Blue print program question
- Thread starter V 45
- Start date
Help Support Home Model Engine Machinist Forum:
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2007
- Messages
- 3,025
- Reaction score
- 1,109
draftsight http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/index.php?topic=11004.0
gbritnell
gbritnell
Well...I downloaded the program. Moved a circle around. I'm old school and having a hard time with it. I guess I'll have to read A LOT MORE to figure this out for any usefullnees for me !! Just figured it wouldn't be this difficult to draw a print. Can't figure it out..oh well...back to the pencil for now. I have NO experience at all with this sort of thing. I am new to all of this machining as well. I want to make some static models before getting into moving models. With that being said..the static would become a moving one later if I could have my own plans and drawings. Maybe a little self schooling in order !!
???
???
rake60
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2007
- Messages
- 4,756
- Reaction score
- 125
I do tooling drawings with plain old Microsoft Excel.
It's already on every computer I own and the drawing tools that are built into
it are simple enough for even me to use.
The attached file is one I made just a day ago.
Rick
View attachment Front Cross Slide Holder.xls
It's already on every computer I own and the drawing tools that are built into
it are simple enough for even me to use.
The attached file is one I made just a day ago.
Rick
View attachment Front Cross Slide Holder.xls
- Joined
- Jan 19, 2010
- Messages
- 1,193
- Reaction score
- 41
Hello Dave,
I have been using Solid Edge 2D drafting for 2 years. I find it very easy to use, and it has all the capabilities required to make professional quality drawings, and easy enough to create a quick doodle in the shop.
You can download it for free, 100% unlocked from their website. http://www.plm.automation.siemens.com/en_us/products/velocity/solidedge/free2d/
They do require you to give them some information, nothing crazy, just your name and stuff. Every year you must renew your license, this is a very easy process.
Kel
I have been using Solid Edge 2D drafting for 2 years. I find it very easy to use, and it has all the capabilities required to make professional quality drawings, and easy enough to create a quick doodle in the shop.
You can download it for free, 100% unlocked from their website. http://www.plm.automation.siemens.com/en_us/products/velocity/solidedge/free2d/
They do require you to give them some information, nothing crazy, just your name and stuff. Every year you must renew your license, this is a very easy process.
Kel
Maryak
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2008
- Messages
- 4,990
- Reaction score
- 77
V45,
Like you I could not get my head around this CAD business, until..................................I bought this small book "CAD for Model Engineers," by DAG Brown. ISBN 1-85486-189-1. Probably available from My Hobby Store, an English website.
Suddenly all this layers and grid stuff started to make sense. It was amongst the best $20 I ever spent.
Hope this helps
Best Regards
Bob
Like you I could not get my head around this CAD business, until..................................I bought this small book "CAD for Model Engineers," by DAG Brown. ISBN 1-85486-189-1. Probably available from My Hobby Store, an English website.
Suddenly all this layers and grid stuff started to make sense. It was amongst the best $20 I ever spent.
Hope this helps
Best Regards
Bob
CAD is interesting. The OP had troubles with it, and so did I.
A few years ago, I was making a desk top CNC mill. The project was complex enough so that CAD was almost essential. So I forced myself to learn to use QuickCAD. The learning curve was steep. It didn't seem friendly at all, but after enough pounding away, the light bulb came on, and then I learned just how powerful CAD can be, even 2D. For example, I needed to make a part I called a "nut carrier" that connects a ball screw nut to a table. I imported the DXF file of the nut, and the nut appeared on my workspace like magic. I then drew the nut carrier around it, using the powerful "snap" tools and such, and AFTER it's drawn, you then get the dimensions, like a 23.22mm hole, bolts spaced by 12.55mm, etc.
The CAD allows one to arrange components for fit, and to check for interference between parts. When you print the file and machine to print, everything comes together perfectly.
QuickCAD was too weak to do what I wanted later, so I had to learn Rhino3d. It was no fun at all to transition, so all I can suggest is to start with the CAD/CAM package that you think will do it all for you forever; get good at it. It pays BIG dividends in design.
