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27/12/2004 2:38 AM

Software - simple yet 3D

This topic has probably been chewed over and over again yet I dont see
an immediate solution:
I need software for planning small/medium woodworking projects that
will supply the following:
* design of furniture (table, box, ...not kitchen, room, ...)
* 3D view (option to rotate and add wood texture)
* no sheet planner, inventory functions, etc. Keep it simple.
* freeware or shareware - preferable
I'm beginning to think any 3D CAD software will work and searching in
the "woodworking" category is just misleading. Am I right?
Thx


This topic has 12 replies

MF

"Mr Fixit eh"

in reply to [email protected] on 27/12/2004 2:38 AM

29/12/2004 6:46 AM

TurboCAD is a full-featured drawing package that has received great
reviews. Even better, it is available for free at
http://www.al-ki.com/tcad/download.php Click on TurboCAD LE.

It takes a little effort to learn to use it, but it is worth the
effort.

mm

mare*Remove*All*0f*This*I*Hate*Spammers*@mac.invalid.com (mare)

in reply to [email protected] on 27/12/2004 2:38 AM

28/12/2004 10:10 AM

<[email protected]> wrote:

> This topic has probably been chewed over and over again yet I dont see
> an immediate solution:
> I need software for planning small/medium woodworking projects that
> will supply the following:
> * design of furniture (table, box, ...not kitchen, room, ...)
> * 3D view (option to rotate and add wood texture)
> * no sheet planner, inventory functions, etc. Keep it simple.
> * freeware or shareware - preferable
> I'm beginning to think any 3D CAD software will work and searching in
> the "woodworking" category is just misleading. Am I right?

I only know of one CAD application that is specifically made for
woodworking (and by a woodworker): Design Intuition.

<http://www.gizmolab.com>

It only works on Macintosh computers though.

Another package to look for is SketchUp, although it's not very precise,
but it's very easy to make quick sketches in 3D.

<http://www.sketchup.com>

I use it a lot to show clients draft discussion sketches of built-ins so
we can discuss what they really want. It's easy to change the drafts,
even in front of the client. But is doesn't print material lists like
Design Intuition does. There are demos available of both programs, so
try before you buy.

--
mare

bB

[email protected] (BUB 209)

in reply to [email protected] on 27/12/2004 2:38 AM

28/12/2004 1:11 PM

>Subject: Software - simple yet 3D
>From: [email protected]
>Date: 12/27/2004 2:38 AM Pacific

>Keep it simple.
>* freeware or shareware - preferable

If you find anything that is a no-brainer
to learn and gives results you're satis-
fied with while costing less than $200.00,
I'd like to know about it. About the only
way to get good detail is by hook or
crook obtain a copy of a high end program
like 3DSMax or TrueSpace or Rhino (the
student versions cost less, and trial versions are available.) If you learn
any of
these programs at their most basic level,
you can design things with photographic
reality.

ON

Old Nick

in reply to [email protected] on 27/12/2004 2:38 AM

30/12/2004 10:58 AM

On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 01:29:48 +0000, Andy Dingley
<[email protected]> vaguely proposed a theory
......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

Well I had a WD collapse on me the other day. But it was 6 years old.
Their customer service has always been very good. They have a nice
little app that allows you to mirror drives at BIOS level, and have
always been helpful via email.

FWIW

>I'm never buying another Maxtor HD 8-(

MJ

"Mark Jerde"

in reply to [email protected] on 27/12/2004 2:38 AM

30/12/2004 6:20 PM

Tom Watson wrote:
> http://www.etch-a-sketch.com/html/classic.htm

LOL! I have been in many meetings with people with suits, and when everyone
gets out their PDAs I wish I had the guts to pull out one of those. Being a
consultant (prostitute) curbs the humor... ;-)

-- Mark

TW

Tom Watson

in reply to [email protected] on 27/12/2004 2:38 AM

30/12/2004 1:15 PM

http://www.etch-a-sketch.com/html/classic.htm



Regards,
Tom.

"People funny. Life a funny thing." Sonny Liston

Thomas J.Watson - Cabinetmaker (ret.)
tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet (real email)
http://home.comcast.net/~tjwatson1

ON

Old Nick

in reply to [email protected] on 27/12/2004 2:38 AM

30/12/2004 10:54 AM

On 29 Dec 2004 06:46:45 -0800, "Mr Fixit eh" <[email protected]>
vaguely proposed a theory
......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

I was not that taken with TurboCad's methods in a few cases.

