CAD for simple 3-D metal & wood projects?

[Markem]

You powers of perception is great, you can and do read way more than is said.

[Jim Wilkins]

I didn't mean you, but if the shoe fits...

[Gunner Asch]

ROFLMAO!!

__ "A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." - Heinlein

[Gunner Asch]

True indeed.

And Lloyd has a very good track record...and all of his limbs and most of his fingers.

Gunner

__ "A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." - Heinlein

[Gunner Asch]

Thats a lot easier than "Fundimentals of Dimensional Metrology": (which sits in the "Technical/Difficult Shit" shelf of my library.

Thanks!

Gunner

__ "A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." - Heinlein

[Gunner Asch]

VERY!! well stated!!

__ "A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." - Heinlein

[Gunner Asch]

Oh..you work to .125 tolerances then?

__ "A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." - Heinlein

[Markem]

I have noted that some in rec metal are a bit on the brainy side eh? At least in they're attempts at insults.

[Leon]

Not in the slightest for a CNC. Why would one choose odd ball tolerances, tiny fractions, when working with wood? Sketch up is being used for CNC machines and 3D printers.

Metal working in some cases would be another matter.

And given the OP's original post to this thread do you realize how funny it sounds to use a program that uses the resolutions that you are speaking about when Sketchup is more than capable of satisfying his needs for free?

I realize you work with high resolutions, that is the requirement of metal working. But Sketchup is far more of a program than to simply sketch out pencil type drawings.

And Sketchup would be more than fine for reproduction furniture drawings.

So with that kind of time put in with Sketchup you are just getting started. I have many more drawings than you have in hours and most of the drawings require 10~20 hours of design.

If you need that higher resolution use the program that works but your descriptions of the capabilities of Sketchup makes one wonder if you really know what it can do.

I think the biggest problem with this whole thread is that the OP posted to wood working and metal working. His first item on his wish list was for wood boards and followed by stuff you make at home. He had the knowledge of 2D CAD programs so he was not totally ignorant of what to use but IMHO he wanted to do 3D for, most likely, less than extreme resolution drawings.

[Leon]

No, that is not what I said, I said I routinely work with pieces that measure in 1/8" resolution. The tolerances have to be much greater for a joint to disappear.

There is a difference between resolution and tolerance. They are not the same. I simply choose to design using 1/8" as my smallest increment. The cuts have to be as close to that measurement as possible. A piece that calls to be 48.125" needs to be as close to that as possible. 48.120" is way not close enough if you don't want the joint to stick out like a sore thumb.

Then stack on top of that the wood greatly changes shape, relative to steel, depending on the relative humidity and a project may have several hundred pieces that interlock with each other. We wood workers work in pretty tight tolerances too but don't draw project pieces to sizes that include minute fractions for the sake of having odd lengths and widths. I realize this is required in smaller sized metal working projects where size dictates higher precision.

[Leon]

Understood, I was talking more about the actual drawn dimension having limitations to their resolution.

[Swingman]

When "woodworking", depends upon what you're making/measuring.

In a construction project, .0125" is generally what a framing carpenter shoots for when measuring for a cut.

Whereas a trim carpenter would probably base most of his measurements on .03125".

In a piece of fine furniture or cabinetry, .015625" is often not acceptable due to its obvious visibility, or when needing parts to be square.

Leon, being a master craftsman, more than likely sets his drawing "precision" for critical projects when using SketchUp to 1/64", which gives you a roundup of 1/32" for cutting dimensions on a shop drawings.

That said, most learn quickly to batch cut like parts so that any error in like components still make for consistent, same size parts.

[Swingman]

My bet is that the OP would be much more than perfectly happy with this for his simple "3-D metal" drawings:

:)

[Swingman]

Like this:

;)

[Leon]

Snip

What gives you that thought. I mostly use the mouse simply to start a line and to give that line a direction to move relative to the starting point. It is keyboard input from there. For that matter you can mostly use a mouse with AutoCAD.

And, if one prefers to use a mouse or a mouse and a 3D input device what difference does it make which program you use as long as the program is capable of getting the job done.

Am I detecting a bit of snobbery here? ;~)

I thought the same about Sketchup when I was using AutoCAD, In fact I had installed and uninstalled 3 different versions of Sketchup before it dawned on me that Sketchup was way better for woodworking than AutoCAD.

That is correct. I tend to input/draw in decimals, much faster than inputting fractions, but work in fractions in the shop so the drawings are also in fractions.

[Leon]

And for the most part a majority in this thread! LOL. There are a few that may not be and rightfully so but just because I drive a Maserati does not mean I use it to it's limits. The Camry works just fine and in many practical ways out performs the Maserati.

[Swingman]

LOL ... just ragging on you a bit, Bubba. ;)

[Leon]

No, can you think/tell me what that converts to as a fraction off the top of your head? LOL My calculated industries calculator can't either. ;~)

I like to see fractions, on my drawings, that I can actually come close to reproducing. ;~)

A bit off topic, I checked the outside temp a few minutes ago,

42.51232367 degrees F.

[Leon]

No, can you think/tell me what that converts to as a fraction off the top of your head? LOL My calculated industries calculator can't either. ;~)

I like to see fractions, on my drawings, that I can actually come close to reproducing. ;~)

A bit off topic, I checked the outside temp a few minutes ago,

42.51232367 degrees F.

[Leon]

I know! LOL Idle hands. Too friggen cold in the shop.