A few years ago, I was making a desk top CNC mill. The project was complex enough so that CAD was almost essential. So I forced myself to learn to use QuickCAD. The learning curve was steep. It didn't seem friendly at all, but after enough pounding away, the light bulb came on, and then I learned just how powerful CAD can be, even 2D. For example, I needed to make a part I called a "nut carrier" that connects a ball screw nut to a table. I imported the DXF file of the nut, and the nut appeared on my workspace like magic. I then drew the nut carrier around it, using the powerful "snap" tools and such, and AFTER it's drawn, you then get the dimensions, like a 23.22mm hole, bolts spaced by 12.55mm, etc.
The CAD allows one to arrange components for fit, and to check for interference between parts. When you print the file and machine to print, everything comes together perfectly.
QuickCAD was too weak to do what I wanted later, so I had to learn Rhino3d. It was no fun at all to transition, so all I can suggest is to start with the CAD/CAM package that you think will do it all for you forever; get good at it. It pays BIG dividends in design.
terrywerm
Keeper of the Coffee Pot
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2009
- Messages
- 148
- Reaction score
- 52
Ah yes, the never ending CAD debate.
Years back I started using a product called KeyCAD. It worked fine for the drawings I did, and it was a reasonably priced tool for the hobbyist. Time went by, and it was time to upgrade my CAD software, but KeyCAD was no longer available.
We had TurboCAD on a computer at work, and I had many opportunities to learn and use it. It was ok, but didn't really appeal to me for some reason, so I kept looking.
A friend was using QuickCAD from AutoDesk, and let me try it out on his computer. I could see that there was going to be a bit of a learning curve, but it was far more robust than KeyCAD or TurboCAD and was reasonably priced as well. Being from AutoDesk, I figured that the product would be around for some time, so I purchased it for $60 or so at that time (2000) and have been very happy with it. Naturally, newer versions of QuickCAD are not available either! I did find that AutoDesk does offer a product called AutoSketch, which appears to be QuickCAD with a different name. It is a little more expensive, with a current price tag of $200 from Amazon, but I believe I may just bite the bullet on it. Not having to learn a new tool again and not having to try and convert existing drawings would be well worth the cash outlay.
Still, I decided to try a few more of the free tools, such as Google Sketchup, which is easy to use, but lacks the capabilities of the tools that I am used to. It just is not a robust precision drafting program.
eMachineShop was tried, and it actually worked rather well, it produces great drawings and 3D renderings, but it does not allow the user to add any dimensions to the drawing. Works fine to send to the software producer to have them machine a part for you but is worthless for producing a drawing that I can use in my shop. Granted, the producer intended the tool to be used by their customers for submitting jobs for hire, not as a free CAD program for guys like us to use strictly as a CAD program.
I tried DraftSight but for some reason it is not compatible with the graphics card on my laptop. I can draw one item, such as a rectangle, but as soon as I click to draw a second item, it crashes the display and then closes DraftSight. Ixnay on that one.
I am not into the 3D stuff, and 2D is all I really need for my projects, so I don't know that I am ready to give AutoDesk 123D a whirl just yet. I suppose I should try it before passing judgement, but I suspect I will end up purchasing AutoSketch, despite the dinero I'll have to spend.
Years back I started using a product called KeyCAD. It worked fine for the drawings I did, and it was a reasonably priced tool for the hobbyist. Time went by, and it was time to upgrade my CAD software, but KeyCAD was no longer available.
We had TurboCAD on a computer at work, and I had many opportunities to learn and use it. It was ok, but didn't really appeal to me for some reason, so I kept looking.
A friend was using QuickCAD from AutoDesk, and let me try it out on his computer. I could see that there was going to be a bit of a learning curve, but it was far more robust than KeyCAD or TurboCAD and was reasonably priced as well. Being from AutoDesk, I figured that the product would be around for some time, so I purchased it for $60 or so at that time (2000) and have been very happy with it. Naturally, newer versions of QuickCAD are not available either! I did find that AutoDesk does offer a product called AutoSketch, which appears to be QuickCAD with a different name. It is a little more expensive, with a current price tag of $200 from Amazon, but I believe I may just bite the bullet on it. Not having to learn a new tool again and not having to try and convert existing drawings would be well worth the cash outlay.
