Easy To Use CAD For Beginners

[Erfolg]

Are you now at one with the idea there is a 0,0 just like when drawing a graph?

I guess the idea of x, y coordinates is not an issue.

How are you with the idea of copying lines or off-set as a means of drawing parallel lines? It is an easy way of saying placing multiple formers or wing ribs are required.

The snaps can be useful, although they may not be as accurate as expected. The snap command normally has a accuracy associated with it, be it mid-point, end-point etc.

The use of trim and extend are also very useful. When you have copied multiple lines, you will invariably find that these lines are to short or to long. This could be a set of wing ribs. You then draw a line which bisects all of these ribs. It looks a bit of a mess. You simply just trim back or extend to the line, to achieve the image you want.

It is in many respects just like drawing on graph paper, using coordinates, where you have to tell someone else what to do next, in a series of sets of values and commands. Such as draw line, remove line, draw 2 or 3 point circle and so on. A bit slow until you get onto the same wave length of your rather challenged helper, who takes everything literally, requiring you to be exact in both language and precision, as they are incapable of anticipation or interpretation of what you mean, if not exactly expressed within their vocabulary.

[bert baker]

Hi Tony I am finding it hard going, the Videos have been of great help, ive along way to.

I just want to do model aeroplane plans just like the one Stephen posted on page two

[Stephen Jones]

Ok ,

Here is an idea ,

I am sure there are plenty of guys on here that can do CAD and show us though the basics .

Now this could run pretty much like the how to design you're own model in CAD , A series of step by step featured ever month in RCM&E with support files offered every month as a download in .DXF .

And at the end of the series you will end up with a plan of a simple model you can build and fly .

All we need is someone to step forward and offer there time to write a article every month for Graham to publish .

There is a demand for it i am sure .

Steve

[Tony Bennett]

i would agree with that.

[Erfolg]

When I receive my Cad 2d I will be trying to design a Gotha 244B.

It will be a learning exercise for me , not a tutorial. There are two reasons, the first is i have never used it, and I have been most unsuccessful at getting even the simplest of ideas and concepts across.

On the other hand I do hope to be able to exchange experiences with others who may be interested.

I will sound a cautionary note, I have been taught  to use a number of CAD packages, which include the Legendary Autocad version 13, early Turbo Cad, PDMS ( a solid modelling system), and an additional modelling package which was wire frame, the name of which eludes me. There is one thing that struck me, all were particular to the order in which some operations were done, there being no consistency. Also to achieve the same effect not all went about the operation in the same manner. Yet it was apparent that there was some convergence as new versions were launched.

Again all of this was some 20 or so years ago.

Just like Tony i have a modelling room with rolls of drawings, of models. I do not need any more. Of course I should really just throw most out.

Edited By Erfolg on 26/02/2015 19:51:37

[Erfolg]

Right I now have my Total Cad 2d

It is loaded.

I am not sure how far anyone has got, but for me there are a few surprises.

When the software opens, it is unit less. In some respects this does not seem to matter. In my case I have set the units to mm and also the same as the default.

I then selected new drawing.

I had a look around, it is the drop down menus of a windows type products across the top. Just below are a series of boxes which the first 2 tell you where the origin (world centre) relative to your mouse cursor. The next two, when a point is dropped points relative.

The left hand side there is a so called tool box, where many of the common commands available from the top drop down menus are accessed quickly.

There is another set of tool boxes on the right lower edge which appear to be the zoom type boxes.

I decide to draw a line, which is picked from the left tool box. Dropped a point.

Now what appears to be different in this system, there does not seem to be a input dialogue box on the bottom left, such that Autocad has, which shows the command and input data you have just put in.

To get a point relative, I hit the " ' " button on the keyboard, and a dialogue box drops down into which I typed in my co-ordinates. It drew the line, as required

Have others found a dialogue box as with Autocad, or is it just different?

So far it seems OK.

I will now be looking at importing a scanned bit mapped image. Does any one know how to do it, if possible?

[Steve T]

Great idea for a serialisation in the mag with PDFs , as I have also failed to understand 75% of this thread! It was still slide rules and graph paper when I did my degree, I still never use a scientific (as they were known) calculator. What about it RCME ?

[Tony Read 2]

I haven't used CAD for ages, but the way I looked at it was that you were drawing full size on the computer, so a line defined at 50mm long on the PC really was 50mm long. It was only when you came to printing that scaling up or down came into play. Of course you can zoom in or out on the screen, much like you can zoom in or out on a subject with a camera, but the thing you are designing will always be the same 'virtual' size.

I found using CAD quite time consuming until I started to find and use the short cuts and then things got much simpler and faster.

[Erfolg]

I have tried to import a scanned image as a WMF, JPEG amd SPP type file. All attempts wee unsuccessful, with a return of "not successful". If this had been successful it would have saved a lot of time.

