CAD software?

Jeff Horton

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Anyone have any experience with a free or low cost CAD software they could recommend? Sketchup is not what I need before you recommend it. I need an actual CAD software for some Engineering style drawings.

I am trying DeltaCad and it's pretty basic but seems to do what I need. But, I want to see what else is out there. I tried Siemens Solid Edge and it has a big learning curve.

Another one I can not remember the name of but again, big learning curve.

DeltaCad looks good for my use, but anyone have something I should look at?
 
I've used turbocad for quite some time now. Can import Autocad files (DXF) and works well for a 2D environment. I was using it mostly for creating files to run on my cnc router.
 
Ditto on the Turbocad. Still a bit of a learning curve, at least there was for me, but it semed to do things pretty well.

I've also used Visio for a long time for doing 2d drawings, but its more of a general drawing program, and not a read cad application.
 
I've tried a BUNCH of 'em over time, & never found one I liked nearly as much as my ancient EasyCAD (from FastCad) (for DOS), which I got free with a Microsoft mouse right around the time that Windows/386 was a reality. Very recently, my machine blew a motherboard, though, and suddenly now EasyCAD doesn't work with my video card any more... and I'm kinda' hurtin'.

EasyCAD 7.5 ain't CHEAP cheap, though - about $300, and if you need 3D it ain't gonna' do it unless you already know how to draw perspectives or parallel projections on paper.
 
For the type of work you want to use it, that is for designing boats, I would use Rhino3d.

It is a very intuitive 3d nurbs modeller, that its has several features like being able to make lofted surfaces in a wink. You can also make automatically the section ribs of a boat, and edit them one by one if like so.

It has a lot of free tutorials to download on the web, and you can also download a fully operating trial version.

Do check their web, http://www.rhino3d.com and check the marine part.
 
For the type of work you want to use it, that is for designing boats, I would use Rhino3d.

I have heard a lot about Rhino and a couple of other boat software programs. Never seriously considered one. So I thought I would take a look. I just looked at the price! :eek: Commercial Single-User $995.00

No way can I swing that right now. I am starting this business on a shoe string. But it may do everything I want in one package and that would be nice. But I wonder if it and most of it's competitors are not better suited for larger boats?

The software I am using gives me the hull shape and all the info related to it. I can not make detailed drawings of the parts of the boat. I can create the individual panels, but that is not much help for these. The reason I want CAD is I want to offer to full sized plans of all the frames of the boats. Then you can just glue it to a sheet of paper and cut along the lines

Last night I spent a few hours with Delta Cad and made most of the frames for VARDO. It may be a simple program but I am seeing it does everything I want. Now I want to go to Staples and have them print it and see how well it printed and if the size is actually full size. If everything looks good I think I am going to buy it.
 
I know you don't want to use SketchUp and that is fine. I thought it did a respectable job, though.

Vesper.jpg

:D
 
I am impressed Dave! But can it calculate hydrodynamics? :D

The only reason I want CAD is just to be able to print out some full size (accurate) drawing of the parts for the boat. I have just finshed.. well almost finished all the frames of the boat I am building in Delta Cad. So far it is just perfect for what I want. Now I need to send it out and have it plotted and see how it looks and if it is indeed accurate.
 
I'm really very sure that SketchUp does high-precision drawings in whatever size is necessary... and if it exports DXF (paid version), then it's up to Staples to print accurately to scale. I'm PURTY SHURE they'll be good for that end.

SketchUp has won my respect. I'm doing LOTS of stuff in it these days that I would've done with "regular" CAD. It's fast, it's easy to use, it's intuitive, it's flexible. I do miss my grids, though.
 
Jeff, I was mostly kidding because I figured you'd want the hydrodynamics and stuff. I wouldn't be surprised if someone will come up with a plugin that could do them, though.

Tim, yes, you can print to scale and all that sort of stuff with SketchUp. BTW, you can have grids if you really want them. There's a plugin for that. No point really but it is possible.
 
I know Dave, just poking back at you too.

Tim I am a fan of SU too. I did my last two furniture projects in it. I just don't think it the best choice (for me) for this project.
 
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