Professional Design, 3D Modelling and Drafting Services

Propforward · Nov 13, 2024

Hello and Greetings.

The model engineering and home fabricator / machinist community is a highly skilled set of people. Many of you have designed tools, engines, fixtures and the like. Plenty of people at home have CAD, some do not.

I offer professional drafting services to industry, and would like to offer this service to the forum. If you were to approach most consulting designers or draftspersons you would find their rates way out of reach for home projects.

However, I have very, very low rates for hobbyists who may want to document things they have done, or want professional drawings made from their sketches, or who maybe need some CAD modelling.

I work in Solidworks, and you can rest assured that you will have full ownership of all drawings and models I make on your behalf.

If you have been considering this, feel free to reach out by private message and we can discuss your needs.

djc · Nov 14, 2024

Given that Solidworks' native file format is highly proprietary, maybe it would be good to discuss or state what is a reasonable expectation of a delivery format which has maximum interchange possiblities for one of your clients, but that does not take you an excessive amount of your time to produce (in other words what is the most economic balance).

Propforward · Nov 14, 2024

I will gladly export files to any format already supported by Solidworks. It is a "save as" to do that. Step (.stp) is the most common. In that situation, the client would still get the native solidworks files as well. The main point I was trying to get across is that the client will own the design, lock stock and barrel. I'm offering inexpensive documentation and drafting services - essentially. Although if someone wants me to engineer something I'll gladly do that, but that is a much more expensive service. PDF's of the drawings will also be included in any project

I will post a list of "cost included" export file formats. Later on - also some simple examples of prior work.

Kevinb71 · Friday at 8:59 AM

Can you give us an idea of what you would need from me/us in the way of information to do a drawing? In my limited experience with drawings it would seem that i would need to give you a drawing so you can do a drawing? Maybe as simple as a sketch on a napkin so to speak!

Propforward · Friday at 9:20 AM

Gladly! I don't need much. If you have already done any kind of hand sketch in order to visualise it, that will be enough. Simple text descriptions also work. Even photographs of things with main dimensions noted. Once a first pass model and drawings are made, it's then pretty easy for the client to redline those and get it the way they want - for the case of documenting something that has been made. For a design project, a statement of work (sounds grand) - really a description of what is to be achieved is enough to create a from scratch drawing.

I will post some examples over the weekend to better explain.

@Kevinb71 do you have a project you need documented?

Kevinb71 · Friday at 9:25 AM

Not specifically at the moment. It just always seems like i am saying i wish i had a better drawing when i'm in the shop working on something. Please do give us more info on your costs and formats.
Thanks!

peterl95124 · Friday at 1:27 PM

Propforward said:
Hello and Greetings.

If you have been considering this, feel free to reach out by private message and we can discuss your needs.

my need is to learn Solid Works !

Propforward · Friday at 1:54 PM

In the meantime, I can help you out!

burkLane · Saturday at 7:35 AM

peterl95124 said:
my need is to learn Solid Works !

I find CAD and Cam software like Solid works to be complex programs that pretty much require frequent use. For me anyway it is a perishable skill. I need to spend a few hours per week drawing models and or setting up models with cam tool paths to keep skills frosty. I can see a more casual use to be no fun.

Propforward · Saturday at 7:58 AM

Here's an example of client documentation to finished drawing. Now - a word or two on the drawing. I start on the assumption that the finished article is to be made to ASME Y14.5 (the American Standard for engineering drawings), which in essence says you make a drawing of the finished part. However - I will add what the client wants. That might be to show machining stock, or machine set up features. It's your drawing, so put what you want on it. Also, I've deliberately left some untidness on this drawing to make a point - which is if you get the drawing and see a few little errors or untidiness (it happens) - I fix those for free.

These are a tractor wheel weight / spacer for a local farmer friend of mine. I ended up making them as well as doing the drawing.

Customer sketch:

Drawing:

On page 2 - notice the highlighted parts. Page 2 is essentially what I call a process drawing. The bolt pattern is called out in ordinates - that's because the machinist (that eas going to do these but ended up not doing them) used a manual mill without a DRO and this made it easy to do. You wouldn't normally dimension them this way on a component drawing in industry = but if that's what YOU want in order to suit how you make the thing or communicate what you need to whoever - that's what I'll do. I also have a detail showing how to use a gauge ball to measure the chamfer. Up in the top right corner is a detail showing the hex of the bolt to be used and making sure it fits the counterbore - but the dimensions overlap. Untidy - but got fixed after a quick review. I'm trying not to hide the process, basically, and show that I'll make you nice, clear, usable drawings for CHEAP. This is essentially a service to the model engineering community on the assumption that there probably isn't a huge amount of demand for it. If there is huge demand that might change things but we'll see what happens.

