| Forum Home | ||||
| Press F1 | ||||
| Thread ID: 53732 | 2005-01-25 21:14:00 | CAD freeware program | Mercury (1316) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 318043 | 2005-01-25 21:14:00 | Hi, Does anyone have any recommendations for a CAD freeware program for architectural drawings that is quick to learn and use? I trained as a draftsman years ago in the paper and pen days, have been doing other things in recent years but have been back at the drawing board a few times lately. I want something to play with but only want to spend money once I've figured out the basics. If an upgrade is required for more features it wants to be 10s rather than 1,000s of dollars. |
Mercury (1316) | ||
| 318044 | 2005-01-25 21:45:00 | No recommendations from me, but you might find something useful here (www.download.com) :) Edit: This one (www.download.com) looks good. 30 day trial and US$39 to purchase |
pixeldust (6619) | ||
| 318045 | 2005-01-25 22:29:00 | Have a cruise around this lot (freeware.intrastar.net). A slightly different range here (www.freewarehome.com). Some more here (www.caddprimer.com). TurboCad (www.imsisoft.com) used to have afree version, it looks like it's a trial or learning version now. Worth checking out though. |
Murray P (44) | ||
| 318046 | 2005-01-26 08:21:00 | As an Engineer/part time draughtsman with 45 years experience, and working the last 10 years on CAD I would say there are not many simple CAD systems. They all have a pretty steep learning curve. I would suggest you go straight to the program you want and concentrate on that. It will take about 3 months to become proficient, but I must say after 10 years I am still finding new tricks on the program we use. I am not an architect, so I dont know what is the favoured program in that field, but for general use Turbo Cad is pretty good. | tutaenui (1724) | ||
| 318047 | 2005-01-26 09:19:00 | I'm not sure what you're looking for in a CAD program, but for me just starting out in 3D design on computers I found simple paper-to-screen conversions of traditional drawing methods a bit boring. I recommend having a look at SketchUp (http://www.sketchup.com) - it uses a fully 3D perspective interface for drawing... lines turn different colours for the three axes, it has "inference locking" for drawing relative to existing lines, automagically makes solids where lines join... I haven't used any of the high-end CAD programs (AutoCAD etc.) so I can't really compare programs, but I quite enjoy Sketchup's style. Plus, there are heaps of great video tutorials on the SketchUp website. (http://www.sketchup.com) The trial version gives you 8 hours' design time. The full version is far from free at US$475 but... well, the trial will show you an alternative CAD program style. |
Atreides (7000) | ||
| 318048 | 2005-01-26 09:41:00 | I've avoided CAD for years on the grounds of a steep learning curve (Dad showed me his copy a few years back and I thought then this is one program I'd have to do a course on to understand!) and large dollars . A simple cost benefit analysis based on the amount of drafting I still do indicates that spending vast sums is out - I'm unlikely to recoup the cost . The other thing is that my papa, a mechanical engineer, was self employed for a few years before retiring . Every few months he would be howling and screaming because architects and others that he worked with would do a software upgrade - and drawings would become incompatible (not to mention Word docs and the like) . The odd spot of drafting I have been doing lately includes things like a 2nd bathroom (within an existing room), minor alterations and a couple of Town Planning site plans for consents . Not exactly big dollar stuff . But there again I prefer playing with computers to slaving over the drawing board . I downloaded CadStd Lite a couple of days ago and am thinking of forking out $US25 for the Pro version - (complete with tutorial!) unless anyone can recommend anything better . I'm only looking at 2D Cad at the moment . |
Mercury (1316) | ||
| 318049 | 2005-01-26 09:58:00 | For your type of work 2D is all you really need . If I needed one, I used to get perspectives done by an artist or draftperson who was adept at presenting designs, in architectural terms, that's usually just a birds eye perspective to put in the proposal and slap on the cover sheet, which is probably not telling you something you don't already know . Trial 2 or 3, settle on what you like . As you say, if your not doing a lot of work, the tens of thousands required for full blown architectural packages, not to mention the gear to run them, can't be justified . |
Murray P (44) | ||
| 318050 | 2005-01-26 10:22:00 | For your type of work 2D is all you really need . Exactly . We learnt perspectives at Tech but the two or three I did looked cold, flat, boring and not quite right . Mind you, when I was doing this for a living we had someone in the office full time turning out amazing creative 3D works so my poor skills were never called on . Will probably have a go at CadStd unless anyone can suggest something better in a similar price range (under $US100) . |
Mercury (1316) | ||
| 318051 | 2005-01-27 11:09:00 | Well I outlayed all of $US25 and upgraded to the Pro version of CadStd this afternoon and spent a couple of hours working through the tutorial that came with it. Suddenly the whole thing makes sense. Why did I have so much trouble before? I've now progressed from a square box to a garage floor plan (to scale). Cool. Anyone got a 5 storey tower block with circular turrets they want drawn up? Should be able to fit it in after lunch tomorrow! |
Mercury (1316) | ||
| 318052 | 2005-01-27 11:20:00 | What part of the country are you in? | Rob99 (151) | ||
| 1 2 3 | |||||