Aurora_60

My Feedback: (1)

sorry for ealier blank post.. dont know what happend?


ok Bob,
Got the CAD program and am playing around with it tonight... and will probably go on into the morning

David, strange you mentioned the Draftsight program, thats the one I chose! Awsome beginer program.

Paul, You hve to look into this program. Its 2D with built in tutorial program and... ITS FREE. They even offer free support w/ a phone number too. Love it.

The cake analogy was perfect I thought. See my goal isnt building the plane, instead its building the kit. Getting to the point of being able to send a file to a cutter would be as rewarding as eating the cake.
Now that we have our premix cake mix to work with, this program, now we can move forward with this idea... making some templates for a cutter.

DM

EscapeFlyer

My Feedback: (1)

I too have DraftSight...

I have been able to import a set of plans into the program, but now I am working to trace a template... I believe I understand the layering aspect, but I need to learn how to set the background as white and use colors I can see... I need to play with it a bit.

Brian

Aurora_60

My Feedback: (1)

Well you're further than I am right now.
Did you check out the tutorial? You have to log into the DraftSight community, then watch the video... sweet.
Back to it [8D]


DM

doxilia

My Feedback: (3)

Guys,

CAD programs often use a black background to allow colors to be more visible when drafting. AC is one such program. It actually has two "modes" one of them is called "paper space" which reverts the image into what it might look like on paper and allows you to format the design for printout. The other mode is called "model space" and is the mode you use to do the design work.

I haven't poked around with DS enough to know whether it works in a similar way but by default I noticed the drawing background is white. If you can change the preferences of the program to yield a black BG, it might help with the visibility of objects. I've actually kept things rather straight forward and used minimal colour for the actual design objects other than items which are not part of the airframe - things like engines, motors, landing gear, etc.

I've been drawing on white and it has been fine. Using layers extensively proves to be quite helpful - it's easy to do and you can turn on or off objects to help in keeping things clear while you work on a specific area. For example, each major view has its own master layer (wing, fuse top, fuse side, stab, fin, wing ribs, power, landing gear, etc.). Within those master layers I then have sub layers to contain the elements of the design (e.g., for the wing layer I'll have a left panel layer which in turn will have spars, aileron, sheeting, ribs, tip, etc.). If you want to have a plan which uses the identical model but one is glow powered while the other is electric powered, you can have two power layers so simply alternating between them allows you to print a glow or an electric version of the plan.

One trick which is used to obtain symmetry between objects which require them is to simply clone and reflect those objects. As an example, one doesn't try to draw identical left and right wing panels. One just works on a master panel (choose your side) and then clones it. When you reflect it about a vertical axis, it will result in an identical opposite panel. The same concept applies to fuse top views to insure you have a symmetric fuse which is centered about a zero reference line (typically a horizontal thrust line).

I believe the CAD gurus do things a little differently but I have found the above to help in my simple drafting approach.

Maybe this is getting ahead of things though.

David.

doxilia

My Feedback: (3)

Ah, never mind that. I just checked out the latest version of DS and it too has a model space with a black BG and a "sheet" space. I must have been thinking of an early beta or maybe it was another program.

David.

Roguedog

Brian,

To change the background color you will also need to change the reference image color.To change the colorsin Draftsight goto the

"Tools Menu"
Select "options"
Select "Display"
Select "Element Colors"
Select "Reference Guides" change this color from white to black
Select "Model Background" change this color black to white
Select "Ok" at botton of window to save the changes.

Roguedog

For those who opt in for DraftSight, Dassault Systems offers a free forum with tutorials

Same link as before http://www.3ds.com/products/draftsig...-cad-software/

look to the bottom right and click in the box that Says " Login to the Draftsight Community." It will take you to a login page, enter your email into the middle text box, click the button below the text boxand it will take you to the registration page enter your info submit it, all free.

Enjoy.