Here are the spacers being made:

And being installed:

These ended up being made in 316 Stainless Steel - because I was able to get 2 16" diameter, 2-1/2" thick slugs from my old employer for free - so that kept the cost of the job down pretty significantly!

Anyone want to guess what I charged for this drawing? First person to get it right can have a drawing done for free.

Propforward · Saturday at 8:02 AM

burkLane said:
I find CAD and Cam software like Solid works to be complex programs that pretty much require frequent use. For me anyway it is a perishable skill. I need to spend a few hours per week drawing models and or setting up models with cam tool paths to keep skills frosty. I can see a more casual use to be no fun.

This is true - for the casual user there are more basic, less flexible tools that are much lower cost that are more appropriate and easier to keep up to speed on. Casual users are going to draw turned and milled parts for the most part, and won't need a lot of - if indeed any - of the more advanced tools that programs like Solidworks have. My SW license costs me $2600 a year to maintain - and it was something like $7500 to buy initially. No one is doing that for just casual home use - but I use the finite element analysis package, machine assembly tools like cable routing, sheet metal design and flattening and so one and so forth. I don't get into mould design - just haven't encountered it.

Propforward · Saturday at 8:32 AM

Attached here is a drawing packet for a lathe cross slide lock I designed. You can see a video series on it here:

The drawings are free for you to use and adapt the design to your lathe should you want to. One of my subscribers altered the design in a very interesting way and I'll be making and testing that alteration also, and providing updated drawings.

So - there are a couple of simple examples which I suspect are along the lines of what most Home Shop Machinists would need. If anyone wants to get into the kind of huge weldments and highly complex stuff that I do for a living we can certainly go there!

GreenTwin · Saturday at 11:17 AM

I was lucky to lock in a seat of Solidworks for a one-time fee ($4,000), with no annual subscription.
This was in 2012.
There is no way I could afford an annual fee.

Diddo for AutoCad 2004; perpetual license; no annual fee.

If you don't need the yearly upgrades, then you can save a ton of money on software.

.

Richard Hed · Saturday at 11:26 AM

Propforward said:
Here's an example of client documentation to finished drawing. Now - a word or two on the drawing. I start on the assumption that the finished article is to be made to ASME Y14.5 (the American Standard for engineering drawings), which in essence says you make a drawing of the finished part. However - I will add what the client wants. That might be to show machining stock, or machine set up features. It's your drawing, so put what you want on it. Also, I've deliberately left some untidness on this drawing to make a point - which is if you get the drawing and see a few little errors or untidiness (it happens) - I fix those for free.

These are a tractor wheel weight / spacer for a local farmer friend of mine. I ended up making them as well as doing the drawing.

Customer sketch:

View attachment 161093

Drawing:

View attachment 161094

View attachment 161095

On page 2 - notice the highlighted parts. Page 2 is essentially what I call a process drawing. The bolt pattern is called out in ordinates - that's because the machinist (that eas going to do these but ended up not doing them) used a manual mill without a DRO and this made it easy to do. You wouldn't normally dimension them this way on a component drawing in industry = but if that's what YOU want in order to suit how you make the thing or communicate what you need to whoever - that's what I'll do. I also have a detail showing how to use a gauge ball to measure the chamfer. Up in the top right corner is a detail showing the hex of the bolt to be used and making sure it fits the counterbore - but the dimensions overlap. Untidy - but got fixed after a quick review. I'm trying not to hide the process, basically, and show that I'll make you nice, clear, usable drawings for CHEAP. This is essentially a service to the model engineering community on the assumption that there probably isn't a huge amount of demand for it. If there is huge demand that might change things but we'll see what happens.

Here are the spacers being made:

View attachment 161096

View attachment 161097

And being installed:

View attachment 161098

View attachment 161099

View attachment 161100

These ended up being made in 316 Stainless Steel - because I was able to get 2 16" diameter, 2-1/2" thick slugs from my old employer for free - so that kept the cost of the job down pretty significantly!

Anyone want to guess what I charged for this drawing? First person to get it right can have a drawing done for free.

You charged nothing for the drawing, he was your friend. Thanx, but I already have several drawing programs and draw my own stuff.

Propforward · Saturday at 12:54 PM

I did charge him for the drawing.

Propforward · Saturday at 12:56 PM

GreenTwin said:
I was lucky to lock in a seat of Solidworks for a one-time fee ($4,000), with no annual subscription.
This was in 2012.
There is no way I could afford an annual fee.

Diddo for AutoCad 2004; perpetual license; no annual fee.

