Drawing program CAD

In the past week or so, somebody mentioned a drawing program he was using, and I cannot find it again, and, believe me, I have sifted through a mountain of dreck, as well as a lot of serious and genuine posts.

Anybody care to metion their favorite cheap drawing program?

Thanks

Flash

Reply to
Flash
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I've wasted more time than I care to admit on 'cheap' drawing programs. Rhino is inexpensive, particularly for what it allows you to do.

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--Winston

Reply to
Winston

My very favorite.

Design CAD 3d max

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Gives good curve!

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Reply to
cavelamb himself

For 3D, I find Google Sketchup works pretty good, and the price is right (free). --Glenn Lyford

Reply to
glyford

On Mon, 29 Sep 2008 22:27:48 -0700, the infamous Winston scrawled the following:

I'm not Flash, but I represent all the tightwads out here in recessionist America when I say "Winnie, Winnie, Winnie, *$1,174 IS NEITHER CHEAP NOR INEXPENSIVE!" Hayseuss Crisco, my wallet is still whining after that one.

I think Flash meant TurboCAD, SmartCad, Envisioneer, and SketchUP (free versions) etc.

  • Rhino 5, Training CDs 0, Visual Tips = ,174

- If the gods had meant us to vote, they'd have given us candidates. --------------

Reply to
Larry Jaques

=========== Another good alternative, is the IntelliCAD clone of AutoCAD with some of the free lisp or vb add-ins.

I like the CMS version and find that it will run most all of the Autocad add-ins [everything I've tried]

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version is about 150$ if you include raster imaging and 3-d rendering about 210$
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There are several lisp add-ins that will allow you to pick points using osnap such as the end points and centers of arcs and will print these coordinates on the print. If you have drawn the part to scale this makes manual g-code programming a snap. I even have one that I will send you that doubles the Y values for diameter lathe programming. Simply move/rotate the cartoon so

0,0 is at a good point of origin and start picking points. Use seperate/additional layers if the part is complex.

(If you are doing turbine blades you can ignore this suggestion.)

Unka' George [George McDuffee]

------------------------------------------- He that will not apply new remedies, must expect new evils: for Time is the greatest innovator: and if Time, of course, alter things to the worse, and wisdom and counsel shall not alter them to the better, what shall be the end?

Francis Bacon (1561-1626), English philosopher, essayist, statesman. Essays, "Of Innovations" (1597-1625).

Reply to
F. George McDuffee

Two possible solutions: Marry a teacher, or have a kid in college. My upgrade cost $95 either way.

You have to weight costs against benefits for these solutions, of course. d8-)

-- Ed Huntress

Reply to
Ed Huntress

Not my personal favorite, but Alibre is well regarded and the Express version is free. It's a 3D parametric modeler like Solidworks, Inventor, Solid Edge, etc.

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Reply to
Ned Simmons

On Tue, 30 Sep 2008 10:46:32 -0400, the infamous "Ed Huntress" scrawled the following:

IF you're married AND have one or both of those options available, go for it. I used to be able to get Adobe products for $100 as a reseller. They divorced us.

It's proper to buy a new tool to do a job. It's improper to buy the horse when all you need is a quick ride on occasion. that horse costs you a house, a car, an entire wardrobe, etc...and that's all _before_ the divorce.

--Cur, the Mudgeon.

- If the gods had meant us to vote, they'd have given us candidates. --------------

Reply to
Larry Jaques

Well, after 34 years, I feel I've gotten my money's worth.

Like cars, I keep them until they have no trade-in value. This is my first wife, of course. d8-)

-- Ed Huntress

Reply to
Ed Huntress

Glad you mentioned it. I uses Alibre a lot, both for solid model 3d and sheet metal. Here's a real part that I designed in Alibre yesterday.

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It's not cheap by Larry J's definition. OTOH, it's saved me way more than it costed.

Reply to
Jim Stewart

You have to pay for disposal on that 'car'. Better keep her, far cheaper. ;)

Wes

Reply to
Wes

So just want did it cost in current configuration?

Wes

-- "Additionally as a security officer, I carry a gun to protect government officials but my life isn't worth protecting at home in their eyes." Dick Anthony Heller

Reply to
Wes

I think the pro version is about a thousand and change. Does both solid and sheet metal and comes with a CAM package. I haven't used the CAM package so I can't speak for it. There is also a free version called design xpress that is pretty powerful, but can't do sheet metal, which was a deal-killer for me.

Be advised that discounts and freebees are available and the salespeople are highly motivated to close a deal. I've gotten a couple of years of free support and some training DVD's that way.

Reply to
Jim Stewart

CAM as emitting tool path? G code.

Wes

Reply to
Wes

(...)

What Ed said, Larry.

The following is gonna sound like SPAM so go on to the next subject if you are of delicate sensibilities.

/* Begin SPAM

I wish I could sit you down in front of my computer running Rhino so that you could experience it for yourself. There ain't *nothing* like putting together your first few 3D objects using a tool that gradually 'disappears' and becomes part of you.

This is from the perspective of someone who is much happier learning alone rather than in a classroom, generally speaking. There are exceptions to that of course. I have taken a couple of Rhino's self-paced tutorials but no 'official' training at all.

I coached a contractor buddy of mine as he assembled a 3D frame building. At the end of his *first two hours* he had all four walls up and was working on window openings. This is absolutely from cold. At the beginning of the session he barely knew CAD existed. Contrast that with the weeks of frustration it took me to make U$99.95 Generic CADD 2D do something useful. (And the day from hell trying to get Autocad to do anything except reject commands.)

At the end of your first Rhino session you'll say "Only about a grand for that functionality? What's the catch?" There ain't no catch. It works real well.

I used Rhino to design this bracket to convert my hydraulic cart to 'lift it itself' functionality a while ago.

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If an untrainable retarded geriatric can do that, (and I did!) then it means Rhino is just a great tool.

By now, Rhino has lots of competent low - cost competitors. I am long since flat out of time to evaluate them and for me, Rhino comes the closest to the perfect CAD software.

End SPAM */

The first taste is free.

BwahHAhahaha!

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--Winston

Reply to
Winston

Drawing boats is not the only think I do,

But assembling something from primitives certainly won't produce a hull shape.

Take a look here, Winston.

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This drawing took me two hours from starting the lines.

Do it with Rhino and compare?

Fair challenge, don't you think?

Reply to
cavelamb himself

Drawing the lines of a hull isn't easy, but good NURBS modelers today make it a lot easer. Those are very nice work, Richard.

Take a look at the marine applications of Rhino. It's become popular for drafting hulls:

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-- Ed Huntress

Reply to
Ed Huntress

Oh man, oh man! I have drooled all over my keyboard!

Rhino can do it. I suspect that's professional work though.

I bought DC version 18 at Frys for $69.

Reply to
cavelamb himself

(...)

(...)

That's a great job, Richard. Clearly you are using a competent CAD program. Did you mention which one it is?

The 3D 'capture' process is very similar, in Rhino.

I've done very little 'compound curve' capturing but as you see in Rhino's website, the tools are in place to do that stuff.

We are in violent agreement about the talent of designers using Rhino, as well.

--Winston

Reply to
Winston

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