- Thread starter T_Bone
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Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
Try Visio by Microsoft
RickieBlue
Member
Take a look at Google SketchUp....free download
I bought BobCad/Cam 4 years ago to use with my CNC plasma system. I found it like stirring mud with a canoe paddle. I'm sure it's every bit as powerful and capable as some say it is. Problem is I don't 8 year engineering degree to use it. I'm sure I don't utilize 1% of it's capabilities.
I started with version 20 but it didn't have what was promised me, so they immediately upgraded V20 to V21 which has done OK for me. V22 flopped as they forgot to support plasma and laser. V23 is out now but to mixed reviews.
I got a call from them last week wanting to sell me V23 very cheap. The stainless business is real slow right now and I don't utilize the plasma table enough right now to make any further investment.
I started with version 20 but it didn't have what was promised me, so they immediately upgraded V20 to V21 which has done OK for me. V22 flopped as they forgot to support plasma and laser. V23 is out now but to mixed reviews.
I got a call from them last week wanting to sell me V23 very cheap. The stainless business is real slow right now and I don't utilize the plasma table enough right now to make any further investment.
Ditto that on DesignCad. I"ve used it for almost 20 yrs and have bought nearly every version. Price has always been good, too. It hooked me at work way back then - I needed a CAD pkg in a hurry and the tech loaded it, then walked off. I said "Where"s the manuals?" (this was back in the day, when all software came with manuals). She just looked at me and said "You won"t need "em" and walked out. I thought "Hoo boy"...but that afternoon, I had my first drawing done.
What type of drawings are you trying to make? Architecture or mechanical?
I have been teaching AutoCad for 20 years. It's really not that hard to use.
I would suggest you look and see if there is an adult school or Community Colege class you can take.
I also have been teaching Solidworks for about 6 years now. If your looking to make 3d models that type of program is excellent.
Although I haven't used it I understand Google SketchUp is easy to use and similar to Solidworks 3d type programs.
I have been teaching AutoCad for 20 years. It's really not that hard to use.
I would suggest you look and see if there is an adult school or Community Colege class you can take.
I also have been teaching Solidworks for about 6 years now. If your looking to make 3d models that type of program is excellent.
Although I haven't used it I understand Google SketchUp is easy to use and similar to Solidworks 3d type programs.
Tramway Guy
Well-known Member
You can't even run Autocad 2000 on Vista, but Windows xp will run most anything.
I use Autocad LT97 and LT2000. Will do everything but 3D drawings.
I use Autocad LT97 and LT2000. Will do everything but 3D drawings.
MarkB_MI
Well-known Member
- Location
- Motown USA
Depending on what it is you want to do, you might want to check out Solid Edge 2D. It's available free from Siemens (nee Unigraphics), and can read your old AutoCAD drawings.
Download Solid Edge 2D
Download Solid Edge 2D
I don't know about the modern ones... I learned on LT for windows of the R12 vintage and I also had R12 for DOS and a student version of LT...
It can be confusing at first. As I recall, getting the scale set properly is one of the biggest things... then you just draw by coordinates. It's quite easy once you remember the few commands you really need. The Windows variants were probably easier if you don't know the commands as they have toolboxes... but I always just used specified coordinates, typed in.
I think I'd use the program I had rather than shell out a heap of money for another one or spend time sorting through viruses for a cracked one...
Rod
It can be confusing at first. As I recall, getting the scale set properly is one of the biggest things... then you just draw by coordinates. It's quite easy once you remember the few commands you really need. The Windows variants were probably easier if you don't know the commands as they have toolboxes... but I always just used specified coordinates, typed in.
I think I'd use the program I had rather than shell out a heap of money for another one or spend time sorting through viruses for a cracked one...
Rod
I've tried autocad, bought turbo cad, bought the cheapy one from nnalert I think and maybe a couple free downloads. I was laying out a parking lot. They all have a large learning curve and are time consuming for an occasional project. They all have their own file format. Using coordinates is a pain. Had to draw each parking lane line separately after checking coordinates to make sure I moved over 8' instead of 8.01' and so on. Have to have a steady hand with the mouse to get pinpoint accuracy.
