need software information

[Karl Card]

I am wanting to make templates for hourglass spindles. What would be a good program to use to make these?
The reason I am wanting to design them is because I have a duplicator and want all 3 spindles to be the same.
The machine shop then wants a .pdf file to use to make the templates.

Not quite sure this was the best area to post this but I had to start somewhere...

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

[Dave Richards]

There are any number of options you could use. I would use SketchUp (a free version is available) or Inkscape (also free). Someone will be along to recommend a CAD program such as DesignCAD or AutoCAD. SketchUp will give you an opportunity to see your pattern in 3D if you want before you make a 2D pattern of it.

[William Adams]

Since the company wants a .pdf, a vector-editor such as InkScape or CorelDraw would be an excellent choice.

A CAD tool such as FreeCAD or AutoCAD would be suitable, esp. if you could draw in arcs and manage to get them properly into the .pdf.

SketchUp, while good for modeling / rendering isn't suited to make a .pdf file for production since it only does short line segments to model curves, and moreover, the licensing for the new ``free'' version forbids commercial use.

[Dave Richards]

SketchUp, while good for modeling / rendering isn't suited to make a .pdf file for production since it only does short line segments to model curves...

That's not entirely accurate. It does use short line segments to model curves but that doesn't make it ill-suited for the task at hand.

...the licensing for the new ``free'' version forbids commercial use.

But that is.

The attached PDF file was created from the same SketchUp file used for this image. I expect that would be adequate for a pattern for a lathe duplicator.

[William Adams]

http://mae.engr.ucdavis.edu/~farouki/ijmtm99a.pdf G codes for the specification of Pythagorean-hodograph tool paths --- Academic paper discussing how curves, arcs and circles are handled and the consequences of representing them as polygons or polylines

[Karl Card]

I have the adobe suite which includes illustrator. I am wondering if illustrator would be beneficial on something like this. I am not great at it but photoshop I am much better at than illustrator but illustrator will do vector
files and the such also.

[William Adams]

Yes, Illustrator would be a good choice for this --- just make sure that the file which you submit matches what you want to deliver when viewed in outline mode.

[Rick Ham]

A CAD tool such as FreeCAD or AutoCAD would be suitable, esp. if you could draw in arcs and manage to get them properly into the .pdf.

and moreover, the licensing for the new ``free'' version forbids commercial use.

AutoCad is a joke, it is one of the most difficult to use cad programs I have ever used. I've used quite a few CADD packages in my life. I don't think creating a drawing for a company to create a template by would be in violation of the licensing agreement. If I started selling that drawing for profit then I would be asking for trouble. Anyway that's the way I understand it.

If I was going to buy a package for CADD I would buy AnvilCAD Lite. I can't understand why this package isn't better known in the industry. I use sketchUp and I love it's modeling capabilities but I don't know if I want to shell out the bucks just to get their drafting package.

[daniel lane]

AutoCad is a joke, it is one of the most difficult to use cad programs I have ever used. I've used quite a few CADD packages in my life. I don't think creating a drawing for a company to create a template by would be in violation of the licensing agreement. If I started selling that drawing for profit then I would be asking for trouble. Anyway that's the way I understand it. If I was going to buy a package for CADD I would buy AnvilCAD Lite. I can't understand why this package isn't better known in the industry. I use sketchUp and I love it's modeling capabilities but I don't know if I want to shell out the bucks just to get their drafting package.

Rick, I don't know your background or experience, but I've used AutoCAD since release 9 (yep, it's been a while) and I find it quite easy to use. It was the first package I ever used, so that might explain why I like it (stick with what you know?) and find it easy to use. I definitely think it is too expensive for a hobbyist to consider (really, $1k for the LT version?!?), though. Of course, I think AnvilCAD Lite is, too ($600). I've used SketchUp quite a bit and while I find it helpful, I'm far faster at drawing 2D and dimensioning it using AutoCAD.


daniel