swap CAD FOR CAD HELP

[lazeyjack]

I have many CAD programmes directly related to design , and many others that are considered tops, I find myself unable to grasp CAD and need one on one tutoring classroom style, not online
In exchange for getting me up and running, I offer these programmes including two marine design and two others for 3d modelling, all with plugins.

you should live within80km radious of Brisbane Australia OR I can come to you anywhere in Australia, for full time , say a weeks study

[nero]

decide on one of your many programs. read the manual ... even if you do not understand what you are reading. Do the tutorials. Then start a simple project. Refer back to the manual as needed.

you're are trying to learn too much at one time. by working in one CAD program, with time and frustration you will advance.

Of course CAD only works if you all ready know how to draft or draw ... and build.

If you are doing it in 3D it is much harder to comprehend.

[lazeyjack]

look I am a builder of fine yachts(see gallery) And I bloody read and read to absolutely no avail, this is last resort
I spent all my life drawing the loft, on my hands andf knees

[lazeyjack]

whoops the (f) was unintended

[nero]

so you have the base to learn CAD with.

What is it that you get a mental block on? What CAD program are you trying to learn? What are you trying to design? What have you used a computer for other than CAD?

I am certain you can understand by yourself.

[Gilbert]

Maybe some of us have forgotten how long it took us to become somewhat proficient at CAD.
I haven't.
I would say it took me several months of computer lab time at a nearby community college to learn enough about autoCAD to feel really proficient.
I used a workbook style tutorial and had access to an instructor if necessary.
It takes a lot of time. And each software is different.
I laugh out loud when I read the company's propaganda that says you will be doing productive stuff in an hour. It's just not true. And I don't think paying, for instance, $300 for six or eight hours of vendor classes is going to cut it either. Those classes are for companies who have been hornswaggled into investing tons of money into converting to CAD and find that their employees can't do a blankety blank thing afterwards. So they are desperate to get them to the point they can do SOMETHING. And so they pay even more money for expensive classes.
The payoff for you, like me, is that you can eventually nearly eliminate the crawling around on the loft floor that gets so tough when you get older. It is in fact not that neat even when you are young.
The other great plus for CAD is that you can change part of a drawing so easily.
For me these two items are what made paying my CAD dues worthwhile.

[lazeyjack]

this sort of answer is unhelpful You see that bow on Nimbus in my gallery, if I said to a newbie boatbuilder go make that , you can do it, without showing him, he would not be able to
I am trying Autocad 04 after giving up on rhino, solid works, and others
I am using another lines drawing programme but the tutorial is not so great
that is why I asked for someone to get me started

Originally Posted by nero

so you have the base to learn CAD with.

What is it that you get a mental block on? What CAD program are you trying to learn? What are you trying to design? What have you used a computer for other than CAD?

I am certain you can understand by yourself.

[Gilbert]

If you haven't tried FREE!ship maybe you should give it a try. www.freeship.org

[yipster]

i was gonna say the the same, couple of hours and reading only 30 pages of manual jack

[nero]

LAZEYJACK

First up is too understand that Computer Aided Design packages have several groups. Each group is comparable to a tool. Metaphorically, one is like a circular saw. It cuts straight lines well. Another is like a jig saw. It cuts curves well but is hard to get a straight line with.

The first group of CAD is 2D drawing programs. Adobe Illustrator, Freehand, Canvas and others. This type of program is used for graphic arts, illustration, drafting, typography and flat art. This group of programs is most like an electronic pen and paper. You might not need this program.

The second group of CAD is 2D/3D drafting. AutoCAD, Vectorworks, Vellum and others. These programs started out as 2D drafting programs, then into 3D drafting programs. They are used for drafting, architecture, and producing dimensional drawings. Because they are 3D, your brain has to understand in 3D what the computer is doing showing you in 2D. Everybody gets "lost" occassionaly while working with a file.

The next group of CAD is modeling programs. They were developed to for 3D creation and manipulation of objects. With in this group there are different groups of techniques. NURBS/Mesh based modelers, and Solid Geometry based modelers. NURBS use an electronic mesh controled by handles to push and pull the surface object around. Solid Geometry modelers generally start with a basic object (cube, cone, cylinder etc) and modify it mathmatically. TouchCAD, Rhino, and ??? are modelers. They can be used to create the hull shape, bulkheads, decks. They can do other things like unfold hulls into flat pannels.

