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Computer drawing software recommendations?

Andy_con

Andy_con

ClioSport Club Member
Car  clio 182
I want to get some software for doing technical drawings so something like CAD etc...


Although im happy to pay for a license for sxome software i am not paying three figures for it.


Does anyone have any recommendations?
 
Does that allow you to do anything with the drawing once you have finished? Like save as a pdf or a jpg?



Will take a look at lunch cheera
 
AutoCAD
ArchiCAD
Google Sketchup
Vectorworks
Planit Fusion/Millennium

Need to know what you want to draw. 2D or 3D? Model only or modelling for render?
 
As a minimum id like to be able to sketch something in 3d to scale then export a dimensioned version with all the measurements on it.



Its for the parts I mill on my milling machine.
 
AutoCAD will be the best. Costly though.

ArchiCAD is also fantastic, but curved work is sometimes limited so it would depend on your requirements.

Not sure if Google Sketchup would be suitable for you, I sometimes find it very limited in it's uses and accuracy. It's good for a free package, that's about it though.
 
Its a manual mill so it only does square stuff (well apart from the round holes I drill)




what's the rough cost of ArchiCAD?



Just had a quick look at google sketchup on my fone and the pro versions is $500
 
Yeah sounds about right.

Think ArchiCAD is circa £700 tbh... I know it's a lot but you get what you pay for. We don't use it for any machine work, so exactly how well it would export to your machine I'm not sure.
 
Pfff that's a no then sadly I can't afford that. free Google sketch up it may be then



Cheers for ya help
 
Illegally. Off the internet or someone you know with a cracked copy.

Try Google Sketchup and see how it goes for you, if you like it, and the Pro version has the features you want, then go for it.
 
whoop whoop a mates dad just gave me autocad 2006 with a license code.

ive been watching some beginers videos, but you need to watch every single thing in order to pick out the one or two bits i actually need.

any cad experts wana give me a hand over teamviewer?
 
so i have my object

1-3.webp


i type extrube and select the object. i then type 10 as i want it 10mm high, i then get stuck when it asks for Specify angle of taper for extrusion <0>

2-3.webp
 
You probably want 0 in there but you will probably need the union option toolbar and everytime you move the shape or viewport then click it as it pulls everything back into line.

Not done 3d since AutoCAD 2004. :dapprove:
 
2D is terribly easy (I would say that), but the 3D stuff is just very time consuming and trial and error for me at the moment. I'm better in Maya/Google Sketchup.

If you need any 2D help Conneh, don't hesitate to ask.
 
Google sketchup is awesome, thanks for the tip.

Never come across it before (god knows why) but it pretty easy to use and as a German bunker fanatic, it is surprisingly easy to use to draw them. A wealth of models on there too, I am going to sketch a few up and use them on bunker tours in the future.
 
things are coming along nicely for me at the moment in cad, but i am really struggling with viewports and layouts

singlediode4451.webp
 
This is what im doing Rob, the main shape is pretty simple to do in 2D.

photo5hv.jpg


Unsure on how to do the i-beams, the ones in explorer i can't work out how it's inputting them.
 
andy_con said:
things are coming along nicely for me at the moment in cad, but i am really struggling with viewports and layouts

singlediode4451.webp
Click to expand...


Layouts are the final plot. You draw in the model space at 1:1 scale.

Basically the layout is the sheet of paper and you create a viewport. You then set the viewport scale etc and you can change layers so they all appear black etc then plot it.

That way any adjustments made in the model also appear on the layouts.

Some drawings I do have 20 odd layouts in the one drawing as the site is too big to fit on one sheet of paper.
 
conneh said:
This is what im doing Rob, the main shape is pretty simple to do in 2D.

Unsure on how to do the i-beams, the ones in explorer i can't work out how it's inputting them.
Click to expand...

Do you know what size you want your beam - I have blocks of all standard sizes of beams and columns. Let me know what size you need and give me your email and I will ping one over to you tomorrow in work.

With regards to viewports and layouts I have a table somewhere on my work PC with the zoom factor you need to use on your viewports to get certain standard scales, within that I also have the size you need to make your text for it to be 2.5/3.5/5.0mm (this is for both 1=1m and 1=1mm) It will be clearer when I find the spreadsheet.

If you need any help with CAD I am happy to assist, whilst its pretty easy to get the basics, it take a long time to get fast and learn the commands, I don't think I will ever know them all, I learn something new on AutoCAD almost every day.

I have experience with 2005, 2008, 2009 and 2009 Civil 3D. In my new job which I have just got I will be using 2012 :D
 
andy_con said:
i understand what its for i just cant set it up
Click to expand...

And I hate that paper background thingy with the shadow you have on, you can turn that off! To enter the options menu type OP then hit enter. It's in there somewhere under 'view' or something.
 
What do you do Pete?

Some blocks would be fantastic, unsure on size, something big. I'm not engineering this bridge, just need to draw it in CAD for my CAD module. Joys of a Civil Engineering degree.
 
conneh said:
What do you do Pete?

Some blocks would be fantastic, unsure on size, something big. I'm not engineering this bridge, just need to draw it in CAD for my CAD module. Joys of a Civil Engineering degree.
Click to expand...

I currently work in the Water and Utilities sector with a large consultancy, but I have just accepted a job working with the contractor on a large construction project - which I happen to have worked on with the consultancy I am in the process of leaving for the last 18 months.

I did a ONC and HNC in Civils on a part time basis over 4 years. To be honest I really enjoy CAD, and without blowing my own trumpet to much, I'm bloody good at it.

My current company offered me a promotion and 15% increase when I handed in my notice yesterday, I declined and they said what would it take to keep me. It's nice to know they want me to stay but disappointing that I didn't get that at the start of Jan... if I had, I wouldn't have been looking for a new job. I want to try working for a contractor for a bit and the fact the new role is a contract role means its on a hell of a lot more money as well!

If you need any standard details of bits and bobs I have a large library I have built up, just let me know and I'll be happy to send some bits over to you.

Rob said:
What exactly are you struggling with Conneh? The actual drawing of the beams or what?? Can you use CAD software or is it all new to you?
Click to expand...

This? Can you give us a bit more info?
 
Anyone mentioned siemens uni graphics NX? It's what I use and it's fairly straight forward once you get the hang of it

You can make stuff like this and convert it to technical drawings

5cc7bba4.gif


does anyone know how to make complex extrusions like bumpers? Pm to prevent spam :)
 
Last edited:
There is a 2011 version of solid works by someone known as "solidsquad" not a legit copy but has everything you need for rapid prototyping and making tech drawings from, really good program all in all packed with a lot of tools

I think auto cad was free for mac or student edition I can't remember but I'm not a fan of it,
 
Yea i can use CAD, last year i had to do floor plans of a bungalo and elevated views etc. I just think i'm being a bit lazy with it at the moment.
 
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