However, many people like it, I agree.

My problem is that as a non-drafting person, anything that takes time
to learn also takes time to re-learn if I happen not to use it for a
couple of weeks, or even _only_ use it every couple of weeks. This
places me with a lot of guys here, I would say. It becomses unworkable
to just sit down and rough out a sketch, because I have to spend time
getting back up to speed.

>TurboCAD is a full-featured drawing package that has received great
>reviews. Even better, it is available for free at
>http://www.al-ki.com/tcad/download.php Click on TurboCAD LE.
>
>It takes a little effort to learn to use it, but it is worth the
>effort.

ON

Old Nick

in reply to [email protected] on 27/12/2004 2:38 AM

29/12/2004 7:22 PM

On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 01:29:48 +0000, Andy Dingley
<[email protected]> vaguely proposed a theory
......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

>On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 06:38:22 +0800, Old Nick <[email protected]>
>wrote:
>
>>Before you buy, have you tried the downloaded trial?
>
>Nope - no computer.

Well, before you buy I suggest you do. I just tried the latest, and
maybe it's just me, but I had some weird results.

ON

Old Nick

in reply to [email protected] on 27/12/2004 2:38 AM

30/12/2004 10:56 AM

On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 01:29:48 +0000, Andy Dingley
<[email protected]> vaguely proposed a theory
......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

hmmm...So far I have spent maybe 15 minutes on Design Cad, and have
achieved quite a bit of basic drawing. It seems to have improved its
intuitivity (<G>) quite a bit. A few "funnies" so far, but not like
some programmes I have tried.

15 days is simply not enough though. I would have though 30 was more
reasonable for the average guy who really has not got hours a day to
test it.

Then I could stop posting this shit and get on with it eh?

>On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 06:38:22 +0800, Old Nick <[email protected]>
>wrote:
>
>>Before you buy, have you tried the downloaded trial?
>
>Nope - no computer. I've got 5 on my desk, only one of which is
>really working right. I've spent most of the "Christmas holiday"
>trying to fix this some of this, but until I have a powerful Windows
>box with a decent screen and plenty of spare disk space, I won't be
>fooling with any new software.
>
>I'm never buying another Maxtor HD 8-(

AD

Andy Dingley

in reply to [email protected] on 27/12/2004 2:38 AM

29/12/2004 1:29 AM

On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 06:38:22 +0800, Old Nick <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Before you buy, have you tried the downloaded trial?

Nope - no computer. I've got 5 on my desk, only one of which is
really working right. I've spent most of the "Christmas holiday"
trying to fix this some of this, but until I have a powerful Windows
box with a decent screen and plenty of spare disk space, I won't be
fooling with any new software.

I'm never buying another Maxtor HD 8-(

ON

Old Nick

in reply to [email protected] on 27/12/2004 2:38 AM

29/12/2004 6:38 AM

On Mon, 27 Dec 2004 12:27:37 +0000, Andy Dingley
<[email protected]> vaguely proposed a theory
......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

>On 27 Dec 2004 02:38:23 -0800, [email protected] wrote:
>
>>This topic has probably been chewed over and over again
>
>Surprisingly not.

mmm....it has, IIRC. But since it never gets resolved, that's no
problem! <G>

>
>Fine Woodworking a couple of issues ago did a multi-product review of
>this type of CAD. I'm planning to buy ($99) a copy of DesignCAD when
>I have a moment, on the basis of this recommendation.

Before you buy, have you tried the downloaded trial?

I am DLing now, to try it yet again. I used it under DOS. It was OK
but buggy. I tried again maybe 2-3 years ago under WIn.

I did not keep using it. It may have changed.

The thing I have found with _any_ 3D stuff is that it's not simple. If
you don't keep up the practice you have relearn a lot.

AD

Andy Dingley

in reply to [email protected] on 27/12/2004 2:38 AM

27/12/2004 12:27 PM

On 27 Dec 2004 02:38:23 -0800, [email protected] wrote:

>This topic has probably been chewed over and over again

Surprisingly not.

Fine Woodworking a couple of issues ago did a multi-product review of
this type of CAD. I'm planning to buy ($99) a copy of DesignCAD when
I have a moment, on the basis of this recommendation.

--
Smert' spamionam


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