Free CAD

[Joe]

That's how I'd have done it, David. Preferably do the drawing with a fine black felt-tip and when it's scanned play about with the brightness/contrast or the Hystogram Adjustment and then tickle up as needed.

- Joe

[Retired]

Hi,

Thanks Lawrence & Gary. Yes I do have ideas of how 3D would be of use to me and I did hope to demonstrate whilst adding a thread covering my Union Jubilee woodturning lathe upgrade. Unfortunately the Jubilee project has stalled until I sort out why I am unable to save my drawings in a file format suitable for this forum to accept; then I could explain in better detail.

Oh dear; poor David being banned from the workshop on a Sunday afternoon due to visitors; please accept my deepest sympathies. What are the maximum dimensions of the Murphy back panel David or perhaps you could add a few relevant dimensions on the drawing as it would make an interesting exercise for me to have a go at. Email would be fine. Nice effort though David.

I too have tried using MS "Paint" over the years but with little success; lines would not meet and circles were drawn having a mind of their own and nowhere near where expected; just drawing a single slot as shown in the back panel could take a day of nothing but frustration; scaling was a joke as was trying to join circles to straight lines; straight line lengths to three decimal places; oh yeah!! Using the rubber as a child would in order to erase bits of unwanted drawing; totally un-intuitive in use leaving me feeling thick and useless. All I used Paint for was to sketch a rough (very) idea so that I could print out and add dimensions thereby allowing me to make up a materials list; as to accuracy I would have possibly been better using a pencil and paper with my eyes closed. This is my own personal take and I'm sure I'm being grossly unkind but MS Paint joined the rest of the drawing programs I've tried and failed with.

Now if as David says; I too had the beautiful young EMS teacher by my side I would not fall asleep during lessons; I think this young lady looks full of mischief and fun. I've got my own lovely lady in Bron but she knows even less than me about CAD.

This morning I tried adding a snap ring groove to one of my drawings only to end up with a 3D washer; more practice is called for.

Right Joe I can give details of the problem I experience whilst trying to save the 3D file.

I do the drawing in 3D and can view in 3D mode without trouble; then I wish to save the drawing as in "Save 3D Preview". Exactly as shown in your email Joe. The destination is "My Documents" the file format is "bitmap" I enter a file name.

Next I click "Save".

This causes a box to appear containing the following;

"Your video adapter driver is not configured properly for the EMS software. To resolve this there are three options.

1/ Activate software (Unaccelerated) rendering mode. At the side of this is a box showing "Activate" so I click this and receive next message "To use hardware (accelerated) rendering mode the software should be reloaded. What software so I reloaded both EMS and used the motherboard disc to reload the video.

2/ For older windows (mine) set control panel/display/settings/advanced/troubleshoot hardware acceleration to "none"

I can't locate acceleration?

3/ Upgrade your video driver software using device manager or at your video adapter vender's website.

In Device manager; sound; video and games controller all show to be working properly? You Tube and EMS sound reproduction is poor as it breaks up. As I said I've spent days and had a lot of help from you forum members but the problem remains.

Kind regards, Col.

[pwdrive]

I think in a lot of cases familiarity and frequent use is the key, getting paid for your drawings is another incentive.
I have found that if I havn't used the program for a while then it's half an hour to an hour just to refresh the basics then no problem, however coming back to it a couple of months later I find that all is forgotten!
I did a couple of dial creations a while back which turned out ok, the problem then is to make a real one, not easy.
Most scales in vintage radio seem to be printed on a flat surface, printers that can do that are now available but a bit pricey and are generally scaled up for larger glass size printing, what we need is a home version.

Lawrence.

[Joe]

I had that same message, Col, when I double-clicked the thing you e-mailed to me. I ignored it, opened EMS manually and then loaded the file by browsing from the File menu. Double-clicking has subsequently worked OK.

I can't see what your video capabilities have got to do with saving a file. If it wouldn't display on the screen that would be fair enough.

MOST odd. Given that the program is supposed to work with anything from ME up it can't be that demanding of the PC.

I've now put it on my lap-top too so will have a better play when I've gone to bed.

- Joe

[Retired]

Hi,

Many thanks Joe. I've followed your advice and lo and behold I can now print both 2D & 3D and have saved the 3D to "My documents" as a bitmap file allowing Gimp 2 to access it for re-sizing etc. A big step forward now all I need to do is to sort out the 2D drawing and convert it from EMS file format.