Nothing simple I have found that says ok put a line at 90 degrees every 8' along the perimeter. Nothing simple that lets you put like 3 studs on each corner or end of a wall and then space studs out on 16" centers and then end up with a drawing that shows each 1 1/2" stud and the 14 1/2" stud spaces. Anyway not without doing each line separately. Then try to figure out how the sheeting on the outside and sheetrock on the inside will all lay out and how to cut it. None of those home design and home architect programs will go so far as to allow you to have a drawing of the lay out the top and bottom plates, etc.
Easier to use graph paper and a ruler.
Nothing simple I have found that says ok put a line at 90 degrees every 8' along the perimeter. Nothing simple that lets you put like 3 studs on each corner or end of a wall and then space studs out on 16" centers and then end up with a drawing that shows each 1 1/2" stud and the 14 1/2" stud spaces. Anyway not without doing each line separately. Then try to figure out how the sheeting on the outside and sheetrock on the inside will all lay out and how to cut it. None of those home design and home architect programs will go so far as to allow you to have a drawing of the lay out the top and bottom plates, etc.
Easier to use graph paper and a ruler.
bc you realize Auto-Cad has a “Copy Object” tool? Click on each line / object, right click select “group”. Click “Copy Object” click the object you want copied, push the “enter” key on your keyboard, wa la now you got two of em!
You can move objects with the “Move Tool” or right click the object then you can move it by coordinates, or drag it to a location or use a “Snap Tool”. I think it was Auto-Cad 98 that came out with a highlighted box to show you when you are in the proper location with the “Snap Tool”.
I find it very fast to draw with coordinates, and move in place with the “Snap Tool”.
Here are some of my drawings.
You can move objects with the “Move Tool” or right click the object then you can move it by coordinates, or drag it to a location or use a “Snap Tool”. I think it was Auto-Cad 98 that came out with a highlighted box to show you when you are in the proper location with the “Snap Tool”.
I find it very fast to draw with coordinates, and move in place with the “Snap Tool”.
Here are some of my drawings.
Hi chvet 73,
Well it is when your in severe pain 24/7. My concentration is almost zero on most days so classes would be out of the question.
All I'm wanting to do is make a general framing plan on a 8ft x 100" x 40ft RV for my workers to follow.
I did download Sketchup and with watching the training videos, I think that will work for me.
Plan B is looking better all the time. Finding someone to draw it up for me so I can make prints for the field workers too follow.
T_Bone
Well it is when your in severe pain 24/7. My concentration is almost zero on most days so classes would be out of the question.
All I'm wanting to do is make a general framing plan on a 8ft x 100" x 40ft RV for my workers to follow.
I did download Sketchup and with watching the training videos, I think that will work for me.
Plan B is looking better all the time. Finding someone to draw it up for me so I can make prints for the field workers too follow.
T_Bone
Spare me the graph paper.
IIRC, 'array' is the command you are looking for to lay out the lines. You could also draw an 'object', save the 'object' (for your stud corners), then array the object, rotate them into position, etc. Copy is another command you could easily use, then rotate...
R12 and LT that I'm familiar with from 15 years ago could easily do that. I'm sure it's probably better or easier by now...
There are many simple commands in those suites that allow you to work very quickly and efficiently. The downside to them was the licence cost..
Rod
IIRC, 'array' is the command you are looking for to lay out the lines. You could also draw an 'object', save the 'object' (for your stud corners), then array the object, rotate them into position, etc. Copy is another command you could easily use, then rotate...
R12 and LT that I'm familiar with from 15 years ago could easily do that. I'm sure it's probably better or easier by now...
There are many simple commands in those suites that allow you to work very quickly and efficiently. The downside to them was the licence cost..
