Preferred CAD Program??

[Paul DomanParticipant @pauldoman57976]

Several great articles in MB mentioned the use of a 'preferred CAD' or 'favorite 3D' program. What are people using?

[Paul DomanParticipant @pauldoman57976]

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

For straightforward 2D drawings I use AutoCAD (a very old version – R14) and so, I think, does Bob Abell. Paul Thomason is a TurboCAD fan. There are apparently much easier 3D programs around these days.

Dave M

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hello Paul

As Mr Milbourn has said there are many differing CAD programmes offering a multitude of options including 3D. I have been using TurboCAD on a daily basis since the late 1980s and found it easier to use and less cumbersome than AutoCAD.

However ease of use depends upon experience and I am fairly sure that Mr Milbourn, whose CAD experience and knowledge is equal to mine, would say that AutoCAD is easier than TurboCAD.

As people often say' its horses for courses'

Neither of us could recommend a system without knowing your level of expertise in drawing with CAD but as a general rule both of the afore-mentioned systems require a considerable investment in time and training before the user can gain any practical benefits from using them, the same general rule says that any beginner would have to commit twice as much time and training before becoming proficient at 3D.

However and as Mr Milbourn says there are easier to use systems available for free, have a look at this drafting programme called Delftship **LINK** which might help.

Paul

 

 

Edited By Paul T on 15/11/2015 19:38:05

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Paul D

Unless you have Loads o' Money…….Autocad is really out of the question

The cost is prohibitive!………Illegal copies are not recommended as the Autocad company are very strict!

I've used Autocad for about 20 years and found it quite easy to use

I've also purchased Turbocad and to be honest…..I find it quite puzzling to use, but a half hour one to one tuition, would clear up a few niggles

Bob

[Dodgy Geezer 1Participant @dodgygeezer1]

I have one son who uses Solidworks and Creo (ProEngineer as was). The other one uses Catia and Fluent, because he's in aerospace.

I am (slowly!) learning Autodesk Fusion, which is probably the best free package at the moment? But for average 2-D work I much prefer a simple (and really old) version of Ashlar-Vellum's DrawingBoard….

However, very little beats a pencil, the back of an envelope and a work-bench with some raw materials readily to hand. I find that the only reasons for using a computer drawing package are:

– you want to draw a geometrically complex shape onto wood before cutting it

– you want to print plans out for someone

– you want to use a numerically-controlled cutter or 3-D printer

Has anyone got any other reasons?

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Has anyone got any other reasons?

Speed…I can draw on CAD a lot faster than with pencil.

100% accuracy with automatic checking for human error.

The ability to draw full size projects at 1:1 and detail intricate sections at +/- 1mm on the same drawing.

To copy and paste where multiple repeat details have to be drawn.

Provision of automatic dimensional information.

Automatic and detailed takeoff of all materials.

Creation of 3D images so design can be viewed from any angle before building.

There are many more reasons but they apply to professional work.

Paul

[Dodgy Geezer 1Participant @dodgygeezer1]

Speed…I can draw on CAD a lot faster than with pencil.

I draw at much the same speed – except for the fact that I can use a pencil while sitting in a pub next to a roaring fire with a pint, while for CAD I have to sit in a draughty upstairs office on my own and wait for a machine to boot….

100% accuracy with automatic checking for human error.

Ah, there you have me – except for the fact that I do everything by eye, so my CAD drawings are often a few fractions of an inch out…

The ability to draw full size projects at 1:1 and detail intricate sections at +/- 1mm on the same drawing.

I can also do different scales on the same envelope…

To copy and paste where multiple repeat details have to be drawn.

I just draw one, and make lots, as necessary…

Provision of automatic dimensional information.

This would be a plus point. If I used dimensional information. I find Imperial measurements are easy to add in the head…

Automatic and detailed takeoff of all materials.

Do you actually make a list of required materials? I just look in the shed to see what I've got…

Creation of 3D images so design can be viewed from any angle before building.

Now this WOULD be useful. Because I do a lot of twisting of sheet balsa in my hulls, and it is hard to see if the shapes I have cut will fit.However, I find this to be a very hard feature to learn in 3-D CAD drawing. At the moment I cut shapes in paper and glue them up to see if the curves will work…

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

while sitting in a pub next to a roaring fire with a pint,

This would explain human error, dimensional mistakes and slightly damp envelopes

After a working life using CAD every day I just find it easier and quicker to draw on a screen, but CAD is useless out on site when trying to explain a setting out problem to a bunch of cold and irritable bricklayers……then I would use anything that was to hand (fag packets, walls, floors, hard hat etc.)

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Mercator projection on the hard hat presumably Paul….

Colin

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Colin

I had a hard enough time getting them to look at the drawings never mind trying to explain basic cartography.

The hard hat wasn't for drawing on……..it was for throwing at motivating those members of the workforce who had the IQ of a strawberry.

Paul

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello Paul

Just a bit of nonsense………

Just out of interest, I would like you go do an accuracy test, using your TurboCAD system

Draw a square……..Then draw the diagonals

At midpoint of the top and bottom lines, draw a connecting vertical line

The line will obviously cross the diagonals

Now enlarge the intersection point a few times and the lines will fall apart!

We had this problem at work on precise fixturing and it puzzled us

Any comments on this?

Bob

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hi Bob

I drew it as you requested and enlarged it by 10,000………..no change.

Paul

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hi Paul

1/10000 is probably not fine enough

Try 1/1,000,000

The lines are bound separate……….The system`s not perfect

I`ll have a go now

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Paul

Where`s the "Intersection symbol"….?

Bob

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Bob

The intersection symbol is in the line command index

[Dodgy Geezer 1Participant @dodgygeezer1]

We would have to examine the code to see what the reason for a discrepancy is, but I suspect it may be due to the problems of obtaining precision using finite numbers. When you use an irrational number you are forced to apply an arbitrary precision appropriate to the calculation – computers famously suffer from this problem, and anyone handling large numbers and wanting a high degree of precision has to employ special coding techniques to obtain this.

See this wiki entry

or this Microsoft explanation

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

You are quite right there, DG

Way back in about 1995 ish……We had to check a tricky grinding fixture and it had to be dead on!

Hence the gross enlargement of intersecting lines

Happy days

Bob

[Paul DomanParticipant @pauldoman57976]

Thank you all for the info. I appreciate it!

There is a pub a short walk away (here in Chicago) and I will go there and think about these responses. Not sure if they have a roaring fire though….

Paul D

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