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[Kevin.Hutch]

Just joined the forum, just completed a drawing for a 1:35 then 1:20 model, anyone looking for Autosketch, although Autodesk dropped support in 2008 it is still alive and well and a few of us still actively use it under Windows 10 and it is still available for under $100. Outputs in DXF and DWG file formats and pdf/jpg for easy distribution.

[warspite]

Welcome to the forum
I managed to recover my copy of AutoCAD V14 on the old PC (win XP)  , tried drawing up a new project but issues with whether I was still going to be in work put paid to that idea, so this will be the last month I get to relax at home before we start back at work.


You would think being furloughed would have allowed me the opportunity to build a few and repair a few of my models - but not so, the fear of redundancy put a great strain on me to conserve as much of my income 'just in case', when i a better place I will start again - need to clean the workshop first.


Sorry for hijacking this thread

[grendel]

as a professional CAd draughtsperson, I have always found autosketch to be woefully inadequate for my needs, so have recently transitioned from full autocad to fusion 360, this does take some learning even for a CAD professional, but shares enough similarities with autocad to make that a good starting point, better still for the hobbyist fusion 360 is free for non commercial use.

[Sonar]

So as a total no idea how to use a cad for 3D printing where and what would I need to start with that I would not have to upgrade to within a few months.


I use an I mac 2020


Just reading some of the 3D posts and design stuff looks like it is way past my scope  so simple stuff to start with I guess.

[warspite]

As far as I was aware Auto sketch is a 2D program with limited abilities, full Autocad has the blocks that allow you to create the 3D image needed to be able to convert it into an item that can be printed via a suitable program for your selected 3d printer - i.e. an stl file etc, if you go on shapeways site it tells you what formats you need to be able to use their printing service.


I prefer the full Autocad as I use the 3D blocks to be able to see what clearances are needed to make something work.

[Kevin.Hutch]

Right Autosketch is a 2D CAD package and since Autodesk orphaned it in 2008 it has no support beyond the Autosketch forum.


It was left with no migration path to later CAD packages and no way of reading old files beyond the package.


Conversely it runs well under Windows 10 and provides a wealth of 2D drawing features and those of us that have been using it for years the lack of a migration path locks out a vast library of old drawings from an upgrade.



I am waiting with baited breath as to whether W11 supports it Iam stuck with W10 as I use Autosketch too much to abandon it.

[RST]

So as a total no idea how to use a cad for 3D printing where and what would I need to start with that I would not have to upgrade to within a few months.


I use an I mac 2020


Just reading some of the 3D posts and design stuff looks like it is way past my scope  so simple stuff to start with I guess.

Hello Sonar,
What are you looking to do?  In terms of learning 3-D CAD I still haven't bridged the transition from traditional 2D but in terms of something free and without doubt the most simplest I found is tinkercad.  I do lots of 3-D printing and while it is not very comprehensive, it's surprising just what you can churn-out on it.
I don't know if it works on fruit based computer but certainly on a window based one into a purely on-line free platform to get started on, or just settle there (you can download all your parts anyway) it's definately worth a look.  You DO NOT neded to be a 3-D CAD expert to do 3-D printing.  Example attached here of a new cabin for a Billings Waveney lifeboat kit (small one) I'm eventually turning into one of the two boats used for pilot duties.

[RST]

Tinkercad works OK depending how much you are looking to reproduce.  It is a bit frustrating sometimes but can do quite complex things as long as it's not 3D curved surfaces.  You need to know the limitations of your printer also as to what you can / can't do in one part.  I split this and printed a bit like an airfix kit.  Only one problem with the boom parts which printed at a different scale so some filling and sanding required to hide the mis-match at the join. That's not a design failure -some kind of error in the slicing software which can happen sometimes...

[RST]

Sorry to Hijack the thread Kevin, it was just to show to Sonar how easy it can be to enter into things and not to be scared off from trying.  For the rest of you / us it is what it is.
Rich

[grendel]

Nowadays fusion 360 seems to be the way to go, there are a ton of tutorials out there for it, and it can save directly to a 3d printer useable format

[Kevin.Hutch]

I might be biased but I am not closed minded. I have investigated several options over the past few years.  Fusion 360 certainly looks like the best option to spend my effort, if I want to pursue3D, but the daunting task of saving all my old files in dwg format has so far stopped me progressing.

[Sonar]

Thanks for the informative reply.
Now going through some of the software. Seems it is way above me so now I guess it’s onto something else.

[Kevin.Hutch]

Any CAD package is initially very daunting, it takes some perseverance the grasp the concept, bit it is worth the effort.


Those into drafting will be used to sorting the scale out first to settle on the page size before starting.


The AutoCAD (and others) approach is draw in 1:1 and set the scale when you want to print it.

[Circlip]

When being instructed into the black art of screen drawing from many years of dusty sleeve cuffs, the hard part was grasping the concept of "drawing" at full size. Was also told the worst people to teach Acad were those who'd spent years on "the board." 
May have changed now but line widths for reprints need thinking about and letter font sizes.



   Regards  Ian.

[RST]

Thanks for the informative reply.
Now going through some of the software. Seems it is way above me so now I guess it’s onto something else.

If you want to enter 3D printing there is no need to be afraid of the hobby. I can't do 3D cad worth its salt but I can do enough tinkering and it's been very rewarding!  Try on the basics, you might find it easier than you think.  The only software I have installed is the slicer for each printer and they are designed to be pretty simple to use.