DraftSight - Free 2D CAD

[JorgensenSteam]

To delete an object, select it, and then use the "delete" key on the keyboard.

I generally hit the "Esc" key several times before I pick and delete an object so that I don't accidentally have two or more items picked at the same time.

 

[Twmaster]

Yea, I figured it out. It was not letting me get to the point where I could click on and select it.

After a few choice words I managed to get my drawing done. It did not turn out too bad.

I still have a lot to learn about Draftsight. But so far it's not made me mad enough to delete it. QCAD got deleted....

 

[Twmaster]

I've been working with Draftsight again today. I'm starting to get the hang of things. This is pretty nice stuff. And it also runs on my Linux workstation!

 

[Mayhem]

Hello BigOnSteam,

I have just read this entire thread and I am extremely grateful for the time and effort you have put into posting the material.

This is my first attempt at using any CAD software and I have found this to be very useful, have picked up some info that I did not do so in completing the exercises in the 'Getting Started with DraftSight' manual offered by DS. I note an earlier link to what was described as a user manual but it links to their resources page and I couldn't see anything other that that which I already have. Is it the same thing or have they perhaps changed their page?

I am curious as to whether you are planning on posting any more lessons or practical pointers.

Thanks,
Mayhem

 

[JorgensenSteam]

Mayhem-

Welcome to HMEM, glad to have you here with this great bunch of guys.

I struggled for a long time to learn 2D CAD, and had some help on it, but found the standard manuals were not very good for drawing engines.

I have recently transitioned into 3D, and that again was a very difficult process for me, but I have finally mastered it.

I like 3D so much that I don't do much 2D any more, but for many 2D will be perfectly useful, and there is something to be said for using 2D for the simplier designs.

I can support anyone here for as long as necessary who is trying to learn 2D or 3D. I got some good support on HMEM when I was learning 3D and I have always appreciated that, not to mention the machining support and support in general that I have received here.

I will see where I left off on the 2D stuff and see if I can't continue with some useful ideas.

Pat J

 

[Mayhem]

Thanks Pat,

I would appreciate that if you have the time to do so. 2D will more than meet my needs. Creating title blocks is something I would like to learn more about (i.e. how to create them).

 

[JorgensenSteam]

Learning 3D modeling has been a long journey for me, and while 3D is not for everyone, if you happen to have a spare year or so to learn 3D, you can make some cool models with it.

As far as titleblocks, I don't like the stock titleblocks that come with many drawing/modeling programs, and I find that they are overloaded with too much information.

You can look at the simple titleblocks I used for the Bernay engine in the Downloads section of this forum, which I think is a dwg file (or maybe a PDF, I can't remember).

I starte by just drawing a rectangle, either in portrait or landscape mode, the exact size of the sheet, say 17" wide and 11" tall, then offset that inwards maybe 0.75" for a new rectangle. The outer rectangle I put on the defpoints layer so that it does not print. Generally you don't want to draw too close to the edges of the paper since printers often clip off 1/4" or so at the edge.

I just use the offset and trim command to make a few boxes for the sheet number, title, date, etc. Nothing fancy, less is more in my opinion.

Pat J

 

[Mayhem]

Thanks Pat,

I downloaded the two Bernay Steam Engine CAD Drawings but they return a damaged file error in Acrobat. Never mind, I'll just jump right in and see what I can do. After all, what is the worst that can happen - a deleted file and a second try!

 

[FanParts]

If you use Draftsight, you will be interested by the new cad parts library powered by TraceParts that give an access to millions of free 2D drawings!
http://www.tracepartsonline.net/ws/draftsight

 

[dman]

i just noticed they have a linux install (great for linux cnc) so i installed it on my home pc. oddly as a plus i didn't need to do anything weird, the ubuntu .deb file worked without issue on my debian install. i thought it was odd they had .deb packages but non labeled for debian use but it works. seems good. i like it.

 

[mikeb185]

can anyone tell me how to draw a precise rectangle? i want an 8mm x 13.5mm 1 and when i type 8,13.5 its coming out huge! cheers and hope you can help

 

[kvom]

can anyone tell me how to draw a precise rectangle? i want an 8mm x 13.5mm 1 and when i type 8,13.5 its coming out huge! cheers and hope you can help

Hopefully you set your units to metric. You can verify the size by drawing a linear dimension on each side.

To draw it with the rectangle tool you need to type the coords of two opposite corners, e.g. 0,0 then 8,13.5

 

[mikeb185]

sorry to sound dumb but how do i know what the co ords are? there isnt any measurements etc on the page? cheers

 

[johnmcc69]

The co-ords are "invisible" locations on your screen. After you enter your 1st corner location X & Y & enter, if you move your mouse, you should see a rectangle drag across the screen. Enter your second corner location X & Y location, & you're done.

John

 

[mikeb185]

thanks for your help, i can draw a rectangle but im not grasping how to draw 1 to my precise requirements! i can draw a circle to the exact radius i require but am struggling with the rectangle. can someone give me step by step instructions please

 

[kvom]

1)Click on the rectangle tool button
2)Type 0,0 when prompted for the first corner, then enter
3)Type 8,13.5 when prompted for the opposite corner, then enter

Alternate:

1) Click on point tool
2) enter 0,0 for first point
3) enter 8,13.5 for second point
4) Click on rectangle tool
5) Use cursor to snap to the 0,0 point and click
6) Use cursor to snap to the 8,13.5 point, then click

Your can also draw the 4 sides separately using infinite lines and then trim.

You draw two adjacent lines and then copy each with the displacement option.

The point is, there are some things you just cannot do easily with just the mouse; you have to use the keyboard entry at times.

 

[mikeb185]

top man thanks very much

 

[kf2qd]

2 lines at right angles - from a point anywhere on the screen where you need the rectangle.
The use the offset tool and offset 1 line 8 and run the offset toll and use an offset of 13.5. Then use the champfer tool with both offsets set to 0 and clean up the other 3 corners.

Personally, I don't care for the rectangle tool as I don't generally work from coordinate 0,0.

 

[johnmcc69]

That was probably the hardest concept for me to grasp moving from AcaD to Pro-E 3d.
No cross hairs? No coordinate system? This can't work!
But wait, instead of entering coordinates, I click "Rectangle", drag a rectangle to wherever..enter.
then..double click the dimensions created, change to whatever I want, all is good.

Started out in AcaD, & spent MANY years running it & still do. Sounds like Draftsite is a cool little program. I'd like to see some of the stuff you folks do with it. Does it use modelspace/paperspace like AcaD?

John

 

[kvom]

I don't use the rectangle tool either. I use the same technique as kf2qd, starting at a point of one corner and generating two orthogonal lines and then copying each with the displacement option. As I usually just do drawings for CNC milling purposes, rectangles aren't necessary as I can create a closed polyline in CAM afterwards if needed. And if it's imported as a polyrectangle I would need to convert to polyline anyway.

I first learned CAD in MasterCam class with step-by-step tutorial examples, and Draftsight's tools are very similar.