An

Abe

03/01/2005 10:57 PM

Recommendation for woodworking design/sketching software?

Hi,

I'm a newbie here, so please bear with me if this has been asked a
million times.

What's a good piece of software for creating a 3D sketch of a
windowsill shelf and brace unit I plan on building. I'd like to be
able to do an exploded parts view with labels also.

Something like AutoCAD is way overkill and too time consuming to
learn. Anything geared for this kind of use out there?

Thanks


This topic has 9 replies

dp

"damian penney"

in reply to Abe on 03/01/2005 10:57 PM

04/01/2005 12:16 PM

Sketchup http://www.sketchup.com is nice and easy to use and should do
the trick.

Sp

Shawn

in reply to Abe on 03/01/2005 10:57 PM

04/01/2005 12:58 PM

But at $475, not for the casual user.

Shawn

damian penney wrote:
> Sketchup http://www.sketchup.com is nice and easy to use and should do
> the trick.
>

Td

"TeamCasa"

in reply to Abe on 03/01/2005 10:57 PM

04/01/2005 2:29 PM


"Abe" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi,
>
> I'm a newbie here, so please bear with me if this has been asked a
> million times.
>
> What's a good piece of software for creating a 3D sketch of a
> windowsill shelf and brace unit I plan on building. I'd like to be
> able to do an exploded parts view with labels also.
>
> Something like AutoCAD is way overkill and too time consuming to
> learn. Anything geared for this kind of use out there?
>
> Thanks

AutoSketch
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?siteID=123112&id=983085

It does not do everything AutoCAD does but its easy to learn, accurate and
affordable.

Dave

An

Abe

in reply to Abe on 03/01/2005 10:57 PM

05/01/2005 9:24 AM

Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I'll check out the various
options mentioned.

JP

Jim Polaski

in reply to Abe on 03/01/2005 10:57 PM

04/01/2005 7:58 PM

In article <[email protected]>,
Abe <[email protected]> wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I'm a newbie here, so please bear with me if this has been asked a
> million times.
>
> What's a good piece of software for creating a 3D sketch of a
> windowsill shelf and brace unit I plan on building. I'd like to be
> able to do an exploded parts view with labels also.
>
> Something like AutoCAD is way overkill and too time consuming to
> learn. Anything geared for this kind of use out there?
>
> Thanks

Since you're on a PC, try going to www.versiontracker.com and click on
the "Windows" tab in upper left.

There you can search for CAD software that might fit your requirements.

You might also look in the back of some of the woodworking magazines
where the vendors of such software might have an ad.

--
Regards,
JP
"The measure of a man is what he will do
knowing he will get nothing in return"


ON

Old Nick

in reply to Abe on 03/01/2005 10:57 PM

06/01/2005 10:43 AM

On Wed, 05 Jan 2005 09:24:22 -0800, Abe <[email protected]> vaguely
proposed a theory
......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

>Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I'll check out the various
>options mentioned.

If you try DesignCad, let me know what you tnink. I relly am of two
minds about it. I can't be sure whether some of the "stuff" that has
happened is it or me.

ON

Old Nick

in reply to Abe on 03/01/2005 10:57 PM

05/01/2005 1:44 PM

On Mon, 03 Jan 2005 22:57:28 -0800, Abe <[email protected]> vaguely
proposed a theory
......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

I am just trialling DesignCad 3D. As with most 3d Packages, it's a lot
harder to pick up than a 2d package (for which I use Deltacad, which
is very easy to learn). I am finding this to be not too bad. It has
locked up on me a couple of times, though! :-<

It has some strange ideas about mouse-keyboard interaction....

Trouble is it's only a 15-day trial. My test of a usable casual
drawing package is to come back in two weeks or so and see how much I
struggle to pick it up, just to get another drawing going. DeltaCad is
so easy you just sit down and sketch with it. But as I said, 2D.

>Hi,
>
>I'm a newbie here, so please bear with me if this has been asked a
>million times.
>
>What's a good piece of software for creating a 3D sketch of a
>windowsill shelf and brace unit I plan on building. I'd like to be
>able to do an exploded parts view with labels also.
>
>Something like AutoCAD is way overkill and too time consuming to
>learn. Anything geared for this kind of use out there?
>
>Thanks

ON

Old Nick

in reply to Abe on 03/01/2005 10:57 PM

07/01/2005 10:03 AM

On Wed, 05 Jan 2005 09:24:22 -0800, Abe <[email protected]> vaguely
proposed a theory
......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

Comment #1 re DesignCad.

It's as easy as I have tried in 3d. I drew a simple shelf and support
unit, and it was _almost_ worth it! <G> But then I am learning.

But it has a peculiar way of making 2D drawing mode into a side view.
So you draw, say a house floor plan and extrude it to "build" the
house, and suddenly the Top View looks at the side of the house etc.

>Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I'll check out the various
>options mentioned.

ON

Old Nick

in reply to Abe on 03/01/2005 10:57 PM

08/01/2005 5:50 AM

On Wed, 05 Jan 2005 09:24:22 -0800, Abe <[email protected]> vaguely
proposed a theory
......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

Well, the more I use DesignCad, the more I like it. I have drawn a
shelf and supports and a set of shelves with hidden dadoes for the
shelves, and tongues to fit on the shelves themselves. These are
simple enough drawings to learn with, and also to see if a "simple"
drawing does not become a fight. I have drawn, copied, pasted moved
etc etc. Once you are "in the groove", it seesm quite good.

I have not tried Turbo Cad again. My main beef IIRC was selecting
stuff, and the screens' indication of what had been selected.

BTW, DCad is now owned by IMSI, who make Turbo Cad! Gaah! You will
find that there is a site by UpperSpace, as well as IMSI. They used to
own it, continue to sell it, and the forum is good for help. They
agreed that 15 days was not long enough, but it's IMSI's standard. The
_forum_ suggested ai simply use the trial, then buy and return within
30 days if I am not happy! <G>.

>Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I'll check out the various
>options mentioned.


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