021
Molding & Tapering: Allows extruded edges to expand or shrink as they are pulled, creating a tapered effect. Installation for SketchUp 2021
To use Joint Push Pull, you must install both the extension and its required library:
For SketchUp 2021, the most helpful resource for managing complex extrusions is the Joint Push Pull Interactive plugin by Fredo6, available at SketchUcation. This tool is essential because the native Push/Pull tool in SketchUp 2021 only works on single flat faces and cannot extrude curved or multiple surfaces at once. Key Features of Joint Push Pull Interactive
This suite includes several specialized tools, each designed for different geometric challenges:
Joint Push Pull: The primary tool for thickening curved surfaces. It merges individual facets into a single, seamless contiguous shape.
Vector Push Pull: Extrudes faces along a specific direction (vector) regardless of their individual orientation. This is ideal for tasks like flattening terrains or creating vertical roadway walls. Joint Push Pull is a powerhouse extension for
Normal Push Pull: Similar to the native tool but allows you to push/pull multiple selected faces simultaneously. Note that it creates gaps between the extruded faces.
Extrude Push Pull: Focuses on extruding multiple faces while automatically filling in the joints to maintain a solid look.
Round Push Pull: Extrudes surfaces and simultaneously rounds the edges of the resulting geometry, similar to the RoundCorner tool. Installation Requirements
To run this plugin in SketchUp 2021, you must install two separate components:
LibFredo6: A shared library required for all Fredo6 plugins.
JointPushPull: The actual toolset.Both are available via the SketchUcation PluginStore. Quick Tips for 2021 Users Why It Mattered: Faster Iteration, Fewer Fixes For
Here’s an interesting, engaging description for Joint Push Pull in SketchUp 2021, suitable for a blog, tutorial, or plugin overview:
For architects modeling façades, furniture designers fine-tuning mortise-and-tenon details, or 3D-printing hobbyists building interlocking parts, the tweak translated to concrete productivity gains. Instead of stopping to repair geometry after each playful experiment, designers could iterate more freely, trusting that the model would remain sane. That trust lowered the cognitive cost of exploration: models could be exploratory and believable at once.
This mattered especially in remote workflows that increased reliance on well-formed geometry. Files shared between collaborators, or passed downstream to renderers, engineers, or CNC operators, needed robust topology. The improved Push/Pull helped close the gap between a designer’s intent and the exported reality.
Even with the right version, Joint Push Pull can fail. Here are the top 3 errors you’ll encounter in 2021 and how to solve them.
Cause: JPP creates temporary geometry. If your mesh has >50,000 faces, the undo buffer chokes. Fix:
Unlike SketchUp's native tool, which often fails or distorts geometry on curved or organic surfaces, Joint Push Pull is designed specifically for them. It allows you to thicken or extrude complex curved geometry accurately.