Timthetoolman1

My Feedback: (6)

Hey David,

Most of us 'CAD gurus' do it the same way. I usually draw in model space and print from there too unless I'm doing something for work and it has to have a title block.
I also draw on multiple layers depending on what I want to print. AC also has a feature to turn the print ability off by clicking the printer next to the layer when you bring up the layer manager.
The first thing I do is make vertical and horizontal cross hairs so I can draw one side and then 'reflect' it (called mirroring in CAD) to the other side. The AC command for that is mi or you can type mirror.
Another useful command is tr which stands for trim. If you draw past your cross hairs you can trim it back by invoking the command and then the line you want to trim it to, then the object you want trimmed.
I do like to import the raster on a separate raster than I'm drawing on so I can turn it off and on as needed. The command in AC to turn it off is layoff (for layer off) and layon to turn all layers back on. If you don't want the layer to come back on then AC will let you freeze it layfrz.

Hopefully someone can find that information useful. It seems like most CAD programs share similar commands.

I've never tried ARC for tracing, I've always used the spline command. I'll have to try that.

Tim

pitstop000

My Feedback: (26)

Okay,

I found and got Draftsight back in Feb, though it was the right choice at the time and was planning to ask about it.

It looks like at least I made a good decision on the software selection.

Now using it is a different story.

So it doesn’t import PDF’s, Now I know what stumped me from the start.

It’s time to look at the Tutorials.

Timthetoolman1

My Feedback: (6)

I use Photoshop to convert PDF to Tiff. There may be others.

Tim

doxilia

My Feedback: (3)

Burning the midnight oil tonight guys!

I have an excuse, I'm actually at work doing an all nighter and doing some RCU in between tasks.

What's your excuse? You ought to all be tucked in! At least if you're on the East coast... Wish I was...

David.

pitstop000

My Feedback: (26)

Midnight oil, it’s way past that.

You can say it’s “Good Morning�

Aurora_60

My Feedback: (1)

Well on my first night on a cad program, GOT MY FIRST RIB DRAWN!!! Why Cool!!!

Roguedog
Thanks for instruction on which toggle to click on for the color change... Really cant get simpler than that! Please keep that sense comming! and thanks for your patients

Paul
My Dirty Birdy plan was save as a PDF file as well. Roguedog sent me a Tiff file ( i'll attach it here) and I imported it by selecting "insert" then "reference image". Then you'll be able to browse to retreve the file of the plans. REALLY EASY!!

I clicked on layer, then changed the color and started playing. Lots of fun!


Thanks for everyones help and LOTS of thanks to Roguedog for starting this thread. I have a loooong way to go I'm sure, but now I'm moving forward.. and with progress to boot!


DM

Paul

Sorry the plan is not supported here. I'll email it to you.

Roguedog

Paul,

Do you have Adode Photoshop? If you do it opens PDF files. Launch Photoshop use the open command to open the PDF. Once opened it will pop up the Import PDFoption window. see first pic

Change the resolution to 400 dpi and the Mode to grayscale and select ok Photoshop will convert it to its native format a PSD file.

Next goto the Image drop down menu select Mode and change from Grayscale to Bitmap. If it asks to flatten layers select ok. The bitmap dialog box will pop up, click Ok to select the defaults. second pic

Next do a File- Save As and type a new file name and change the format form the Photoshop *.PSD format to the TIFF format then click Save. The TiIFF options dialog box will popup, make sure the radio button for LZWCompression is checked then click OK.Thirdpic

doxilia

My Feedback: (3)

David and others,

in DS if you insert your TIF file you can produce a PDF of it by selecting:

File > Export > PDF Export. This is an easy way to convert your DWG drawings into a printable format. It also allows a PDF to be produced of any file you can insert into DS so no additional software is needed for making PDF's.

Conversely, you can insert a whole bunch of other file types other than the standard raster (JPG, TIF, PNG, etc.) files into DS. This means that you don't need a TIF file of a plan to start drafting. If your DB plan was in PDF format, you can insert it by:

Insert > Object > and selecting the first entry in the list in the pop up window. There are a number of supported "object" files including a few Adobe file types as well as various Microsoft file types and a few others.

