Simple Cad Drawing start-up…..

[Andrew EvansParticipant @andrewevans67134]

A walk in wardrobe? How many boiler suits do you have?

[Russell EberhardtParticipant @russelleberhardt48058]

Posted by James Alford on 14/05/2017 08:55:25:I then tried OnShape and found it to be much easier to grasp especially as it has a range of helpful tutorials and videos with it. It is free, although the is a chargeable option as well.

I agree, Onshape is much easier to learn than Autocad 360 (that is the free version of Autocad) and it works on any operating system.

I use Draftsight for quick 2D drawings, Onshape for 3D modelling, and an old version of Solidworks for more sophisticated 3D modelling. Onshape is very good for simple models but gets rather slow as the complexity goes up.

Russell.

[ChrisHParticipant @chrish]

When I had a Windows computer I had a version of AutoCad Lite which was quite good. However, I am now an Apple convert and detest Windows!

I now use TurboCad for Mac and have used it both on an iMac and currently on a 15" MacBook Pro, the screen is a tad small but I find it OK and have worked up both house plans and engine drawings with good results. Onto TurboCad for Mac Ver.7 now and like it, have got used to it and it does all that I want. The more you use it the more little tricks and shortcuts you learn I find. I think TC for Mac is now up to Ver.9 but I have not upgraded, can't justify the upgrade cost.

I tried Draftsight 2D for free but couldn't get on with it, probably because I was more used to TC, but I think if I was starting from scratch it would have been different.

I learnt Engineering Drawing at school and college and so tend to draw on CAD like it was a paper drawing. I'm 71 now and drawing in 2D is no problem but trying to get my head around drawing in 3D is a definite no-no, no way known! I have been told that if you start to learn in 3D it all comes easy and naturally and presumably 2D follows, I don't know. But others here have advised to go try and chose what comes easy for you, what's simple for one is hard for another and vice versa, and I think that's right and good advice.

Chris

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

There are some strong objections to starting off with a simple drawing package. They're not designed or intended for making scaled drawings of engineering objects. Although you make fast progress producing simple drawings, the packages don't have the bells and whistles needed to do technical drawings.

When your basic drawing software runs out of steam, you either waste time struggling to make it look like what's wanted or switch to a more powerful tool. Here's the booby trap. When we first learn how to use a drawing package, we tend to assume that the way it does things are correct and that all other ways of doing the same job are wrong. This makes switching to a different package extraordinarily difficult because you have to unlearn 'rules' that are now deeply embedded in your subconscious.

Basic drawing package are excellent if you know that you're only ever going to do basic drawings. But, if you think you're ever going to do real engineering drawing, it's much better to start with the real thing. The reason CAD and Technical Drawing packages are harder to learn is that they have far more capabilities than simple drawing tools. Most of those extra capabilities allow drawings to be produced quickly; some, like a full range of 'snap' functions, are essential.

Dave

[pgk pgkParticipant @pgkpgk17461]

Posted by Andrew Evans on 14/05/2017 10:49:45:
A walk in wardrobe? How many boiler suits do you have?

I guess that's aimed at me?

No boiler suits.. it'd have to be bespoke to fit me (I'm a geriatric giant). But in any event the walk-in bit is for my OH. The brief for the design i worked to is for when this hobby farm gets to be too much and we're less mobile.. so seperate rooms with seperate en suites..bags of storage space, guest rooms for the kids and/or carers and plenty of family room with wide doorways.

I've just been through the terminal bit with my old mum who made 98 and I plan for it to be easier still when it's my turn plus a valuable legacy for the kids.

If it goes to plan and within budget then it ought to be rather nice. If I remmeber i'll upload jpgs of the final design which obviously had to be compromises since a conversion/extension.

[Sam Longley 1Participant @samlongley1]

Posted by clogs on 13/05/2017 06:12:21:

HI all,

guess this'll open a can of worms but here goes……

I like to down-load a simple easy to use (if there is such a thing) and free, Cad drawing program, suitable for the latest version of iMac and the elderly…..hahaha..

I would like to design a house and lay out a new workshop……have tried with graph paper and cut out's but it generally ends up with the cat having fun or "clear the table cos ur T is ready"……

it would be nice to learn how to use the system for engineering related topics BUT only simple stuff…….as yet don't want to draw gear's etc but happy to practice on rainy nights…….

Any suggestion please? ta Clogs

In my opinion – for what t is worth- the learning curve is too great for a one off such as a house. In my business ( I started with Autocad version 6) i constructed thousands of templates & could cut & paste pre drawn parts to make a drawing of a project thus saving hours. I needed a knowledge of how to stretch scale , group move copy etc & draw arrays do dimensions etc at speed without thinking. Even simple things like drawing a cavity wall with a window in it can take ages or a concrete foundation with a drain passing through it can take a while, then there is the text that has to be scaled to fit.

Heating & electrical systems need to be layered in.

if you pick a particular package find one with a good backup of construction templates to save drawing things like stairs & windows, frames & doors

Really you would be better with a T square & a roll of tracing paper then send the lot to timber frame manufacturer to design the complete package properly

That is how I did the last house I built for myself- Did 2 for myself

[VicParticipant @vic]

Posted by ChrisH on 14/05/2017 11:15:00:

I am now an Apple convert and detest Windows!

Chris

Did it take 5 or 10 minutes?

[ChrisHParticipant @chrish]

Vic – about 5 seconds, 14 years ago, soon as I opened the box and switched on! Never looked back.

Chris

[Enough!Participant @enough]

Posted by clogs on 13/05/2017 06:12:21:

I would like to design a house and lay out a new workshop.

If you are designing a house, be aware that not all (do any?) regular 3D CAD clients allow you to move the viewpoint inside your model. For Engineering use, that isn't normally useful. So you wouldn't be able to go into a room and look around or do a walk-through.

There may be programs specifically geared towards this though (there used to be in 2D days).

[Ian Skeldon 2Participant @ianskeldon2]

Sorry to re-visit an old(ish) thread, I just wanted to know what would be the best cad package for 3D printing, I don't mind paying a small sum if it means tutorials are available but I don't want Solidworks type prices.

PS I did try Fusion but it stopped working a few months in and was then a bugger to uninstall.

Thanks,

Ian

[David JuppParticipant @davidjupp51506]

Anything that will export STL files should be fine for 3D printing – that should include just about any 3D CAD package worth anything at all.

'Best' means many different things to different people. There is no single answer.

Some packages include tools that might give some guidance on suitability of a particular design to 3D print (though even that varies by printer technology & material).

'Small sum' is not very specific.

If it works for you, then by default it is 'good', no matter what others say or think…

[blowlampParticipant @blowlamp]

MoI3d is the best thought out & most productive CAD I've used.

It's intuitive with superb back up from its developer and the STL meshing engine is unsurpassed. I'll happily pay the upgrade price over anything else that's out there – free or not.

Martin.

[Ian Skeldon 2Participant @ianskeldon2]

Hi,

David yes I agree, whatever works best for a given person will be the best for them, that's why I am asking for their opinion, then I can see if one of those suggestions works best for me. Price wise I don't want to spend hundreds £ but tens is ok especially if it's an upgrade after a free trial etc.

Blowlamp, thanks, not sure if I can work out what MoI3d is but will google it, thanks again.

 

Edited By Ian Skeldon 2 on 01/11/2017 20:41:34

[Ian Skeldon 2Participant @ianskeldon2]

Ahhh Moment of Inspiration, thanks again Blowlamp.

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