The 3D image can be seen below as a picture but I can't add the link in 2D allowing it to opened and manipulated in 3D yet until converted into another file format.

I've a lot to learn but I'm slowly getting there.

I'm like a dog with a bone and won't settle until I can move EMS files around at will then I can resume the Jubilee project and practice a lot more with EMS. What is surprising me is that I expected a great deal more trouble using this CAD with the likelihood of failing again; now I can use the CAD program I'm having troubles with moving the pictures around which has always been so easy previously. It's a strange world.

This is the kind of drawing I wanted to achieve Lawrence & Gary as it gives me a good 3D view of the item I'm making which is a powerful aid. I can design/scale and view in 3D at the drawing stage to ensure I'm happy before I switch my machines on as it is so easy to make a silly mistake; I'd much rather correct on the computer than have many hours work thud into the scrap bin. I've added this picture as normal transferring it from EMS to My Documents then re-sizing using Gimp 2. The previous picture was a digital image taken from the monitor using my camera so a big step in the right direction.

Kind regards, Col.


  Clutch mounting..BMP (Size: 941.36 KB / Downloads: 43)

[AlanBeckett]

I've now put it on my lap-top too so will have a better play when I've gone to bed.

Desperate!

Attached is a scan of a plot of a re-saved version of the file. It all works OK.

I've used 3D Packages in the past but I feel their use is very limited in general Engineering. A major shortcoming is the file formats. We had a near disaster where I use to work when we saved a job lot of Drawings in a 3D Format only to discover none of our suppliers supported it, so we had to supply 2D versions, and we had to pay maintenance on the Software so that we could keep them up to date. I bet they're unreadable by now. That's why most people/Companies stick to AutoCAD or other well known packages.

I freely admit that I've been using AutoCAD and similar for decades, and before that pen, pencil and paper. It really isn't that difficult. After all, it just puts lines and curves on the paper and the screen. So, knocking up something like the attached, or the scans I've Posted before, doesn't take too long. Actually, as far as turning goes, a cross section is what you need, and for card backs I don't see what 'thickness' adds.

Alan

       

[Joe]

This thing seems to be able to import and export AutoCAD files.

- Joe

[Retired]

Hi,

Thanks Big Al. As you say you are very familiar in using AutoCad so you can concentrate on what you are drawing doing it almost automatically. But for people like me who are still at the very basic level of trying to create accurate 2D and 3D drawings it is extremely difficult to pick up; it certainly has in my case so I'm delighted with my progress to date.

One reason I wanted to succeed in CAD is that it is a subject I've always failed most miserably at so apart from the usefulness of the drawings it became a personal thing with me as I'm sure it must do with others who have tried so hard to master it.

As you know Alan I can work to a blue print but up until now have worked to a supplied blue print. To be able to design totally from scratch a component; draw it then actually make it is in my humble opinion quite an achievement.

I've made components for years from a dimensioned 2D drawing but to see a component in 3D takes it another useful step forward. I agree that the back panel could easily be made from a 2D drawing with only the thickness of the material being stated as it is a simple board but many components have lots of dimensions indicating shoulders and things like snap ring grooves which to me are easier to identify on a 3D image; 2D certainly will give all the dimensions but a picture as they say paints a thousand words.

I'm doing this for my own needs but I take your point regarding software use in large companies. This doesn't apply to me so I can work through each stage at home without problem.

I added this thread in the hope of helping others who have tried and failed in using CAD and to highlight there is actually a decent CAD program free of charge that even I could understand; it is sill complicated for a complete novice but I've found EMS to be excellent in getting me started using CAD. The clutch mounting 3D image is basic and it still requires a snap ring groove adding to complete it.

I'm finding the whole process of great interest and am enjoying learning in comfort whilst the weather can do its worst outside.

If nothing else this thread has generated some interest and if one other person now succeeds in using CAD through this I'll be more than happy.

Kind regards, Col.

[Yorkie]

Neat drawing Al!!

[AlanBeckett]

Ish,
It claims to import .dxf files but is actually pretty crap at it and a lot of the information gets lost.
DraftSight does it OK.
By the way, there doesn't appear to be a 'File/Close' option. Very odd.

Alan