Still, I decided to try a few more of the free tools, such as Google Sketchup, which is easy to use, but lacks the capabilities of the tools that I am used to. It just is not a robust precision drafting program.
eMachineShop was tried, and it actually worked rather well, it produces great drawings and 3D renderings, but it does not allow the user to add any dimensions to the drawing. Works fine to send to the software producer to have them machine a part for you but is worthless for producing a drawing that I can use in my shop. Granted, the producer intended the tool to be used by their customers for submitting jobs for hire, not as a free CAD program for guys like us to use strictly as a CAD program.
I tried DraftSight but for some reason it is not compatible with the graphics card on my laptop. I can draw one item, such as a rectangle, but as soon as I click to draw a second item, it crashes the display and then closes DraftSight. Ixnay on that one.
I am not into the 3D stuff, and 2D is all I really need for my projects, so I don't know that I am ready to give AutoDesk 123D a whirl just yet. I suppose I should try it before passing judgement, but I suspect I will end up purchasing AutoSketch, despite the dinero I'll have to spend.
neptune769
Active Member
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2012
- Messages
- 26
- Reaction score
- 1
I use Alibre. I used to use ACad 2000. But I find the price and the learning curve of Alibre much better. Alibre is only $200 for a 3D drafting prog.
Hope this helps.
Dennis
Hope this helps.
Dennis
George_Race
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2010
- Messages
- 125
- Reaction score
- 2
The program CamBam has what I find to be a very easy to use CAD type drawing program. You can download a free trial and there are no limits on the drawing portion. The CAM portion does have limits, but you can do up to 500 lines of GCode after the trails expire.
J
JorgensenSteam
Guest
There was a lot of beginner information and basic tutorials on Draftsight put on this post:
http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/index.php?topic=11004.0
http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/index.php?topic=11004.0
Hello All,
Thanx again for the imput. I have been reading about all this and will have to read more about it. I went thru the HME's threads and also printed the ref sheets. The CAD book might be a real deal for me. I would rather be working on my machines than this but it might make me a better machinist ONE day !!
Thanx again
Thanx again for the imput. I have been reading about all this and will have to read more about it. I went thru the HME's threads and also printed the ref sheets. The CAD book might be a real deal for me. I would rather be working on my machines than this but it might make me a better machinist ONE day !!
Thanx again
I use ProgeCAD Smart [ame]http://download.cnet.com/progeCAD-2009-Smart/3000-6677_4-10777485.html[/ame] . If you know anything about AutoCAD, the interface will be very familiar. It's basically 2D. Some limited 3D is possible, although somewhat painful. It displays 3D .DWG files created by others quite happily, however.
It's free, although they request that if you like the software to please make a donation to the "Doctors Without Borders" charity. I have no problem with that, and it's not required.
It's free, although they request that if you like the software to please make a donation to the "Doctors Without Borders" charity. I have no problem with that, and it's not required.
Lew Hartswick
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2007
- Messages
- 505
- Reaction score
- 10
I use a drawing board and triangles etc. I don't have a 3D problem I can usually see
that in my head. I'm too old to learn one of those programs. With a scanner I can
make it a file to store on the computer.
...Lew...
that in my head. I'm too old to learn one of those programs. With a scanner I can
make it a file to store on the computer.
...Lew...
I use the LibreOffice Draw program for all of my "blueprints." It's not CAD, but it's pretty good for basic drawing and does include some CAD-like features.
LibreOffice (a fork of OpenOffice.org) is a very capable (and free) office suite which includes word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, and drawing. It works on Linux, Windows, and MAC. Get it here:
I recently installed LibreCAD, so I can't say much about it, except that it looks promising on a first look basis.
LibreOffice (a fork of OpenOffice.org) is a very capable (and free) office suite which includes word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, and drawing. It works on Linux, Windows, and MAC. Get it here:
https://www.libreoffice.org/
Note: If you use Ubuntu Linux (as I do) then LibreOffice is already installed.
For true CAD you might try LibreCAD (not related to LibreOffice - the name is just coincidental). Also works on Linux, Windows, and MAC. Get it here:Note: If you use Ubuntu Linux (as I do) then LibreOffice is already installed.
I recently installed LibreCAD, so I can't say much about it, except that it looks promising on a first look basis.
