CAD Drawing Software

Fla._Deadheader · September 19, 2003, 06:33:25 PM

I am designing a sawmill and it would be nice to have some software to do this with. What is the best entry level, CAD Software??? I'm about as computer illiterate as anyone can be, so, what would anyone suggest???

WoodChucker · September 19, 2003, 07:12:15 PM

http://nct.digitalriver.com/fulfill/0002.16/download/

Fla._Deadheader,

Give this a try, I just downloaded it myself and it's a free to try. I've not had a chance to really play with it yet but so far it seems pretty good. It has good learning tools that give you tutorials.

R.T.

Tillaway · September 19, 2003, 07:14:23 PM

There is some freeware floating around. Also try looking for some of the big software sights that serve as gateways for them. I have downloaded a few CAD programs but so far nothing I can really figure out. But its been a while since I looked.

Fla._Deadheader · September 19, 2003, 08:05:10 PM

Thanks for the replys. I am STILL waiting for the modem, so I can install DSL on the puter. No sense trying to download anything with this crappy dial-up. It will stop transferring in the middle of a download. Hopefully next week?? It's only been a week since I signed up for it???

Brian_Bailey · September 19, 2003, 08:24:29 PM

FD - The June 2003 issue of Popular Woodworking has an article on CAD for Woodworkers. The piece was written by their technical illustrator. The article describes using "QuickCAD" as easy, mighty, & cheap. " For just $50, you can turn your PC into a powerful woodworking tool. Make better parts lists. Alter your designs easily. Create full-size cutting patterns and more."

After reading the article, I've always been a pencil & paper & eraser kinda guy, I'm impressed

and going to try it.
You can get it according to the article from Amazon.com for $47, Gateway.com for $46, or from the Mfg. @ Autodesk.com for $49.

I don't see why this program would be limited to just woodworking.

ksu_chainsaw · September 19, 2003, 08:40:40 PM

in high school we used Auto-Cad. VERY EXPENSIVE!!! I found a program called IntelliCad for about $20 at Best Buy or some big computer store. it uses almost the identical commands as does Auto-Cad and you can find tutorial books for older versions of Auto-Cad cheap. I have had some experience with some other cod programs, but for the money, IntelliCad is just about the best deal that I have found.

Charles

Fla._Deadheader · September 19, 2003, 09:16:16 PM

I found something on Ebay, called Luxiouriocity??? They claim lots of stuff that I know nothing about. It is $8.00 + $7.00 S&H ??? ???

Bigdogpc · September 20, 2003, 04:34:06 AM

Turbo-cad is decent and not horrible on the learning curve. Older versions can be found pretty cheap.

Den Socling · September 21, 2003, 11:56:51 AM

The TurboCAD, for which WoodChucker left a link, seems very easy to use.

biziedizie · September 21, 2003, 03:39:29 PM

Fla I have the auto-cad program and if I can burn a copy it's yours 8) Before you jump up and down let me see if it will burn, if my brain works properly I member trying this and it a few years back and it didn't work. :( :P I'll call my puter buddy and see what he says about getting this thing copied. :P

Steve

Fla._Deadheader · September 21, 2003, 03:49:22 PM

You guys are the best.
Has anyone ever thought about -------Nahhhhhhhhhhhh

Larry · September 21, 2003, 05:47:13 PM

Use it or loose it!

I used to be proficient with both Auto-Cad and Opti-Cad (phone company system). We had a big printer and could run off something like 16"X20" prints. When I retired I didn't want to buy or use up a bunch of memory on my PC for a big system. Tried a couple of freeware programs and bought a simple CAD program. Best was Quick & Easy Cad which I still use when I have to. They all worked pretty good but found out that if you didn't use them every week or so it took a long time to figure out how to make them work. With my printer I can't print anything over an 8"X11" page.

Really like my drafting table, T-square, and graph paper. I can make a drawing with a pencil in about the amount of time it takes me to figure out how to use the CAD things. Buy the paper 36" wide in a roll as long as you want and make some big drawings.

biziedizie · September 21, 2003, 05:55:08 PM

I agree with Larry, sometimes it's faster to pick up the pencil and paper. When I was doing house designs and things like that for the customers the auto-cad was great but the less I used it the more I forgot and it would take forever to do things. It is a big program it did take up alot of space.

