Woodworking software

Google offers a tool called SketchUp. It’s free and relatively easy to use.

-- Measure once; Cut Twice, Three Times, Four Times...

I second that. Nothing can touch Sketchup for ease of use, flexibility, and support. Go download it and don’t look back.

Try looking here, you might find something specific.

http://www.woodweb.com/Resources/RSSoftwareConnection.html

-- Andy Stark

I’ve spent time working on 3d software, and in the past month I’ve also spent over a thousand bucks on wood and similar amounts on tools, so I could justify putting some bucks behind decent software, but…

Me and SketchUp have never gotten along, for some reason, I think mostly due to personality conflicts, I do get along a bit better with Blender, but it doesn’t have the dimensioning I like, and after my Dad mentioned a cheap 2d CAD system he used, I was reminded about QCAD, which I’d used previously for drawing up some metal parts I was having made, and downloaded the latest version, and I think I’ll be buying a registration.

It’s 2d, but I think I’m finding that I actually like that better for woodworking layout. The demo version gives you 10 minutes at a shot, 100 hours total. Runs on Windows, Mac and Linux. Does dimensioning.

-- Dan Lyke, Petaluma California, http://www.flutterby.net/User:DanLyke

Here here (or is that hear hear?) for Sketchup. They also have tutorials you can download.

-- Eric at http://adventuresinwoodworking.com

I agree. SketchUp is good if you want to copy a piece from a picture, or if you already have a clear idea of what you need. I think it hinders your creativity when you are designing something new, though. With SketchUp—or other CAD software—your design tends to gravitate to whatever takes the fewest number of clicks. I like to start out with just a pencil and paper, and see where it takes me. I end up crumpling up a lot of paper in the process. I took drafting when I was in high school, which I think is a good skill to learn. After I have the general design figured out, only then will I transition it to SketchUp.

-- Scott, San Diego

I must of had 10 cad programs over the years and none of them felt comfortable. And I write computer programs so I know how to make them work.

I use pencil cad. and for finals Pen-Cad.

-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com

Man I have struggled with sketch-up, too. I’m with Karson on the pencil-cad.

-- Maplewood, MN

pencil cad , my whole life ! free downloads of the short version almost anywhere they sell lottery tickets ! lol

The program that TopE5 is referring to is Cutlist which you can get at Cutlistplus.com. It basically is a program for a parts list layout of sheet goods although it will work on rough and dimensioned lumber as well. It has added benefits of inventory maintenance and pricing. The basic version is relatively inexpensive- about $30 but for the pros there is a version that can do much more but it costs about $500.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

I am pretty much with Karson. I use CAD almost every day at work for electronic stuff and also have designed several CNC machines using pure parametric modeling. But for woodworking, I always end up using paper and pencil in a more rough form. I find that I change things as I build them anyway so a complete drawing always goes out the window. As for things like “woodworking joints – dadoes, rabbits, dovetails ect..” I would never spend the time modeling these, but use CAD more to visualize the over all proportions, and have something to show the wife unit.

I guess there is a payoff to time spent, and how you like to work.

-- Stevethepeeve -- I'm no rocket surgeon

Thanks for all the suggestions – especially the pencil-cad, were can I download that LOL. I have had sketch up for a few months but have never used it. I will give it shot and see.

-- RickM

I’ve tried sketch up but I just don’t get it. What is so easy for most of you is imposible for me.

I finally discoverd how to set the size of something ( not to be confused with dimensions or scale which you might think had something to do with size).

I tried to do a simple box. Each face was to be plywood with solid wood edges. Could never position the edge pieces accurately. I could get them in the vacinity but not actually where they belonged.

I could not even position the plywood without the edges into a box shape. Seems that no matter how I spun it around something was always out of place.

I’ve tried some of the demos and tutorials but apparently I didn’t learn anything.
Following the tutorials, I could draw a house but not a box.

Very frustrating for me.

-- Leon -- Houston, TX - " I create all my own designs and it looks like it "