Replies

1. 
   JoeWood | Dec 11, 2004 01:08am | #1

   For pure Design work you can't beat ShetchUp! You can see some of my SUp work on my website.

   Here's the SUp site  http://www.sketch3d.com

   It only took me 4 or so months until I was able to draw anything I can build, and I was learning basic computering at the same time ! I'm truly amazed at what I can do now, being computer illiterate only less than 2 years ago !

   Very easy to learn compared to the other CAD programs (so I hear), plus, it's cheap, at around $500 !

   Great forum too, with lots of folks really happy to help. That's how I learned it, by just hanging around, reading everything, and asking alot of questions ! Go hang out on the forums for awhile, and checkout what's being done.

2. 
   Pondfish | Dec 11, 2004 02:30am | #2

   Several of the forumites (myself included) have chosen DesignCAD Max (version 14) that is or was available for under $20 at nothingbutsoftware.com.  There is a nascent DesignCAD Max users thread already started by forestgirl, so if you go with this program you'll find plenty of company in this forum.

    

1. 
   bikenstock | Dec 11, 2004 03:11am | #4

   Hello folks:

       I just did this too after using a Mac software called Blueprint made by Graftsoft.  Bluepprint and my Mac are both gone now.  I looked for a 2D PC CAD software that would be easy to use like Blueprint was.  You draw a box with one tool, you move the box with the arrow/pointer, you resize the box by pulling out "handles" around its perimeter, etc. 

       I found the closest I could find was PC Draft by Microspot.  It is pricey at approx $280 (to me), but I bought their "lite" version, PC Draft PE for $39 direct download from them.  The PE version lacks the layers of PC Draft and Blueprint, but otherwise has been adequate and easy to translate into from Blueprint.  Eventually I will buy the full version.

       I would be very interested in following the thread started by forestgirl, but I am brand new to this forum and haven't found it.  Help?!!  Thanks and best wishes to all looking for CAD.  Someday someone will design a CAD that thinks like a woodworker:  You start with a board, build a carcase, joint it with dovetails, etc.  'Til then, I am trying to avoid those CADs that want me to think like a printer:  You start with a point, move on the X axis 30mm, move on the Y axis 48.36mm, etc.

   Don French

1. 
   forestgirl | Dec 11, 2004 08:40pm | #6

   Uhhhhh, oops.  Here it is.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

3. 
   forestgirl | Dec 11, 2004 03:00am | #3

   Here's the link to the DesignCad thread, which in turn has a  link to go to the web site most of us bought it from.  I'm very excited about learning to use it, though the time to do so probably won't be available until after the 25th.  It'll cost you less than $30.

   You'll find that I whined a little about the instructional CD, but now that I've discovered the tutorial section of the Help menu, I'm all over that. 

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
   Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

   
   

   ---

   Edited 12/11/2004 12:39 pm ET by forestgirl

1. 
   NoDak | Dec 11, 2004 07:56am | #5

   Must be late. I can't seem to see the link. :)

1. 
   forestgirl | Dec 11, 2004 08:41pm | #7

   Uhhhhh, oops.  Here it is.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)