Then there is FEA which is something you do not want to get involved with yet. smile

To make things harder to understand: Programs have mutated to do a bit of everthing. So some 2D/3D CAD programs can do modeling and artistic drawing. For me, the problem is that they become like a leatherman multitool. Will work to do many things, but not well suited to do real work with.

I too would be frustrated if I had to read several manuals for several simular programs. AutoCAD is a good 2D/3D CAD program. It is the industry standard. (I use VectorWorks since I have a Macintosh) Use it to make shop drawings, and dimensional plans and for square and curve type parts.

Rhino is the well accepted modeler. Use it to create hulls and sculpted parts.

You must learn the basics in one program before confusing yourself with another. The learning curve is steep.

This is about all the techincal advice I can tell you. Since I use Macintosh, the programs I use are TouchCAD (a modeler/marineCAD), and VectorWorks (2D/3D drafting). I have used VWorks for 13 years. TouchCAD for 2 years. (TouchCAD also runs on PC's)

[Hans Friedel]

I strongly recomend you to take a course. 3-5 days is often OK to get started. It is very hard to learn a program just by reading tuts.

AutoCad and Rhino are good choises because they are very popular programs. So it is rather easy to find some kind of support.

Hans

[Tactic]

someone should ask him what it is he actually wants to draw!Then those who know about these things can advise what is the best software for his applications.
I remember my first days with CAD very clearly..struggling to even draw a line.
Eventually the pennies drop and you manage to get the tools to do the job you need them to.

[mattosmond]

I Have found that if you set a project, then do all the flat lines in the different views, making sure they all link up. Then start to make the 3d skins, by doing this you are taking little steps and nt over doing it. CAD is easy after a while, but it ha to be done in exactly the right order to get great results....

[nero]

Looked at your gallery again. Are you building all your boats out of aluminum? Do you design the hull shape? In your gallery you show a bit of sheet metal work. Do you cut from numeric or maker patterns?

[lazeyjack]

thanks to ALL who responded, its strange I never saw any of these posts before, and thought nobody cared(smile) now I,ll read em and thank all individually
Stu(lazeyjack)

First up is too understand that Computer Aided Design packages have several groups. Each group is comparable to a tool. Metaphorically, one is like a circular saw. It cuts straight lines well. Another is like a jig saw. It cuts curves well but is hard to get a straight line with.

The first group of CAD is 2D drawing programs. Adobe Illustrator, Freehand, Canvas and others. This type of program is used for graphic arts, illustration, drafting, typography and flat art. This group of programs is most like an electronic pen and paper. You might not need this program.

The second group of CAD is 2D/3D drafting. AutoCAD, Vectorworks, Vellum and others. These programs started out as 2D drafting programs, then into 3D drafting programs. They are used for drafting, architecture, and producing dimensional drawings. Because they are 3D, your brain has to understand in 3D what the computer is doing showing you in 2D. Everybody gets "lost" occassionaly while working with a file.

The next group of CAD is modeling programs. They were developed to for 3D creation and manipulation of objects. With in this group there are different groups of techniques. NURBS/Mesh based modelers, and Solid Geometry based modelers. NURBS use an electronic mesh controled by handles to push and pull the surface object around. Solid Geometry modelers generally start with a basic object (cube, cone, cylinder etc) and modify it mathmatically. TouchCAD, Rhino, and ??? are modelers. They can be used to create the hull shape, bulkheads, decks. They can do other things like unfold hulls into flat pannels.

Then there is FEA which is something you do not want to get involved with yet. smile

To make things harder to understand: Programs have mutated to do a bit of everthing. So some 2D/3D CAD programs can do modeling and artistic drawing. For me, the problem is that they become like a leatherman multitool. Will work to do many things, but not well suited to do real work with.

I too would be frustrated if I had to read several manuals for several simular programs. AutoCAD is a good 2D/3D CAD program. It is the industry standard. (I use VectorWorks since I have a Macintosh) Use it to make shop drawings, and dimensional plans and for square and curve type parts.

Rhino is the well accepted modeler. Use it to create hulls and sculpted parts.

You must learn the basics in one program before confusing yourself with another. The learning curve is steep.

This is about all the techincal advice I can tell you. Since I use Macintosh, the programs I use are TouchCAD (a modeler/marineCAD), and VectorWorks (2D/3D drafting). I have used VWorks for 13 years. TouchCAD for 2 years. (TouchCAD also runs on PC's)[/quote]