Steve

Fla._Deadheader · September 21, 2003, 07:08:31 PM

:'( :'( :'( :-[ :-[ :( :( :( :'( :'( :'( That hurts :

:

biziedizie · September 21, 2003, 09:34:22 PM

K I just tried to burn this cd and nutting happened, me thinks it's that copy write thing that's stopping me :

:P I think that's the same thing that stopped me a few years back??? I left words on the puter buddies machine and hope to hear from him soon

I have another buddy that makes his living burning cds and I will see what he has, everytime I've ever needed something he's always had it.

Steve

MrMoo · September 22, 2003, 08:06:18 AM

Deadheader,
You may want to look at a program called EasyCAD. Last I knew it was priced right & easy to use. All CAD programs have a learning curve though and they are the type of software that needs to be used frequently otherwise you forget how to use it and end up using pencil & paper. Pencil and paper is what I use these days since I do this so infrequently.

Biziedizie,
Perhaps you should not be talking about pirating software on this forum. What you are doing is illegal and as someone who works in the software insdutry I somewhat take exception to what you are doing. At least mention it offline. :-/
Ya as far as I know AutoCad is protected from coping,

Mike

Fla._Deadheader · September 22, 2003, 08:25:14 AM

Thanks, Mike.
I believe Diz was trying to be helpful, more than illegal. We all see both sides of the issue and fully agree with your warning. Point well taken. ;)

biziedizie · September 22, 2003, 08:51:20 AM

Mike I will take my 3000 plus tunes, ohhh make that 4000, forgot about the ones in the truck and have a little fire as the guilt is killing me :

;) :D
Not trying to be mean or anything but pleezzzzz don't tell me that you've never copied a cd before

I was (and still will) just trying to help Harold out and I don't see nutting wrong with that

Steve

Jason_WI · September 22, 2003, 10:06:09 AM

Harold,

Sent you a private message.....

Jason

Den Socling · September 22, 2003, 10:37:59 AM

Again, the TurboCAD mentioned earlier is available and it is FREE. The website says that it's an old version and they are counting on you buying the upgrades.
The old version was working fine for me this morning but I Google searched and found free CAD stuff and added more electronic symbols to TurboCAD's library.

Larry · September 22, 2003, 11:42:45 AM

No offense meant Harold. I was talking about myself. I just find if I don't use the cad stuff frequently enough I forget how to operate it and have to relearn it. Just a lot faster for me to hit the drafting table unless I want to draw up something for the net. ;D

Fla._Deadheader · September 22, 2003, 03:26:04 PM

  DanG, I did it AGAIN. >:(
  Don'T take what I said personal, Larry.
  I was tryin to relate how hard it was for me to learn this puter stuff, and now y'all are tellin me paper and pencil is easier :

;D ;D :D :D :D
I value all your input. You are very helpful. Someday, we ARE gonna meet ;) ;D :D :D :D

Fla._Deadheader · September 22, 2003, 09:48:46 PM

8) 8) 8) WHOOOOOO HOOOOOOO 8) 8) 8)
  Just got done hooking up DSL to the puter. ;D ;D ;D
  MAN, what a difference. ;D ;D ;D
  I don't have to take naps between sites anymore. 8) 8) ;D
  First thing I did was download that there Turbo Cad program. Took 10 minutes, NOT 14 hours. 8) ;D
  That will be fun to play with. ;) ;)
  This is so cool, I may not go to bed tonight 8) 8) 8)

   I gotta find lots more stuff to download 8) 8) :D :D :D :D

beenthere · September 22, 2003, 10:22:18 PM

Fla_
Have fun with the TurboCad software. I hope to get back to mine when the winter months set in. I only have Version 8, but think it will give me enough of the basics to do more than what I want to do. That is design some, but mainly get my ideas down in draft form, and lay out lines and angles and 'things' by giving it actual dimensions, and displaying (and rotating) in 3d. I managed to go through the tutor enough to draw a camera. Now I must go back and review that material and move forward.
What version did you get?

biziedizie · September 23, 2003, 03:55:57 AM

Fla welcome to the real world 8) 8) 8) Don't ya just love the speed of things 8) 8) And the really cool thing is that it's always on 8) 8) Get hooked up on Kazaa and you can download anything that you want 8)

Steve