Rod
ff in mich
Member
Most of the different adad verisons are the same, just a lot of icons in different places, I use to use acad about 15 years ago, have been using Unigraphics since then, whenn i do have to use acad now its like using a toy compared to U.g.
Nice drawings Puddles. How many hours or days did it take to do one of those? I assume you could blow it up and tell all the girder sizes in the booms, etc. Thanks for your and Rod's replies. I never could afford autocad.
It would be nice if the cheapy programs had those templates already in there. I understand the copy command and snap to, etc. but didn't know of the one Rod mentioned. There is a lot of time involved in the initial setup and the learning curve without someone standing over your shoulder telling you the basics is large. I spent hours doing a parking lot. Then if I wanted to expand or decrease the size or increase the spacing of the parking spaces or move them away from one end, it seems like I had to start over again. Everything takes an act of congress to draw. If I wanted to do a snap to and go (let's say) 4.625 inches or feet, it takes forever to stop the mouse at that point and then it won't be perfectly perpendicular (90.0000 degrees) to the main line or something.
Since I would only use it once every year or three, I need something user friendly and something I can forget and relearn quickly. I may check out the microsoft program if it lets you work on all the files from other programs.
It would be nice if the cheapy programs had those templates already in there. I understand the copy command and snap to, etc. but didn't know of the one Rod mentioned. There is a lot of time involved in the initial setup and the learning curve without someone standing over your shoulder telling you the basics is large. I spent hours doing a parking lot. Then if I wanted to expand or decrease the size or increase the spacing of the parking spaces or move them away from one end, it seems like I had to start over again. Everything takes an act of congress to draw. If I wanted to do a snap to and go (let's say) 4.625 inches or feet, it takes forever to stop the mouse at that point and then it won't be perfectly perpendicular (90.0000 degrees) to the main line or something.
Since I would only use it once every year or three, I need something user friendly and something I can forget and relearn quickly. I may check out the microsoft program if it lets you work on all the files from other programs.
bc it doesn’t take as long as you think. That is the beauty of the “Copy Object” tool. Once you draw one object you can import it into another drawing, change the scale if need be. I use Auto-Cad LT, and yes you can zoom right in and see the hex head bolts.
All this talk about drawings I’ll have to look to see if I still have these drawings on disk, been a few years since I’ve seen them. Those drawings I posted are a printout, I just scanned it.
I don’t use the array tool that much, but it is very handy when needed. Majority of all my moves are by coordinates, and by the snap tools. I work with architectural unit format, and generally 1/64th for precision. I’ am self-taught, I pitched the manual, (couldn’t understand it) and bought a book then started playing, but I worked with numerous engineers who are Auto-Cad experts, so when I didn’t understand something they would explain and show me how.
All this talk about drawings I’ll have to look to see if I still have these drawings on disk, been a few years since I’ve seen them. Those drawings I posted are a printout, I just scanned it.
I don’t use the array tool that much, but it is very handy when needed. Majority of all my moves are by coordinates, and by the snap tools. I work with architectural unit format, and generally 1/64th for precision. I’ am self-taught, I pitched the manual, (couldn’t understand it) and bought a book then started playing, but I worked with numerous engineers who are Auto-Cad experts, so when I didn’t understand something they would explain and show me how.
I am a LITTLE behind these other fella's and use MS Paint. As far as placing studs or repeating lines go I use cut and paste. Rotate is limited and the 3D aspect is pretty crapy............
Trided several cad programs and decided to go the "kiss" route with a simple PC drawing board...
Trided several cad programs and decided to go the "kiss" route with a simple PC drawing board...
An easier command in ACAD for parking spaces is the offset command, i.e. "offset, click on the liine, specify the distance and click on the side you want to offset. ACAD will place a copy of the selected line exactly parallel to and at the distance and side selected. After you get used to the offset command, you will almost never use the copy command for lines or curves. Works well for walls, room layouts, arcs, concentric circles, etc.
KM
KM
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