Thread: Computer program for toy and model design

Try google sketch up
It's free to download in basic form
Lots of on line tutorials to
Pretty easy to use not to hard

Thanks. I will give it a go.

Fustion360 is a very capable CAD (and CAM) package that's free to hobbyists i.e. users who don't use the package for commercial gain.
It is cloud based which means that your computer must be connected to the internet and all your files are stored in the cloud, not on your local PC.

G'Day Greg, While I can't help on the computer program, I'd surely be interested in what you find out please, thank you..Cheers, crowie

Sketchup for 3d. You can even design boats with it http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/13/howto/sketchup/ Yes there is a learning curve but there is lots of help out there. For 2d drawing I recommend Draftsight. Lots to learn but great fun. Mike

I used Sketch up to do this pick up truck.

Pick up truck.pdf

Originally Posted by Dalboy

I used Sketch up to do this pick up truck.

Pick up truck.pdf

Did you use Sketchup for the 2D drawings Derek?

Originally Posted by Treecycle

Did you use Sketchup for the 2D drawings Derek?

I put all the pieces on one plane, if you go into "Views" at the top and then select "toolbar" it will open a separate box scroll down and tick the box "views" (see picture below and you will see the extra ones added to the right of the toolbar). Now you will have the different views once I have pressed the relevant view I am after I then export it as a 2d file which converts it into a picture file for easy printing at a later date


sketch up toolbar.PNG

Originally Posted by Dalboy

I used Sketch up to do this pick up truck.

Pick up truck.pdf

Nice work Derek

Thanks for the link, I am an AutoCAD user from a long time ago. Almost missed the link to the hobbyist download; it's on the right hand side as you go down the page.

Tried Sketchup the free version, but could not quite get a handle on it. Know that many people are delighted with it and make some wonderful work.

I like to design toys that have many curves and round edges, just can't seem to figure out how to do that.

I've use Sketchuo for many years, this is one of the plan I did with it, also many more

100_4631.jpg

That is amazing - superlatives escape me. Very well done, beautiful job.

I tried Sketch Up first and couldn't work it out. So I tried Fusion next. Guess what? Couldn't work it out. So I went up to Office Works and bought a good quality compass, calculator, steel rulers, pencils, rubbers, a sketch pad and a couple of pads of A3 graph paper. Its back to the 19th century for me. I draw a rough image of what I want to make on the sketch pad. Then I draw it in detail on the graph paper. At the moment I have a dump truck and a fire truck done and I'm now working on a Rolls Royce. When the drawings are finished its back up to office works and have the graph paper design photocopied onto 380g paper (cardboard). Then I cut out the drawings and these become my templates.

Originally Posted by plantagenon

I tried Sketch Up first and couldn't work it out. So I tried Fusion next. Guess what? Couldn't work it out. So I went up to Office Works and bought a good quality compass, calculator, steel rulers, pencils, rubbers, a sketch pad and a couple of pads of A3 graph paper. Its back to the 19th century for me. I draw a rough image of what I want to make on the sketch pad. Then I draw it in detail on the graph paper. At the moment I have a dump truck and a fire truck done and I'm now working on a Rolls Royce. When the drawings are finished its back up to office works and have the graph paper design photocopied onto 380g paper (cardboard). Then I cut out the drawings and these become my templates.

Even though I use sketch up I still also use my drawing board and all the bits needed to do drawings