Large Scale Central

CAD Program Suggestion

Modeling
#1

Greetings,

The town of Little Paddocks really needs to start building on our garden railroad. I currently have 4 weathered Piko buildings that have been sitting out with no real purpose. Now I’m tossing around the idea of scratch building new structures as well as taking a couple of the Piko buildings and turning them into a taller type building. So my question is what kind of simple, easy to learn and (hopefully inexpensive) CAD type programs are out there to create building plans? I once had a Broderbund product where you could design a house but I don’t think that will run on my current computer…its a rather old program.

I appreciate any suggestions.

Richard

#2

Richard,

Depending on what type of program you are looking for, I offer the following suggestions.

For a 3D CAD program, many recommend ‘Sketchup’. I don’t have any personal experience with it as I work with the ‘Big Boys’. I have also heard good reports on ‘Design Spark’. To the best of my knowledge, neither of these offer a drafting option to generate hard copies of drawings.

For a 2D option, I do recommend ‘Draftsight’, by Dassault Systems. This is an AutoCAD clone that is very good. It is 2D only, but is command compatible with AutoCAD. There is a learning curve, but should not be too difficult.

#3

Richard

I highly recommend Sketchup, I have used Sketchup in my business for 9 years, I do use Sketchup pro, the only difference between

the free version and pro, is you cant export DXF or DWG and probably other formats that is needed to export to cnc equipment.

There are ways around that two. As a person in auto cad type programs, it is much easier to learn sketchup as any 2D cad program

and besides we live in a 3D world, and see things in 3D, it is easier to draw in 3d cad the 2 d cad.

Many tutorials on sketchup on internet and utube. , I think there is still a free version for download off internet, Google used to own it, now Trimble does. Don’t waste time learning 2D cad when 3D cad can do so much more, I have hundreds of structures drawn in sketchup

in many different styles and forms.

Dennis

#4

Thanks for the suggestions…I’ve gone ahead and downloaded the free version of Sketchup…will take a look and see if it will suit my needs. I’m sure it will…now to get to learning it.

Richard

#5

in german fora they talk higly about the 123 autodesk line.

free programs and they got a whole range of programs, that work together.

from scanning per camera or cellphone, designing one’s own models, to printing preparation.

i can’t say, how good or bad it is, because i am still trying to set up the software for my printer, and trying to comprehend about the different programs.

but allow me an afterthought:

before trying to design things, maybe it would be easier to raid the dozens of libraries with free or buyable files for printing.

doors, windows, furniture, just rezise for your scale and print. (i doubt, that it is easy to print walls, because they are too big for affordable printers)

edit:

try this searchmashine. it searches about a dozen libraries.

http://www.yeggi.com/

#6

I ha e even using Autocad for years currently Autocad LT which is a very powerful 2D cad program. I have used older Autocad 3d solid model programs. They too are quite powerful but a bear to learn. I have played with sketch up but not yet mastered it. It seems it should do all we need it to. There is certainly a learning curve with it too. But it is much easier than the Autocad 3d system was.