Tony, it is the same here, some 5 years from when I drew up my house extension and a little further back when I did a kitchen extension drawing for one of my daughters. It is some 15 years since when I supervised CAD design. In my case I have taken a number of week long training courses and also a year long formal training, part time sponsored by my then employer, although never a CAD operator, as such.

Since starting to taking an interest, I have reflected on where the advantages are, also disadvantages. The first thing that struck me, is that my drawing board is totally dedicated to model building. It also struck me is that I have a small monitor, at 18", hard work, compared to a CAD size monitor. I do know that the process is slower, but I can spend an hour here and there, where drawing on my board stops model making.

Commercially it did strike me that the advantages that commercial designers obtain, is that the Architects building files, can be passed onto the structural engineers for their work, the files can also go to the Chemical Engineers to do their work.

With 3d there was the advantage that you had the Cat and Spec files, where a pipe would be defined in terms of predefined properties of material, spec etc. The Cad operator could then draw in his run, which automatically generate a listing of pipe used, fittings required (flanges, gaskets, bolts etc). The run would be clash checked automatically. The completed files then passed onto the CNC pipe bender and so on. In that case it saved a draftsmanship drawing out the pipe runs, a modeller modelling the drawings, then ISOs drawn from the model, then all the material requirements taken off, before the pipe fitters ever got near it. Another advantage is that the same files can be used as a basis for Finite analysis, for stress, heat transfer, shock loadings and so on. Potentially a lot of savings, although the overheads of the CAD system are massive.

We will never see such complication, or savings.

Non the less like Tony I am fead up of falling over rolls of paper, littering my building room , which I am reluctant to throw out, although i know I should.

Edited By Erfolg on 27/02/2015 14:13:36

[bert baker]

I would like to do a simple tapered box shape fuz with formers that have holes in the middle.and a parallel wing . with ribs

then move on to tapered wings and shaped fuz

Please

It don't have to fly or be made just drawn

[Keith Simmons]

I have just brought TurboCAD 18 Deluxe 2D/3D and trying it out. I normally type in commands but it appears not to accept, only use the drop down menus. I have inserted a PDF and it says it's loaded but I can't see it. Where is the zoom extent command?

I better look at the Tutorials.

Can this open Autocad 2010 dwg files?

Edited By Keith Simmons on 27/02/2015 19:18:58

[McG 6969]

Hey to all,

As 'eflightray' already mentioned, what's wrong with SketchUp?

It's free...

a huge amount of people use it worldwide & you can find from props to servos including LiPo's or whatever in online libraries...

it as numberless plugins for modelling use...

as w/ the 'Flattery' plugin, you can 'unfold' your creation with just 'one' button, group it onto 1 sheet...

& print it to '.pdf' in the scale that you decide (if created 'full' scale beforehand, of course)...

Easy, no?

But of course if your lifetime dream is to 'talk' CAD/CAM & the surrounded software, you should at least invest in a decent CAM- or CNC router or/and an high-end Trotec 500 laser cutter device as well...

Happy CADding

Chris

Brussels, Belgium

[Tony Bennett]

i have tried sketch up and cant get the hang of it at all.

[bert baker]

Posted by McG 6969 on 27/02/2015 19:28:19:

Hey to all,

As 'eflightray' already mentioned, what's wrong with SketchUp?

It's free...

a huge amount of people use it worldwide & you can find from props to servos including LiPo's or whatever in online libraries...

it as numberless plugins for modelling use...

as w/ the 'Flattery' plugin, you can 'unfold' your creation with just 'one' button, group it onto 1 sheet...

& print it to '.pdf' in the scale that you decide (if created 'full' scale beforehand, of course)...

Easy, no?

But of course if your lifetime dream is to 'talk' CAD/CAM & the surrounded software, you should at least invest in a decent CAM- or CNC router or/and an high-end Trotec 500 laser cutter device as well...

Happy CADding

Chris

Brussels, Belgium

Well that's the point for me, I have two Denford Orac CNC lathes a CNC micro mill a denford Micro router.

All of no use as I need to be able to draw stuff first, I have tried Sketchup I did manage a few basic parts but wanted to go the CAD route proper and Turbocad is going to be a learning curve.

[IanR]

Keith, the "Zoom Extents" command can be found under the VIEW menu. Alternatively, you can open the TOOLBARS menu and then select "Zoom". This will put all 6 x view options on the toolbar, including "Zoom Extents"

As regards importing a pdf, I believe you need to click on a top left-hand corner and bottom right-hand corner of an imaginary box (with Snaps set to OFF) and use the local menu (right mouse click) to select "Keep Aspect Ratio" and that should bring in your pdf. Then you can re-position, rotate, re-size the pdf as you wish.

I think that only more recent versions of Turbocad have provision for an AutoCAD style Command Line. It is an option but I don't know how to access it.

