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Thread: CAD Programs

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
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    CAD Programs

    I know this has been addressed here before, but I would like to have recommendations for a relatively inexpensive CAD program. My wife has been on me to build office furniture for our home office and I can't find any plans that are available that work for what she wants. I have NO prior experience and would probably favor ease of use over robustness of features. Any suggestions would be gratefully received.

    Thanks,

    Jack

  2. #2
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    Jack, you should probably post this ? on the design forum. I believe there is lots of information there in past threads that might answer your ?

  3. #3
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    http://www.woodbin.com/docs/cad.htm

    Just to get you started Jack, have a look at some of these offerings. It may be a little confusing, but you may be able to quickly narrow down the selection by eliminating the ones that have more features than you need...or that cost too much.

    FWW did a review recently on CAD programs...I just can't remember the recommendation offhand...but it had capabilities to do 3D work relatively easily and came with a great tutorial CD with videos demonstrating certain procedures.

    I'll get you more info for tomorrow...unless someone comes up with it first.
    Louis Bois
    "and so it goes..." Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

  4. #4
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    The pick in the recent Fine Woodworking overview was DesignCAD, which I've used for years. (Although SketchUp! is getting a lot more time with me at this point) DesignCAD is a full featured 2D CAD application and also offers very good 3D capability if you choose to use it.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  5. #5
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    I've used DeltaCad for close to 12 years now and i don't think you'll find anything thats easier to learn and at $40 bucks it's tuff to go wrong. They have a 45 demo you can download for free (~3.5mb).

    http://www.deltacad.com/index.html

    Brian

    No association yadda yadda yadda
    The significant problems we encounter cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them.

    The penalty for inaccuracy is more work

  6. #6
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    Jim,

    The sketchup demo is pretty impressive. One thing I couldn't figure out is whether you can take a sketch and translate it into real dimensions for building. Please let me know.

    BTW, according to mysimon.com, the current v.15 of DesignCAD can be bought for around $65. Doesn't sound like too bad a deal.

    Jack

  7. #7
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    Jack, SketchUp! can do quite a bit dimensionally, although I am not nearly good enough to do some of the things that I've done in Design CAD along those lines. Todd or Dave would probably be better aquainted in that respect...my time with the program has been limited so far. The price on DesignCAD is often "very good", especially since IMSI aquired the software a year or so ago...they are very agressive marketers, to the point that it can almost be annoying. Fortunately, they have not done anything bad with the program....like combine it with TurboCAD which they also own and sell.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

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