First, you'll need to install SketchUp for iPad from the App Store. Once it's downloaded, open it up. You’ll be greeted by the home screen where your projects will live. Tap the “Create New” button to start your first model.

The interface is clean and designed for touch. On the left, you'll find your main drawing and editing tools. The large area in the middle is your 3D workspace, where you'll build your project. On the right are panels for managing properties like materials and object information.

Getting around your model uses simple gestures:

• Orbit: Use one finger to rotate your view around the model.
• Pan: Use two fingers and drag to slide your view side-to-side or up-and-down.
• Zoom: Pinch with two fingers to zoom in and out.

Let's start with the basics. In woodworking, most projects begin with simple shapes. SketchUp works the same way. The primary drawing tools you'll use at first are the Line, Rectangle, and Circle tools.

To use a tool, tap its icon in the toolbar. Then, tap in the modeling space to set a starting point. Move your finger or Apple Pencil, and tap again to set the end point. This tap-tap method is more precise than trying to drag-and-draw.

Once you have a shape, you'll want to modify it. The essential editing tools are Move, Rotate, and Scale. These let you position, orient, and resize parts of your model precisely.

To use these tools, first select the object you want to change by tapping on it. Then, activate the Move, Rotate, or Scale tool. You'll see grips or a protractor appear on the object. Tap and drag these handles to make your adjustments.

Finally, always remember to save your work. You can save your model to your iPad or to Trimble Connect, SketchUp's cloud storage. Give your projects clear names like “Bookshelf Design V1” or “Coffee Table Idea” so you can easily find them later.

Now that you know your way around the basics, you're ready to start modeling simple woodworking projects.