This is an example of clever software that is designed to handle files of any type for both import or export.

David.

Mike2735

My Feedback: (3)

I too am very interested in this. I am currently building a cnc router and will be on that "STEEP" learning curve for CAD/CAM. I purchased TurboCAD with the CAM add on. I have been using a 2d cad/drawing program for years but I have to unlearn some things and learn the right way. I hope I can ask some questions of the resident experts here. Thanks for the thread and keep it coming.

Aurora_60

My Feedback: (1)

[X(][X(] Your really jumping into the water Mike! Awsome! I would love to consider being able to get a cnc router going too... um, in the distant future. Would really be interest in what you came up with. Do you have any pictures?

Well, As I thought I'm up @ 2am playing with this program. Thanks to Roguedog, Now I can scale the plan with the program using the scale on the drawing for reference. Took a bit to get it, now I can load the plan in any size and correct perfectly (using 1/64" scaling) in about 2 minutes! (I have been practicing for about an hour though

Going to play around with arcs and all the curvy stuff, maybe the mirror feature too tomorrow!

AWSOME!! Thanks You guys!

DM

Mike2735

My Feedback: (3)

Aurora,

Been planning it for a while. Then I bought a house and everything got put on the back burner with moving and getting settled. My property has a 30' X 50' shop so I have the room. Now if I just had the time I need to get it done. Pics will be coming soom.

Aurora_60

My Feedback: (1)

downloaded the edrawing software to export the drwing files.
Heres my rib I made last night, really rough, just learning the different tools right now. The mirror is going to be nice. can't wait!!

DM

EscapeFlyer

My Feedback: (1)

DM,

You give me great hope....

Brian

limeybob

My Feedback: (6)

GSview, free

Bob

Roguedog

Alright David!

Ok! Now that we have a CAD app everone can use I thought this would be a good time to get to the main reason I started this thread which is getting those old Classic pattern plane plans or Pattern Plane magazine plans into a format that can be used to get into the CADprogram.

It you've been messing with Draftsight you may have noticed that when you input the reference image that it is far from it's actual true scale. If you want the correct sized parts you will need to be able to accurately scale your plan to the right dimensions.

I spent all night working with this fine application and figured out a few things about scaling I would like to share.

When I used the "Insert" "Reference Image" command itwill ask you specify a scale reference.I would recommend using a Scale Factorequal tothe length of your plan. Your next question will be so how do I find outthe dimensions of my plan? Well if you have Photoshopyou would simple load thefile into Photoshop then select the "Image" Commandfrom the Menu Bar, then select "Image Size" command. The Scaling Factor will beintheWidthTextbox of Document Size portion of the dialog box. See first pic. Iin thecase of my Beetle plan it would be 63.04 inches. So I would enter 63.04 inches as the ScaleFactorin the Draftsight"Attach Reference: Image" dialog Box. See secondpic.

This makes my TIF the correct dimensions, in Draftsight, for reproducing parts.When I use Autocad with the Raster Design addin this is automatcally set so that you get the true dimensions of the plan you are inserting the image file into it.


TBC

limeybob

My Feedback: (6)

This is great work, thanks. Works exactly as described.

I don't use Draftsight much, but this would fix a potential insert problem.

bob

limeybob

My Feedback: (6)

FYI, if you do not have Photoshop.
If you highlight the file in Window Explorer, it should give you the pixel size. Ex 6943x3567. 6943 = 69.43 In at 100 pixels/in

Bob

Roguedog

Bob,

Nice tip. Most of my plans are scanned at 400dpi. I checked my Beetle plan and it gave me 18912 x 10040, this particular scan was at 300 dpi, so dividing

18912 by 300 = 63.04 for the length
and
10040 / 300 = 33.4666666666667 for the height.

Thanks for the tip.

Draftsight automatically restrains proportions, when scaling,so you will only need to enter the length or width of your plan to get it to the right dimensions.

TBC