Drawing Program ( Cad ) ??

[DougM]

I am looking for a free drawing program

I am wanting to draw out lines of a building and roofs
and am wanting some thing easy not a $ 399 program

Your help is needed

 

[J F]

https://www.google.com/search?q=ske...s=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

 

[bennettfarms]

You can get AutoCAD and SolidWorks for free if you are a student or know someone who is willing to give up their student email. The AutoCAD student software lasts for ever but the SolidWorks will only last for a year

 

[J F]

Pretty steep learning curve for a newb, though.

 

[DougM]

Still working with this program and I am still lost

 

[Mendonsy]

You may want to read this.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/267375-ways-sketching-out-new-ideas.html

 

[tmc_31]

I have been using Draftsight for a year or so now. It is free from Dassault Industries (the French aircraft maker, they also own Solidworks).

It (Draftsight) is a free download. It is and was intended to be similar to AutoCad but only 2 dimensional. I cut my teeth on Autocad but the price of the upgrades was getting burdensome. Also most of my drafting is 2D. If I need 3D, Sketch-up (also free) has met my needs just fine.

Most of the commands in Draftsight are like those in AutoCad, which is to say the learning curve can be pretty steep if you are starting from scratch. I took a couple of classes on Autocad at our local community college. I was working for a small engineering firm at the time and needed the jumpstart. I am not sure that any cad package free or not is very easy to learn. You just have to pick one and jump in the deep end.

Good luck in your search,

Tim

 

[tmc_31]

oops, sorry for the double post, don't know what happened.

Tim

 

[Localmotion]

I use Google Sketchup - it's free & fairly easy to use (def a good start to cad if you're not used to it): Google SketchUp Free 8.0.15158 download - V3.co.uk

Also you can download ready made models of lots of items here: 3D Warehouse

:thumbsup:

 

[3v0]

Cad programs are one of the most complex programs to use. Because of this once a person learns to use one program all others seem wrong. For this reason it is hard to get good advice.

Personally I use sketchup. You can export to inkscape to get 2d renderings of 3d objects. From inkscape you can get output to run CNC machines. Have not done this in a few years so I forget the exact details.