If you don't need the yearly upgrades, then you can save a ton of money on software.

.

SW basic is still about 4K I believe and is a perpetual license. That's standard on Solidworks, although they are pushing the cloud based version HARD. I use the software professionally, so the upgrades are worthwhile. Even essential, in fact. Solidworks change to a new version every year that is not forwards compatible - to force users into buying the maintenance package. If you only make models for yourself, not an issue. Also - SW policy is to make you pay for missing subscription years - I think to a maximum of 3 - if you decide to up your version year less frequently than once a year. It's a bit punitive in my view and I think they'd do better by cutting the sub fee - I think they'd get more people and make more money. But like I say, they are pushing the cloud based version hard and I think ultimately will ditch the perpetual licenses all together. They already tried it but there was a huge backlash, but eventually they'll do it again. Maybe it's actually cheaper to go that route, but I hate all these cloud based applications.

Bazzer · Sunday at 8:21 AM

Propforward said:
Here's an example of client documentation to finished drawing. Now - a word or two on the drawing. I start on the assumption that the finished article is to be made to ASME Y14.5 (the American Standard for engineering drawings), which in essence says you make a drawing of the finished part. However - I will add what the client wants. That might be to show machining stock, or machine set up features. It's your drawing, so put what you want on it. Also, I've deliberately left some untidness on this drawing to make a point - which is if you get the drawing and see a few little errors or untidiness (it happens) - I fix those for free.

These are a tractor wheel weight / spacer for a local farmer friend of mine. I ended up making them as well as doing the drawing.

Customer sketch:

View attachment 161093

Drawing:

View attachment 161094

View attachment 161095

On page 2 - notice the highlighted parts. Page 2 is essentially what I call a process drawing. The bolt pattern is called out in ordinates - that's because the machinist (that eas going to do these but ended up not doing them) used a manual mill without a DRO and this made it easy to do. You wouldn't normally dimension them this way on a component drawing in industry = but if that's what YOU want in order to suit how you make the thing or communicate what you need to whoever - that's what I'll do. I also have a detail showing how to use a gauge ball to measure the chamfer. Up in the top right corner is a detail showing the hex of the bolt to be used and making sure it fits the counterbore - but the dimensions overlap. Untidy - but got fixed after a quick review. I'm trying not to hide the process, basically, and show that I'll make you nice, clear, usable drawings for CHEAP. This is essentially a service to the model engineering community on the assumption that there probably isn't a huge amount of demand for it. If there is huge demand that might change things but we'll see what happens.

Here are the spacers being made:

View attachment 161096

View attachment 161097

And being installed:

View attachment 161098

View attachment 161099

View attachment 161100

These ended up being made in 316 Stainless Steel - because I was able to get 2 16" diameter, 2-1/2" thick slugs from my old employer for free - so that kept the cost of the job down pretty significantly!

Anyone want to guess what I charged for this drawing? First person to get it right can have a drawing done for free.

Nice work, give us a clue on what you charged for the spacer drawings?

Propforward · Sunday at 9:25 AM

I was hoping there would be a couple of guesses and see if someone could win a free drawing, but there isn't very likely to be those guesses, so I'll just come out with it and say I charged him $15 for this one.

That is not a fixed price - it depends on amount of info provided, amount of details, complexity and so on. But - that's pretty cheap, honestly. All models / drawings include one round of redlines to fix misunderstandings. Clerical errors on my part get fixed for free for all time (because they usually get picked up very quickly), but there is not endless design change support if that makes sense.

In the world of industry and manufacturing the CAD cost for that spacer would be SIGNIFICANTLY higher than $15.

Bazzer · Sunday at 9:34 AM

Propforward said:
I was hoping there would be a couple of guesses and see if someone could win a free drawing, but there isn't very likely to be those guesses, so I'll just come out with it and say I charged him $15 for this one.

That is not a fixed price - it depends on amount of info provided, amount of details, complexity and so on. But - that's pretty cheap, honestly. All models / drawings include one round of redlines to fix misunderstandings. Clerical errors on my part get fixed for free for all time (because they usually get picked up very quickly), but there is not endless design change support if that makes sense.

In the world of industry and manufacturing the CAD cost for that spacer would be SIGNIFICANTLY higher than $15.

Yes that is just a 'Mates rate' price but I like your professionalism and the full service that you are providing, Well done.

Propforward · Sunday at 9:41 AM

That's exactly what I'm trying to offer really. I think there might be some folks around who would like some bits and pieces modeled and drawn and have no way to get it done, so I'm trying to help out my mates in the model engineering / home fabrication / home machinist community. I suspect it's a small demand so I can do it cheaply.

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