Thread: woodwork software??

You could try one of these places
http://www.woodweb.com/Resources/RSS...onnection.html
http://www.woodbin.com/
http://www.internetwoodworking.com/w5/software.html
Wolffie

nothing is as easy as a pen and paper

chalk or stick & dirt

Google Sketchup. Doesn't make a good present though, because it is free. There's a forum on here dedicated to it.

Woodwife,

Google Sketchup is free software and can be used for furniture design. Personally, I prefer TurboCAD, but the learning curve is fairly steep, and it costs about $230 I believe, for the 2D version.

Rocker

I vote for sketchup. Doesn't help you with a pressy. It's the easiest I've seen and I've been able to make everything I've wanted to. The only thing it doesn't do, which I'm not sure any of them does, is a button that prints out all the individual parts, as plans for the shop.

If you want him to spend countless hours drawing stuff well...

But if you prefer he actually makes stuff , pen & paper

Thanks for your help everyone!! So what would be the pro of using software compared to pen and paper? It sounds like the design process will take a lot longer with software....

prettier pictures

lol yeah I was starting to think that was the case Bob!!

I admit it, it takes a long time to use a design program... however...

Perfect scaled drawing accurately without fuss. Type in number... i want a box 100x150x200... click box... type 100,150 click pull, type 200... I found it helped me greatly with getting things in proportion.

3D. I can rotate any direction I want, use intersect features to develop complex joints.

Approach. In developing the components on the computer, it's given me time to ponder how I would prepare, measure and shape the wood.

Computer electricity is cheaper than wood.

Share and care. I've also emailed back and forward plans with people I've made things for.



But in reality... I think it all depends on what you're used to. I use a lot of computers in my day to day work and feel I can use them efficiently. If you're more used to pen and paper... that might be the way for you.

hope that helps

If it was real easy to learn, I would.
Then I'd draw & sell woodie plans together with step by step videos

The main advantage of software is that it is dimensionally accurate. It allows you to easily visualize what the finished piece's proportions are, and it more or less eliminates mistakes that are easy to make with pencil and paper. I think that it is worthwhile getting software if you are considering designing your own furniture. But it is probably overkill if you never intend to make more than one or two pieces. On the other hand the ability to use CAD software is a useful skill - helpful for drawing accurate plans of your property, if you have acreage, for example.

Rocker

but each Cad program is different.