Drawing Software

Great discussion guys. I've been using ACAD since the 80s. My job requires I draw electrical schematics which are of course inherently 2D. The things I do in my hobby workshop currently I do in ACAD. I am addicted to the command line and agree with SLK001 about the icon thingies. L <space> @10<270 draws a line 10 units long at 270 degrees. Simplicity at it best I think.

Problem is if I ever decide to CNC my mill I'll need a 3D package of some kind I think. I've been begrudgingly leaning toward Fusion 360 because of the cost. Now after reading what Middle.Road said about the licensing change I like the idea even less. Never did like the idea of someone else managing my files, or changing the rules along the way.

And to top it off I would love to kick Windows to the curb after I retire. I prefer Linux, it's simple and it works. Problem is many things require windows. Maybe I should just stick with pencil and paper (the old fashion #2 not the mechanical kind) and buy myself a lovely new file and hack saw blade.
 
I used anything I could get my hands on that was big enough to hole my drawing.

Butcher paper one time.
I got rid of my board when Sketchup came out.
 
For those of you (@Janderso ) that struggle with the vastness of design packages, I strongly suggest starting with the very first built-in tutorial (Solidworks is my point of reference) and work through the modules. In a couple of hours that will fly by, you'll learn all the menus, items, and tricks. It is in the software publisher's best interest that users know how to use (and like) their products. The training tutorials are like grammar school for budding CADdies. They provide a solid foundation for proficiency, if you've got the time.
 
Onshape all the way. Its free (for hobbyists), full feature 3D cad (basically like Solidworks). Like many modern packages, the basis of drawing 3D stuff is 2D sketches, so the 2D is pretty powerful in its own right. They have an extensive video tutorial library too, which makes it very easy to learn.

I use it literally all the time to model anything I'm going to build. It saves a ton of head scratching over angles, spacings and suchlike if I'm fabricating, and I often knock up 2D drawings for patterns to print and tape to blanks and punch mark for drilling or profiling. It would take me hours to do on my drawing board what takes minutes in Onshape. Also saves me a bunch of "Doh" moments where I've spotted a "gotcha" as I'm modelling that might have ruined a piece if I'd got straight into machining or fabricating.
I use it lots to make models to 3D print too. My latest little model and print project was a set of collect block holders:

IMG_20191227_002204.jpg

A couple of minutes to model and a few hours to print, but while printing I can just leave it chugging away and get on with something else. Aren't robots wonderful!

My 2c, anyway :)
 
Lo-Fi said:
Onshape all the way. Its free (for hobbyists), full feature 3D cad (basically like Solidworks). Like many modern packages, the basis of drawing 3D stuff is 2D sketches, so the 2D is pretty powerful in its own right. They have an extensive video tutorial library too, which makes it very easy to learn.

I use it literally all the time to model anything I'm going to build. It saves a ton of head scratching over angles, spacings and suchlike if I'm fabricating, and I often knock up 2D drawings for patterns to print and tape to blanks and punch mark for drilling or profiling. It would take me hours to do on my drawing board what takes minutes in Onshape. Also saves me a bunch of "Doh" moments where I've spotted a "gotcha" as I'm modelling that might have ruined a piece if I'd got straight into machining or fabricating.
I use it lots to make models to 3D print too. My latest little model and print project was a set of collect block holders:

View attachment 308778

A couple of minutes to model and a few hours to print, but while printing I can just leave it chugging away and get on with something else. Aren't robots wonderful!

My 2c, anyway :)
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"OnShape"? That is one that I have not come across. Going to check it out soonest. -Thanks!
 
So it's now 2020 and my DraftSight software is still running. It was supposed to stop running on January 1st, 2020. Has anyone's software stopped running due to the new year? I was looking for alternatives, but maybe I don't have to.
 
38super said:
OK, who started out with vellum and a drafting square.
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8th. Grade shop class 1965. First CAD program that I used was called Vellum! If I remember right that was in the late 80's.
 
For those who find SolidWorks difficult, I would recommend the SolidWorks Bible series by Lombard.

I started with 2003 and have all editions through 2010. (He didn't publish an edition for 2012 which is the latest version of SolidWorks that I have and most of my work is still done in 2010.) There is a 2013 edition and a double 3edition for 2011 for parts and assemblies.

Lombard does a great job of illustrating the way to git'er done; much better than SolidWorks help does.
 
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