Sources for CAD software

[Adasha_Machining]

I'm just asking your reasoning to suggest I'd prefer mastercam. The talking points, if you will. I'm not stuck in my ways. Certainly open to suggestion. Looking for examples and reasons.

[Bill Gruby]

All I need to know is where to get my leads from. I only use pencil CAD

 "Billy G"    

[propforward]

I use solidworks. I have a full on professional license for now - I am toying with the idea of going independent as a full time job. When the time comes that the insane annual fee is not tenable then I might try the hobbyist version of Solidworks - which I understand basically works the same way but with limited features. Probably works well enough for most home users. For the stuff I do for myself full on Soludworks is way over the top.

I was trained in drafting using pen and paper - and I'm glad for it. The schools don't teach drafting any more - they teach how to drive the software. I think it is assumed that most companies will teach how to lay out drawings the way the company wants.

Makes you wonder what the point of standards is, really.

[OldCarGuy]

[quote author=propforward link=msg=350 date=17149599
I was trained in drafting using pen and paper - and I'm glad for it. The schools don't teach drafting any more - they teach how to drive the software. I think it is assumed that most companies will teach how to lay out drawings the way the company wants.

Makes you wonder what the point of standards is, really.
[/quote] using pen and paper - and I'm glad for it. The schools don't teach drafting any more - they teach how to drive the software. I think it is assumed that most companies will teach how to lay out drawings the way the company wants.

Makes you wonder what the point of standards is, really.
[/quote]

I started using a "T" Square and triangles 65 years ago. After a few years I purchased a K&E arm machine. Then graduated to a K&E track machine. We called the paper Velumm that you'd make blue prints from.

Here's a picture of my Hamilton Drafting table that's in my basement office. That still receives lots of action today for drawing part prints, buildings, or laying out machinery. The drafting machine in on the left with an aluminum and clear blades. On the far top RH side is my trusty 1955 Machinist's Handbook,, Bible we'd call it. Left are circle and elliptical templates. Circle and beam Compasses for large circles. Triangles 30-60-90 degree along with a French Curve. Square root, Trig tables, and die maker's Radius Charts. Of course a slide rule and scales. Mechanical pencils in three different lead hardness. Horse hair drawing brush, spare leads, and sharpener..  Electric eraser & shield.. All that's needed.



This may be old school. But it does get the job done. All this from a home hobbyist that owns a full three axis bed type CNC machine with digital options parked in his garage shop.....



 

[Adasha_Machining]

I was trained in drafting using pen and paper - and I'm glad for it. The schools don't teach drafting any more - they teach how to drive the software. I think it is assumed that most companies will teach how to lay out drawings the way the company wants.

Makes you wonder what the point of standards is, really.

Standards are out the window. I work with aerospace. Everyone has different ways of doing models and prints. And most of them are quite bad. 3D models with entire missing sections that can't be rendered. 2D prints missing entire sections of dimensions. Designs that aren't actually manufacturable... and so on.

[Bill Gruby]

Are standards really out the window or are they just different than before They must somehow be held accountable

  "Billy G"

[propforward]

The standards still exist - just not referred to by many. Which is a shame. Creating a correct drawing takes an element of craftsmanship, whether done on paper, vellum or CAD. It is not an easy or trivial thing.

[propforward]

I was trained in drafting using pen and paper - and I'm glad for it. The schools don't teach drafting any more - they teach how to drive the software. I think it is assumed that most companies will teach how to lay out drawings the way the company wants.

Makes you wonder what the point of standards is, really.

Standards are out the window. I work with aerospace. Everyone has different ways of doing models and prints. And most of them are quite bad. 3D models with entire missing sections that can't be rendered. 2D prints missing entire sections of dimensions. Designs that aren't actually manufacturable... and so on.

I work in the subcontractor fabrication world. What comes across my desk from established, large companies is shockingly bad.

[Piggiron]

I can relate. The nuclear power plant I worked at had mechanical and electrical prints that were initially all hand drawn. One of my co-workers initially worked for a contractor that made the drawings, ran into his name on the prints all the time.
Over the years through identifying errors, modifications, and/or changes in OEM equipment we submitted a lot of drawing change forms. Usually, a small amended drawing addendum was made and attached to the master drawing set instead of a full change because corporate always did a "Cost benefit analysis" and always decided it wasn't worth the cost given the amount of time left on the Nuclear Regulatory License.
Problem is that all the initial 30 year licenses were extended to 40 years and when those extensions were about to expire, they increased them to basically unlimited.
It's all politically and corporate greed driven because no new plants are being built. Even the ones that were started have all been mothballed.
IMHO, one of these days this is going to result in another major nuclear accident in this country. Then all the politicians will demand that all the rest be shutdown resulting in a loss of between 25% to 30% of electrical generation capacity in the country.
Crap will really hit the fan then since all these wind mills and solar stations ain't gonna cut it.

[Bill Gruby]

What a shame it is that to move forward we stumbled and went backwards. I find a great sense of satisfaction and pleasure in hand drawing. I do it now for a hobby. People I know will have an idea but are incapable of drawing it. This is where my hobby comes in. I bring there idea to life.
It's fun to see their reaction to what I've done for them Very lucrative too.

   "Billy G"       

[propforward]

I fear I may have pushed us off topic. The main premise of this thread is CAD and where to get it. I somewhat enjoy discussing the changing face of engineering though - so if this should all be in a different thread I'd be glad to start one. Thoughts on that?

I love CAD by the way - but I very much appreciate the planning discipline that drafting instilled. I used to enjoy pen and ink, but prefer my computer for design and drawing these days. I'm faster and more accurate than I ever was. Wish I could say the same about our CAD guys at work.

[34_40]

I doubt anyone in this small group minds that we covered the history of drafting and design. I think it's one of the good features of a smaller group.  If we drift a bit off center, it's still good. Since we have a variety of disciplines and the formats they use, it's good to discuss all the variety as well.  IMHO.    

[Adasha_Machining]

This isn't practical machinist where drifting off is prohibited, or ridiculed because it's an amateur question...

[Bill Gruby]

You would have to go pretty far of the topic to be off topic here. We do this quite often. Here Drafting is drafting no matter how you accomplish it the end result is the same.

  "Billy G"

[TerryWerm]

I agree, drifting off course isn't really an issue. We could start a separate thread if necessary, but there isn't really any need.

I took a whole year of Drafting when I was in high school and I really enjoyed it. It was all pencil on paper. Never got to using a pen at all, but just for kicks we did do some actual blueprints where you drew on a special paper (I don't remember if it took a special pencil or pen) and when the drawing was all done you would roll it up and put it in a big plastic tube along with some ammonia. The paper would then turn blue everywhere except where you had drawn lines or characters, which showed up as white.

I drew many different projects in pencil but eventually moved to CAD. It was so much easier as CAD would do many calculated points for you. Yes, the charm of working with paper, pencil, T-square, triangles, French curves, compasses, eraser shields, etc., was gone, but when doing a full drawing CAD certainly has its advantages. And the TIME you could save!! Amazing stuff!