vauxhall

I installed a free CAD program so I could print a Spitfire plan in DXF from the Profili site. I thought I'd learn to use it and do my own design. Took me a while to figure it all out, but here's the plan, which I put onto a CD-R as a HPGL file, took to the local printer and got a full size copy done yesterday. Not bad for an "old bloke". CAD is fantastic..how long has this been going on?

Quicksdraw MaGraw

My Feedback: (1)

Nice work. I'm just getting started as well. I hope I pick it up as quickly as you.

BMatthews

Cute and well done. Your main gear is too far back though. Put it about 1/2 inch behind your expected CG position.

Don't know if you've seen it but check out my "Uncle Bruce's Bakers Dozen CAD hints" in post number 3 of [link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_1941845/tm.htm]THIS THREAD[/link] . It's aimed at TurboCAD users but the ideas are applicable to any CAD type. I tried to rank my learning from most to least important. Using those 13 hints has allowed me to do all but a quick doodle faster in CAD than with pencil and paper.

It's quite the revelation though ain't it...

vauxhall

Hi Bruce, your thread was very helpful, as I'm still discovering more about CAD all the time. I have noted your suggestion re the U/C. ..........John

vauxhall

How's this Boss? .........John

D Bronk

HI VAUXHAUL,I`m intrested in that program, and doing stuff like you are now.Could you tell me, where to get that ,program as well??? .Thanks DAVE .B

ptulmer

My Feedback: (5)

vauxhall, you are now addicted! The good news is that there is no cure! CAD has been around since computers. I remember software for a 286 that I had. I learned on a 386 using DataCAD. You wouldn't believe how much has stayed the same over the years. Think about this though, the PC is barely old enough to drink here. The market started growing less than twenty-five years ago.

You can pick up TurboCAD with a good manual for about eighty bucks.(US$) The manual is worth the extra money!

DICKEYBIRD

Hey D.B. - Go to http://www.al-ki.com/tcad/download.php and download TurboCAD LE. It's free, it's great and you can download the manual as a free .pdf. as well. Amazing what you can get for free these days!

It's a full featured 2D program (v4.05) from a few years ago that will do all you need to do until you're ready for something really fancy.

BMatthews

Ebay is full of non current versions of TurboCAD for less than $30. If you go shopping watch out for the Designer version of TC. It's a stripped down cheapie that won't work with many file formats. Stick to the Deluxe version. It's the best bang for the buck by far. I'm seeing lots of version 9 and 10 copies. 9 was the first that really makes 3D easy to do so stick with that or V10 and you'll never need anything higher up for hobby use.

The key is to take some time to learn how to set up the toolbars so that you have what you want most of the time at your mousetip. The default setup puts a lot of 3D tools there and that just confuses you. I can't help more at this point as I set up mine a couple of years back and then promptly forgot how. But it's not that hard. At first concentrate on the 2D tools and worry about the 3D stuff later on.

If you pick up a copy we can work together to set up the toolbars with the most useful flyout options.

D Bronk

Thanks a lot guys, don`t have time to set it up right now,but I`ve put it on my FAVORITES list ..THANKS again..DAVE B.

ptulmer

My Feedback: (5)

Bruce, I just went through an upgrade. What I did was turn on any toolbar that looked remotely useful and then closed (by clicking on the x) any window that was overkill or a duplicate. Different views are useful, but that space is better used for the long snap and line menus. Aside from trimming and stretching, most other items are easily accessed from the pull-down menus.

Oh yeah, don't forget to dock the menus by dragging to one side (or top,bottom) of the drawing window.