shop design software

Graph paper and little cut-outs of your machines. Sorry, not as romantic but will function better and much faster. I always take the cad drawings of the shop and cut them up when we change things.

Design Workshop Lite is free, takes a bit of learning just like any CAD program. You can buy higher versions also--$80 for Classic, and Pro is $500.

BTW it's 3D so if all you need is 2D it's a bit overkill but still useful.

Ken Grunke

What I did was to figure the rectangular footprints of all my machines and write them down. Then I opened a graphics tool (I use FrameMaker) and created a rectangle with the exact same aspect ratio as my shop, and figured the scale. Then I created the little rectangles using the same scale factor, and added text to each rectangle which described the machine, and then I made the text and the little rectangle one graphics object ("merged" them). Then I just moved them around to get a layout that made sense for me.

Why spend money on software? I bet you have a calculator and a drawing program, right?

GWE

Just downloaded DW Lite. Very interesting and well worth having. Thanks.

--RC

"Sometimes history doesn't repeat itself. It just yells 'can't you remember anything I've told you?' and lets fly with a club. -- John W. Cambell Jr.

How about going to Grizzly's website and using their workshop planner tool?

even has a picture of your faithful companion so you can accommodate space for him or her...

click on the launch button when you get there.

CT

Part of my post got lost when I posted it should of finished with------- " nothing really surfaced about the software aspect. I would like to be able to play with both the structure and the layouts before I start the clock with the architect, in any case I think its good to have a shop building thread once in awhile."

Thanks for the replies even the ones that question my ability to think, they all help to keep the process going. I should have been more specific and said that I want to play with construction details i.e.: concrete panels ,beam placement, material estimates and the like. I did download that Design Workshop Lite and I'll start playing with it soon, but I don't know if it will help with the construction related details yet.

Thanks

Andrew V

Hey Andrew,

I was interested in the same thing(s) a year or so ago, and I picked up a CD from Home Depot. It's been a while since I looked at it, but it's called GarageBOT, and allows you to some VERY simple designing, and gives you a Material List when you ask for it.

I have no use for it anymore (shop is up) and in fact never did use it to do the design ('nother story), so you are welcome to it. If you are interested, send me an email to my other (non-RCM) e-dress, which is snipped-for-privacy@ciaccess.com with a header like "GarageBot". Include your postal adddress, and I'll send it the day after I hear from you.

Take care.

Brian Laws>It looks like I'll finally be building a shop/garage come spring.

Brian

Check your mail box ....and thank you

Andrew

Hey Andrew,

Sorry, forgot to write and say it's already put in an envelope and addressed, ready to send in the morning.

Take care.

Brian Laws>Brian