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Consensus on CAD?

If you take courses leading to a certificate (or degree) you can buy the edumacational edition of Solidworks for only about a hundred ever-so-thin US pesos. It watermarks the 2D drawings, there's some limits on import/export, IIRC, and I think it's one edition back, but other than that it's pretty much full-featured SW almost for free. Don't expect to be able to use the models with the full version without issues, I think that educational edition components 'contaminate' the parts and assemblies so that the whole thing is 'educational' mode. Best regards, Spehro Pefhany

Reply to
Spehro Pefhany
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Is there a consensus on the best overall CAD program for the hobbyist metalworker? Oh, and what is it, or what are the best choices out there? Another oh. I know jack about CAD. :-)

Reply to
El Cazador

I'm a big fan of Alibre. Design Xpress is free.

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Reply to
Jim Stewart

Rhino!

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--Winston

Reply to
Winston

??? really??? does it have any analytic type capabilities - for example create a couple of parts and then connect them together and see motion? it looks like, from a quick scan of hte web site, that it specializes in beautiful renderings not articulated wireframes

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Reply to
William Noble

See the comments in yesterday's thread "Basic 3D & CAD programs." I think Alibre is probably better suited than Rhino to the stuff most folks here work on, but that may not apply to you.

Reply to
Ned Simmons

On Thu, 29 May 2008 05:41:03 GMT, with neither quill nor qualm, Winston quickly quoth:

How about a program which is priced -less- than a grand (or $995)?

-- I wish the Department of Homeland Security knew what ol' Unca Doug did, instinctively, so many years ago:

There is no security on this earth, there is only opportunity. -- General Douglas MacArthur

Reply to
Larry Jaques

Get a wife who teaches school, or a kid who is *in* school. It will save you a major bundle on software. It's almost worth having the kid.

-- Ed Huntress

Reply to
Ed Huntress

I just got my V.4 upgrade of Rhino for $95. I don't know what I'd pay if this was an original purchase, since I was one of the original 50 or so beta testers and have had it ever since. Michael Gibson used to answer the phone when I called in with questions or suggestions.

Maybe I could rent out my wife or son for software purchasing purposes...hmm...

-- Ed Huntress

Reply to
Ed Huntress

Howzabout $773 in Portland, Larry?

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--Winston

Reply to
Winston

On Thu, 29 May 2008 19:22:37 GMT, with neither quill nor qualm, Winston quickly quoth:

I've been looking for some construction cad progs lately [UDA Construction Suite, Chief Architect, SoftPlan ($$$$, Eek!) and probably settling on a v10 Punch! as3000 for small remodels], but for my taste and budget, I like Alibre for $773 less than Rhino, thanks. I believed you missed the shining facetiousity factor of my post.

Carry on.

-- I wish the Department of Homeland Security knew what ol' Unca Doug did, instinctively, so many years ago:

There is no security on this earth, there is only opportunity. -- General Douglas MacArthur

Reply to
Larry Jaques

So they really *did* drop 'gullible' from the dictionary, then?

:0)

--Winston

Reply to
Winston

Thanks. Not 30 seconds after posting this did I scroll down about three inches to see the previous post on the same subject. And I should have added that I have a Mac.

Reply to
El Cazador

On Fri, 30 May 2008 04:03:57 GMT, with neither quill nor qualm, Winston quickly quoth:

Yuppers. Go look it up.

Reply to
Larry Jaques

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