# Plan drawing programs



## cam081 (May 8, 2017)

Hi guys and girls just wondering what drawing programs you use I have tried turbo cad but can't work it out and would like something more basic I only need to do 2d.
Thanks cam


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## gbritnell (May 8, 2017)

Try Draftsight. It's free and if you've had any prior 2D drawing experience it shouldn't be too tough to learn. I came from an Autocad background and found it quite easy.
gbritnell


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## Mechanicboy (May 8, 2017)

cam081 said:


> Hi guys and girls just wondering what drawing programs you use I have tried turbo cad but can't work it out and would like something more basic I only need to do 2d.
> Thanks cam



Take a course in youtube how to create 3D model in Turbocad.


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## kadora (May 20, 2017)

I have found very easy free drawing program 
CadStd by John Apperson .
You need maximally  one hour too learn how to use it .


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## valentin (May 20, 2017)

It´s just me or there is a russian bot offering doors in this thread?


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## Herbiev (May 20, 2017)

I killed the Russian bot. Banned for life


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## ronaldbeal (May 20, 2017)

Autodesk now has Fusion 360 free for hobbyist. (AKA "Startup" Makes less than $100,000USD from work involving cad) Download the full version.   Do the free trial.   At the end of the trial, there is an option to keep using for free for hobbyist.


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## stragenmitsuko (May 21, 2017)

Been an autocad R12 ( dos , yes dos ) user for decades . 
Can't get it to run anymore on a core I7 , so members of this forum 
suggested draftsight . 
I reluctantly switched to draftsight and  I'm very pleased with it . 
Give it a try , it's free and it's very intuitive to use . 

Pat


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## TonyM (May 21, 2017)

I'm also a draftsight user.:thumbup: Would love to try doing some 3D but The workshop takes priority and 2D is enough for my needs.


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## GLCarlson (May 21, 2017)

Cut2D and other programs from Vectric are pretty intuitive. Free trial. Some, modest, limitations. Great support.

That said, TurboCad is perfectly fine -I use it routinely when C2D is just too simpleminded. I encourage you to stick with it; a hundred to a hundred fifty hours or so of general drawing will see you at a pretty functional level (that is, two-four weeks of full time effort).


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## abby (May 21, 2017)

You can't get much easier than turbocad , even 3D drawings are simple to accomplish ! just follow one or two of the tutorials and you will be ok.


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## bazmak (May 21, 2017)

I am a retired long term draftsman but limited computer knowledge
Saw the tutorials on utube and decided I would like to have another go
I downloaded draftsight but when I try to open it ,I'm told that I need to activate it.This I do only to get in a repeat loop.Can anyone advise me 
how to download and open up free draftsight.Regards Barry


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## stragenmitsuko (May 22, 2017)

IIRC it was pretty straightforward . 
Enter a valid  email adres , and then there was an option to enter student or hobby or something similar , all the way down in the pulldown menu .
Did this , got an activation email , and it worked . 

If you're stuck in a loop , this might help 

https://gupta9665.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/fix-your-draftsight-activation-problem/

Good luck 

Pat


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## charlesfitton (May 22, 2017)

I put about 6 hours into  DRAFTSIGHT and realized that I was getting nowhere.

Was drawing in 3d using FUSION 360 in less than 30 minutes.  Not nearly competent yet and there's still much to learn..

good tutorials (for my non-plastic brain) by this guy...

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5bc9c3S12g&index=9&list=WL&t=22s[/ame]


and I needed a new computer, anyway...


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## michael-au (May 30, 2017)

charlesfitton said:


> I put about 6 hours into  DRAFTSIGHT and realized that I was getting nowhere.
> 
> Was drawing in 3d using FUSION 360 in less than 30 minutes.  Not nearly competent yet and there's still much to learn..
> 
> ...




I have been watching his tutorials for a while now and they are good, have learnt a lot from him


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## Mechanicboy (May 31, 2017)

Fusion 360 is as low as $25 per month on an annual subscription, or $40 month to month.

Better to have Turbocad, you do not pay per month..


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## charlesfitton (May 31, 2017)

...and fusion360 is free for students and hobby -type users..


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## jef-lemmens (May 31, 2017)

Through my work I am now working with Inventor , but in the early days I used graphic works 3.0 , a very easy to understand program , this was still in the time of windows 3.11 and 95, but I don't know if this is still available

Regards Jef


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## michael-au (May 31, 2017)

Fusion360 is free for hobby people


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## nx06563 (May 31, 2017)

I have been using Fusion 360 from Autodesk free as a hobbiest and it is the best I have found especially for the money(free).
I worked as a weld engineer for several years and have used several different cad systems including Anvil, Autocad 2d versions, and ProE to design weld fixtures. Weld fixtures just had to hold the parts rigid while they were being welded and the designs had to be built by our toolmakers. Not rocket science and easier than designing model engines just bigger and uglier.
Tool design was a just a part of the job so I didn't get really good at any of the cad systems but I had to be functional to the point of providing a design to our toolmakers. 
I have designed two engines with Fusion 360, both which are 3d models.  One is complete and runs and the other is in the process of being built.  Both are pictured in another post I made earlier.  Took a while to get smooth with the modeling but I am now as fast with Fusion as I was with Anvill or Autocad.  Don't ask about Pro-e. I was a failure with it.

Now the bad news.  Fusion isn't real robust. It tends to crash if I get click happy with the mouse and it wants to create its own lines in the sketch mode.  Just have to careful to check what you have drawn for accuracy.  Try it if you already have some cad experience.


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## MarinusK (Jun 7, 2017)

ronaldbeal said:


> Autodesk now has Fusion 360 free for hobbyist. (AKA "Startup" Makes less than $100,000USD from work involving cad) Download the full version.   Do the free trial.   At the end of the trial, there is an option to keep using for free for hobbyist.



I'll second that. I have used Turbocad before and it's a pain to draw anything on there. Fusion 360 on the other hand is very easy to learn and has a lot of functions. Try Fusion 360, you won't regret it


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## pp2076 (Jun 12, 2017)

Have you had a look at Sketchup?. Free.


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## blighty (Jun 12, 2017)

i second Fusion 360. been playing with it for a while now. only down side i have found is it uses the cloud. would like to see a "save as" option. think there working on it, but time will tell. apart from that just as good as Solidworks and such like.


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