Personally, I have never used a Command Line since Turbocad doesn't need it. Old hands who are used to using AutoCAD from way back will no doubt think this is daft. But, when Turbocad was first introduced, its selling point was that it was fast because it didn't use a Command Line - much faster than using AutoCAD which required you to type in the length of a line and its angle etc etc. It was a very basic, slick and quick, drawing package for 2D, only.

Along the way, Turbocad became more and more capable but more complex to use (and I think that perhaps AutoCAD became slightly easier in not making it absolutely necessary to use a Command Line)

Ian

[eflightray]

Posted by bert baker on 27/02/2015 19:50:08:

Well that's the point for me, I have two Denford Orac CNC lathes a CNC micro mill a denford Micro router.

All of no use as I need to be able to draw stuff first, I have tried Sketchup I did manage a few basic parts but wanted to go the CAD route proper and Turbocad is going to be a learning curve.

I use SketchUp, for scaling a 3-view, a roll of wallpaper, pencils, and straight edges for some lines, (not really a plan), and a scalpel knife.

Works for me as I don't want to produce loads of kits.

[IanR]

Bert, just read your last post. I would just like to say to you, and anyone else who is listening, don't be put off learning Turbocad because of a presumed steep learning curve. It needn't be.

Most of us probably have access to a word processor - mine is an old version of MS Word. If I wanted to "learn" Word it would probably take me a couple of years because it is so extensive and sophisticated. You can put together all kinds of wonderful documents with columns, pictures, different fonts, different sizes and so on and so on and so on. Personally, I have only ever used it to write letters and make notes of things I've read on this here forum (copy and paste, usually)

I reckon I use about 2% of Word's capability. And the same would probably be true of Turbocad. In other words, you probably won't need a tenth of Turbocad's capability - ever, certainly not for producing 2D drawings of our models.

So don't be put off. Just a couple more points:-

Older (and therefore, cheaper) versions of Turbocad are probably all that we modellers require, but may not provide all the import/export capability req'd. (though DWG files shouldn't be a problem)

Turbocad has a very useful Help function so learn how to use this early on.

Forget about Command Lines and World Coordinates during the learning process.

Ian

[Geoff S]

Ian, that's typical of most software packages for most people. 99% of what you need to do can be done with 1% of the commands. I've used a lot of editors/wordprocessors form line editorsd to WYSIWYG (like Wordstar or Word) for writing software, manuals and reports from the early 70s and that rule seems to hold good (roughly). It's a waste of time learning the whole thing until you need to do something slightly different.

Back in 1999 I wrote an article on ModelCad for RCMW it was published and my pay was free copy of the software. I designed a model with it just for fun but it wasn't particularly easy to use. I haven't used it for years (it was on several 3.5" floppies) but I've just checked and it's still on this machine I wouldn't recommend it now but it was fun to write at the time. It was also quite a little thrill seeing the magazine on sale in Hong Kong airport where we had a lay over on the way to New Zealand.

Geoff

[Dylan Reynolds LaserCraft Services]

Posted by bert baker on 25/02/2015 17:37:49:

Oh dear what have I started,

So all we need now is a teacher.

It's easy, if I can get my technophobe dad of 65 with no experience, doing drawings for me when I don't have time after just 3 months of teaching, I'm sure anyone can pick it up

Seriously though, what he found a great help was to have actual physical books with paper pages and a cover an evryfink, next to him while he practiced, he couldn't do with the lessons on the disc that comes with the software and the guy in the videos, his voice is soooooo boring, i fell asleep several times

I must say though, I am now onto Solidworks and it makes CAD look so last year 

Edited By Dylan Reynolds LaserCraft Services on 27/02/2015 22:30:03

[Dylan Reynolds LaserCraft Services]

Posted by Stephen Jones on 25/02/2015 18:54:23:

Lets hope someone with good Cad skills can help us out .

And maybe start a how to work in CAD thread for us to follow .

Steve.

If this would help, I can always start a Q&A thread for TurboCAD, CorelDraw and Solidworks, I have been known to do a little bit of scribbling on the screen

[bert baker]

Thanks Dylan.

That's a great idea. I would prefer to stick with Turbocad myself.

So I want to draw a tapered fuselage. its going to have 5 bulkheads.

What's the first thing to draw or do I have set the default setting to Metric

Bert

[Tony Bennett]

i can set it to metric and draw a pair of lines.

thats it. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

wish i was 5 again, i might be able to do it then.

[bert baker]

Tony have you had a go at a square.

I found the default so ever time I open it is in Metric already

Edited By bert baker on 27/02/2015 22:59:31

[Tony Bennett]

i will get there, just not had the time of late to really sit down and have a play.

[Dylan Reynolds LaserCraft Services]

bert the first thing you should be drawing is a datum line, first things first, if you want to model it in 3d you need to open a turbocad 3d workspace, then you can use your different work planes to drawn actual parts and place them as you go