I've been following the threads about CAD by Bronxilogically Violated,
and have been too apathetic to mention:

If you want to make 2D _drawings_, the kind of stuff that you actually
give to machinists to make parts*, then QCad is pretty good. It's a
marketing vehicle for some "full version" 2D cad system that you have to
pay $$ for, but QCad itself is open source and pretty darn good**.

I use it for drawing model airplane plans, mostly, and it works just fine.

* Well, all but the most complicated parts, in which case everyone gives
up on the whole 2D drawing thing and the shop just asks for your 3D model.

** Except splines suck -- one of their sales points for the commercial
product, when translated from Sales to Pithy, reads "and splines don't
suck".

--
Tim Wescott
Control system and signal processing consulting
www.wescottdesign.com

On 5/17/2010 10:49 AM, Tim Wescott wrote:
I've been following the threads about CAD by Bronxilogically Violated,
and have been too apathetic to mention:

If you want to make 2D _drawings_, the kind of stuff that you actually
give to machinists to make parts*, then QCad is pretty good. It's a
marketing vehicle for some "full version" 2D cad system that you have to
pay $$ for, but QCad itself is open source and pretty darn good**.

I use it for drawing model airplane plans, mostly, and it works just fine.

* Well, all but the most complicated parts, in which case everyone gives
up on the whole 2D drawing thing and the shop just asks for your 3D model.

** Except splines suck -- one of their sales points for the commercial
product, when translated from Sales to Pithy, reads "and splines don't
suck".

Rhino3D has a one click command called 'Make2d' that
creates a 2D (3 or 4 view) drawing inside your 3D drawing.

It is a refreshing change from continuously having to translate
features between views.

I like it.


--Winston

On May 17, 12:49*pm, Tim Wescott wrote:
I've been following the threads about CAD by Bronxilogically Violated,
and have been too apathetic to mention:

If you want to make 2D _drawings_, the kind of stuff that you actually
give to machinists to make parts*, then QCad is pretty good. *It's a
marketing vehicle for some "full version" 2D cad system that you have to
pay $$ for, but QCad itself is open source and pretty darn good**.

I use it for drawing model airplane plans, mostly, and it works just fine..

* Well, all but the most complicated parts, in which case everyone gives
up on the whole 2D drawing thing and the shop just asks for your 3D model..

** Except splines suck -- one of their sales points for the commercial
product, when translated from Sales to Pithy, reads "and splines don't
suck".

--
Tim Wescott
Control system and signal processing consultingwww.wescottdesign.com

I have been using IntelliCAD (http://www.cadopia.com/) for many years
and find that it works really well for the simple, 2D stuff that I do.

Unfortunately they only seem to make it for Windows XP and I much
prefer using Ubuntu linux.

Lewis.

*****

wrote:
On May 17, 12:49 pm, Tim Wescott wrote:
I've been following the threads about CAD by Bronxilogically Violated,
and have been too apathetic to mention:

If you want to make 2D _drawings_, the kind of stuff that you actually
give to machinists to make parts*, then QCad is pretty good. It's a
marketing vehicle for some "full version" 2D cad system that you have to
pay $$ for, but QCad itself is open source and pretty darn good**.

I use it for drawing model airplane plans, mostly, and it works just fine.

* Well, all but the most complicated parts, in which case everyone gives
up on the whole 2D drawing thing and the shop just asks for your 3D model.

** Except splines suck -- one of their sales points for the commercial
product, when translated from Sales to Pithy, reads "and splines don't
suck".

--
Tim Wescott
Control system and signal processing consultingwww.wescottdesign.com

I have been using IntelliCAD (http://www.cadopia.com/) for many years
and find that it works really well for the simple, 2D stuff that I do.

Unfortunately they only seem to make it for Windows XP and I much
prefer using Ubuntu linux.

QCad is available for Ubuntu. At least I loaded it when I had 8.xx, and
it's on the menu for 10.xx -- but this machine, which I need to upgrade
from 9.xx, doesn't have it available.

Go figure.

--
Tim Wescott
Control system and signal processing consulting
www.wescottdesign.com

"Tim Wescott" wrote in message
...

** Except splines suck -- one of their sales points for the commercial
product, when translated from Sales to Pithy, reads "and splines don't
suck".

CAM BAM which has an older free beta version available (The new version is
time limited) can either explode splines or convert them to poly lines
easily. Just select and then convert. I do a lot of simple stuff in Corel
Draw and export to DXF, then use CAM BAM to convert the polylines. Then I
use Desk CNC to do my actual cam operations. Eventually I may take the
time to play with Cam Bam and use it as my CAM processor, but right now I
just use it to change the splines to polylines.

Note: I do have to "convert to curves" in Corel Draw before exporting a lot
of entities. Text, rotated ovals, etc.

If you are interested let me know and I'll find the Beta with no time limit
and give you a link.