Sketchup Bz Toolbar May 2026
Icon: A curved arrow around a cube. The Problem: Standard Rotate tool uses the global axis (Red/Green/Blue). If your object is tilted, rotating it "up" is a nightmare. The Solution:
Some older SketchUp (pre-2017) Ruby scripts used two-letter prefixes like BZ_.
These were often:
Recommendation:
If you have a .rb file named bz_toolbar.rb, open it in a text editor to check the author/description.
Icon: A broom or a band-aid (depending on version). The Problem: Your file is 200MB. You have unused materials, layers, and "hollow" components. The Solution: BZ includes a deep purge that removes unused items inside nested components. The standard SketchUp "Purge Unused" only scratches the surface. BZ goes deep, often reducing file sizes by 40%.
Absolutely. Despite being a "legacy" plugin, the SketchUp BZ Toolbar remains one of the most downloaded tools in the ecosystem for one simple reason: it does one thing (stretching/aligning) and does it perfectly without bloat.
For architects tweaking massing models, carpenters laying out joinery, or 3D printing enthusiasts resizing STL files, the BZ Toolbar saves minutes per click—which turns into hours per week. sketchup bz toolbar
While FredoScale is the Swiss Army Knife, BZ is the hammer: simple, reliable, and always effective.
Ready to speed up your workflow? Head to the SketchUcation Plugin Store, search for "BZ_Scale," install it via your Extension Manager, and never fight the native scale tool again.
Do you use the BZ Toolbar? Have you found a hidden feature we missed? Let us know in the comments below!
The BZ Toolbar (often synonymous with the Bezier Spline extension by Fredo6) is a powerful, free toolset for SketchUp that allows you to draw and edit a wide variety of advanced curves and splines beyond the standard arc and circle tools. Key Features and Tools
The toolbar includes several specific curve types, each tailored for different design needs: Icon: A curved arrow around a cube
Classic Bezier Curve: Standard curves where you set control points to define the shape.
Catmull Spline: Excellent for creating smooth paths that pass exactly through your selected points—ideal for parametric walls or intricate lattices.
Uniform B-Spline: Creates smooth, continuous curves that are easier to manipulate for complex organic shapes.
Curve Editing/Conversion: A standout feature is the ability to right-click an existing curve to edit its points or convert a standard line into a Bezier curve. Installation Guide
Because this is a third-party extension, it is not built into SketchUp by default. Bezier Curve Tool - can't see toolbar in Sketchup Pro 2024 Recommendation: If you have a
I’m unable to provide a report on “SketchUp BZ Toolbar” because there is no officially recognized toolbar, plugin, or extension by that name in SketchUp (from Trimble) , SketchUp Free, SketchUp Pro, or its Extension Warehouse.
However, here are the most likely explanations based on how your request could be interpreted:
The primary benefit of the BZ Toolbar is speed. In SketchUp, time is lost in the "micro-moments"—the half-second it takes to move your mouse to a menu, click, and return to the model. By having every essential tool within an inch of your cursor, the BZ Toolbar creates a "flow state." You spend less time commanding the software and more time modeling.
Pros:
Cons:
Icon: A green axis line with a red target. The Problem: You import a window component, but its origin is in the bottom left corner. You want it to pivot from the center. Native SketchUp requires exploding. The Solution: