Author Topic: Do-It yourselfers  (Read 800 times)

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Offline MKlein

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Do-It yourselfers
« on: April 03, 2013, 12:27:06 PM »
Ok I am not trying to promote software but there might be someone out there that enjoys making there own designs that can't afford some of the fancy cad type software. I have been using this DraftSight Free 2D software for a few weeks now and still can't figure out why they are letting this go for free. It works great for importing pics and tracing over them also, for instance a fancy knife blade. Anyways maybe this can help someone make that part for there blackpowder replica.
 http://www.3ds.com/products/draftsight/free-cad-software/
 

Offline The Jeff

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Re: Do-It yourselfers
« Reply #1 on: April 03, 2013, 02:32:20 PM »
I use that software quite a bit as well. I drew the pieces to the bed of my golf ball 10" seacoast mortar with it and had them water jet cut.

Offline seacoastartillery

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Re: Do-It yourselfers
« Reply #2 on: April 03, 2013, 02:53:16 PM »
     Thanks for posting this, Skidmark.  In between dealing with Architects and General Contractors today, I looked at the program and it looks like it has some impressive capabilities.  The complexity of this drafting software can be best judged by the "Getting Started Guide" which I downloaded and reviewed thoroughly.  It is 186 pages long and seems to be well written, but, let's be honest here, this is probably not for someone with no experience with engineering drawings.  Nor is it merely an advanced "Paint" type software.  It is way beyond that.

     But the cost or lack thereof is a powerful lure, so who knows?  If an individual, laboring under a beans and cornbread budget as Mike and I have been on and off for about 8 years, is really motivated and has some savy in the math dept., they could probably use this software to good effect.

     The only feature that I wish was different, is the one in which you are required to memorize where certain functions are in related menus.  Expensive professional software has a little of this, but most of the functions are displayed as individual icons indicating "canned" routines for creating a circle, a rectangle, etc.  There are a lot of these icons all around the work area of the screen, but with these, the user is only compelled to memorize where they are, not which part of what menu and the path to that menu which is cheaper to produce, but more difficult to use. 

Mike and Tracy


Smokin' my pipe on the mountings, sniffin' the mornin'-cool,
I walks in my old brown gaiters along o' my old brown mule,
With seventy gunners be'ind me, an' never a beggar forgets
It's only the pick of the Army that handles the dear little pets - 'Tss! 'Tss!

From the poem  Screw-Guns  by Rudyard Kipling

Offline shred

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Re: Do-It yourselfers
« Reply #3 on: April 03, 2013, 05:00:58 PM »
DraftSight was created by one of the big 3D CAD guys (I forgot who, maybe Autodesk or Dassault-- I remember being in a meeting with them when they told us it was just launched). 

The idea was to provide an entry-level to their more expensive 3D tools (not many hobby people are keen to shell out $1K+ for full CAD seats) and also reduce piracy and battle some of the lower-cost competition at the same time.

Offline de_lok

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Re: Do-It yourselfers
« Reply #4 on: April 03, 2013, 10:40:14 PM »
DraftSight was created by one of the big 3D CAD guys (I forgot who, maybe Autodesk or Dassault-- I remember being in a meeting with them when they told us it was just launched). 

The idea was to provide an entry-level to their more expensive 3D tools (not many hobby people are keen to shell out $1K+ for full CAD seats) and also reduce piracy and battle some of the lower-cost competition at the same time.

 
Draftsight is made by Solidworks. It is intended as an entry level limited version offered for free so folks can get familiar with their full featured software. Should have most features except 3d modeling and CAM functions. I just recently started using it myself a few weeks ago and still going thru a learning curve............................................... :)
 
Dewayne

Offline MKlein

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Re: Do-It yourselfers
« Reply #5 on: April 03, 2013, 11:50:53 PM »
Best thing to do is put those instructions to the side and just start drawing something. When you get to a problem just go to the help button on the top and go to the topic you are having trouble with. I couldn't figure out how to stretch a imported picture on just the x plane so I emailed them and they replied shortly. Make the pic a block then click properties and shazame! it worked. I had to change the workspace background to white right off the bat.