This topic has probably been chewed over and over again yet I dont see
an immediate solution:
I need software for planning small/medium woodworking projects that
will supply the following:
* design of furniture (table, box, ...not kitchen, room, ...)
* 3D view (option to rotate and add wood texture)
* no sheet planner, inventory functions, etc. Keep it simple.
* freeware or shareware - preferable
I'm beginning to think any 3D CAD software will work and searching in
the "woodworking" category is just misleading. Am I right?
Thx

On 27 Dec 2004 02:38:23 -0800, wrote:

This topic has probably been chewed over and over again

Surprisingly not.

Fine Woodworking a couple of issues ago did a multi-product review of
this type of CAD. I'm planning to buy ($99) a copy of DesignCAD when
I have a moment, on the basis of this recommendation.

--
Smert' spamionam

On Mon, 27 Dec 2004 12:27:37 +0000, Andy Dingley
vaguely proposed a theory
.......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

On 27 Dec 2004 02:38:23 -0800, wrote:

This topic has probably been chewed over and over again

Surprisingly not.

mmm....it has, IIRC. But since it never gets resolved, that's no
problem! G


Fine Woodworking a couple of issues ago did a multi-product review of
this type of CAD. I'm planning to buy ($99) a copy of DesignCAD when
I have a moment, on the basis of this recommendation.

Before you buy, have you tried the downloaded trial?

I am DLing now, to try it yet again. I used it under DOS. It was OK
but buggy. I tried again maybe 2-3 years ago under WIn.

I did not keep using it. It may have changed.

The thing I have found with _any_ 3D stuff is that it's not simple. If
you don't keep up the practice you have relearn a lot.

On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 06:38:22 +0800, Old Nick
wrote:

Before you buy, have you tried the downloaded trial?

Nope - no computer. I've got 5 on my desk, only one of which is
really working right. I've spent most of the "Christmas holiday"
trying to fix this some of this, but until I have a powerful Windows
box with a decent screen and plenty of spare disk space, I won't be
fooling with any new software.

I'm never buying another Maxtor HD 8-(

On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 01:29:48 +0000, Andy Dingley
vaguely proposed a theory
.......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 06:38:22 +0800, Old Nick
wrote:

Before you buy, have you tried the downloaded trial?

Nope - no computer.

Well, before you buy I suggest you do. I just tried the latest, and
maybe it's just me, but I had some weird results.

TurboCAD is a full-featured drawing package that has received great
reviews. Even better, it is available for free at
http://www.al-ki.com/tcad/download.php Click on TurboCAD LE.

It takes a little effort to learn to use it, but it is worth the
effort.

On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 01:29:48 +0000, Andy Dingley
vaguely proposed a theory
.......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

hmmm...So far I have spent maybe 15 minutes on Design Cad, and have
achieved quite a bit of basic drawing. It seems to have improved its
intuitivity (G) quite a bit. A few "funnies" so far, but not like
some programmes I have tried.

15 days is simply not enough though. I would have though 30 was more
reasonable for the average guy who really has not got hours a day to
test it.

Then I could stop posting this **** and get on with it eh?

On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 06:38:22 +0800, Old Nick
wrote:

Before you buy, have you tried the downloaded trial?

Nope - no computer. I've got 5 on my desk, only one of which is
really working right. I've spent most of the "Christmas holiday"
trying to fix this some of this, but until I have a powerful Windows
box with a decent screen and plenty of spare disk space, I won't be
fooling with any new software.

I'm never buying another Maxtor HD 8-(

On Wed, 29 Dec 2004 01:29:48 +0000, Andy Dingley
vaguely proposed a theory
.......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

Well I had a WD collapse on me the other day. But it was 6 years old.
Their customer service has always been very good. They have a nice
little app that allows you to mirror drives at BIOS level, and have
always been helpful via email.

FWIW

I'm never buying another Maxtor HD 8-(

Subject: Software - simple yet 3D
From:
Date: 12/27/2004 2:38 AM Pacific

Keep it simple.
* freeware or shareware - preferable

If you find anything that is a no-brainer
to learn and gives results you're satis-
fied with while costing less than $200.00,
I'd like to know about it. About the only
way to get good detail is by hook or
crook obtain a copy of a high end program
like 3DSMax or TrueSpace or Rhino (the
student versions cost less, and trial versions are available.) If you learn
any of
these programs at their most basic level,
you can design things with photographic
reality.

http://www.etch-a-sketch.com/html/classic.htm



Regards,
Tom.

"People funny. Life a funny thing." Sonny Liston

Thomas J.Watson - Cabinetmaker (ret.)
tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet (real email)
http://home.comcast.net/~tjwatson1

Tom Watson wrote:
http://www.etch-a-sketch.com/html/classic.htm

LOL! I have been in many meetings with people with suits, and when everyone
gets out their PDAs I wish I had the guts to pull out one of those. Being a
consultant (prostitute) curbs the humor... ;-)

-- Mark