Cad programmes for woodwork

[kadman]

What cad programmes are you guys using to do your project design.

I use a mix of Autocad, Fusion 360 and sometimes other less well known programmes,
like Chief Architect.

So wotcha got

[Scotty]

I use Autocad and Cinema4D. Not for woodwork, for stainless steel fabrication. Not a master of either, just know what I need to know. I've dabbled with Solidworks a few times but never took the time to really get into it. It's really really good!

[JayZeus]

I'm pretty good with a Staedtler Mars pencil, a ruler and a scanner. Does that count?

[kadman]

I'm pretty good with a Staedtler Mars pencil, a ruler and a scanner. Does that count?

Not a thing wrong with old school, yeah it counts.

[kadman]

I use Autocad and Cinema4D. Not for woodwork, for stainless steel fabrication. Not a master of either, just know what I need to know. I've dabbled with Solidworks a few times but never took the time to really get into it. It's really really good!

I must check out Cinema4d. I presume it does wrap round templates for fabrication. I used to use Strucad for steel design,
and Sema and mitek for timberframe.

I started an education license of Tekla Structures a few weeks ago to see how it improved from XSteel, and its good.
I might get meself a job now 2 months from retiring, I hear there is a big shortage of construction professionals.

I reckon the medical might be a hurdle tho

[Apelles]

Many moons ago, I attempted to do a City & Guilds evening class in Autocad. The tutor was a grand fellow, but we gathered he was always outta his head 'high' on either speed or cocaine . . . maybe both
Anyhow, no one in the class could keep up with him he was yabbering on so fast, less and less people showed up for his class each week.
I got chatting to one of the others attending and he explained to me that for what I wanted to be able to do, i.e; detailed, coloured, presentation drawings -read and amend architects DWG files - produce vector artwork for plotters and printing etc. that I'd be much better off using a vector based programme like Coreldraw; which I've been using ever since.
I would now like to attempt to join the 21st century by learning a 3D package and someone has suggested Sketchup.
Have any of you used Sketchup or would you recommend a different package for an old luddite like me?

[kadman]

Loads and loads of cad programmes out there now. Specifically for detailed steel work, timber work, and through to manufacturing, both on all sorts of mediums.
You will be spoilt for choice, depending on exactly what you want. Some would be more for visual purposes, and some would be for exact construction property details.
Some are 2d, some 3d, some parametric. So you need to list in order of preference for your requirements. I've used both standard 2 d cad programmes, all the way through to 3d parametric ones, so i can maybe offer an opinion.At the moment your question is more of " how long is a piece of string"

So get listing.

[kadman]

I found that Fusion360 covered a lot of the requirements well enough for me to produce these test projects for my self in a short space of time. But I did have experience of other 3d parametric programs before using this, so I understood the mechanics of the software.

[kadman]

Better look here of the test projects.

https://gallery.autodesk.com/fusion360/ ... ch-window-

[Apelles]

Erm, I think the best thing is to give you an actual example so you can see what I'm on about, and what 3D program (if any) might be best suited to achieve it.
I'm not bothered about photo realism as such, more about taking a flat 2D image, and turning it into a solid looking 3D object.

I'm currently working on making this ambo/lectern. Its to match in with some old existing altar furniture.

Ambo.jpg (115.54 KiB) Viewed 2320 times

I'm drawing flat 2D images of each side atm, if I knew how to draw the same image with some perspective, it could show the top as well as the two sides all at once.
Sorry if this still doesn't make sense Kadman.

[kadman]

In order for the flat 2d images to show pespective, they would no longer be flat 2d images, they would have to be drawn and extruded as 3d objects.
That would be the norm in a standard 3d parametric cad programme.

For example to show a 12x6 column verticle in a cad programme from an orthographic point of view. You would either draw a 12x6 rectangle, and extrude it upwards to your known height. Viewed from an angle you would see 2 faces.

This can either be done in a standard cad programme, or select 3d objects, and put in the LxWxH parameters

[Apelles]

Right, I get it now. I had this vague misconception about what 3D software could do. I get what you're saying that all the sides of an object still have to be drawn in, and a rendering is a particular view of a 3D model that has been converted into a realistic image.

[Apelles]

Better look here of the test projects.

https://gallery.autodesk.com/fusion360/ ... ch-window-

I see you also have an excellent design for a lectern in your projects. Did you ever actually make this one?

Screenshot_20230306_001735_Chrome.jpg (170.94 KiB) Viewed 2201 times

[kadman]

No i did not make the lecturn, as it was a project only to see the capability of the program to produce the construction drawing details for the project.
Which it does automatically from the 3d solid object i designed.

The beauty of the parametric abilities is that it automatically adjusts all parameters effected by any small change in the design dimensions.

As all parametric programs do.

[kadman]

I could make the lectern in my sleep if I wanted to, as there are no major construction " spooky magic " requirements

[CelticRambler]

I'm hearing MrsKadman say "I wish that fecker would stick to talking in his sleep so I don't keep finding random samples of altar furniture at the foot of the stairs in the morning ..."