[scaleguy]

OK all you scale buffs.. That's you especially Jim M and Jim Mc!

What are you guys using for drawing your plans? Cad programs or No.2 pencils!

I was told that you should convert scanned drawings to vector format for more acurate and infintismall scaling of the finished drawing.

Let's hear from some of you who have had experience with this sort of thing.

Hah at least I got the Second Topic Posted! mooowhahahaha!

[JimMoss]

I have tried some of the Cad programs out there, and still go back to the pencil occasionally.

There is a quite the learning curve on some of those programs and I find the pencil quicker sometimes.

Jim Moss

[planecrazy]

I've got a (shhh, don't tell autocad) copy of AutoCad 2000.

I'm hoping to use it to design a few plans, just as soon as I can stop building (and crashing)(hence the signature) planes.
I've also got AutoCad for Dummies. (I'm not proud)
I have tinkered with it but sometimes I think it would be easier to go the No.2 pencil route.

Chris

[Closterman]

If I can help, I have use AutoCad 12,14 & 2000 during 5 years (40h/week...) and I use Inventor since last year. My main job is draftman for a sawmill equipment manufacturing cie. I have buy Compufoil 2000 for myself. This program give a very good help to make airfoil of taper or elliptic wing. I have found a little software to put image (.bmp, gif) in vector format (.dxf, .dwg). Just send me your image and I will vectoris them.

[clouddancer]

A much simpler cad program to use is Design Cad. I do a little work on AutoCad at UCFV but at home use Design Cad. No matter which you use, the learning curve takes time, Design Cad lets you print out on a standard size printer if you want and tape them together to make full size.

Jim

[monocoupe]

I've always drawn all my models on paper, however santa was good to me this year, and I found TurboCad under the tree! I believe that there's going to be at least a few more scale models drawn with a pencil before I'm up to speed with the Cad....if I'm lucky!

[Don H]

Hello all, good discussion starting here. I'm sure we will find a variety of what people use here is either ModelCAD or DesignCAD. Myself I have been a staunch AutoCAD user right from version2. I used to teach basic AutoCAD at a night course for a couple of semesters, got out of that.

At present I use AutoCAD 14 (AutoCAD 2000 is here as well just not loaded yet) with Mechanical Desktop. Mechanical Desktop allows me to make the assembly drawings if needed. My vectoring software is WinTopo Pro, this is excellent for the price and what it will do. WinTopo does have a bit of a problem with .bmp conversion. If a file is scanned in at 600 dpi, this so far has seemed to disappear.

For AutoCAD I also have made many "blocks" that I use to import into a drawing to make life simpler. An example of one block that I use on a regulaer basis is my wing coordinats plan. I got a book many years ago from a dear and now departed friend that shows all the points for wings above and below the camber line. I use these points inputted onto the block to make a template for a wing core of a special shape, such as reflexing for my 80" Suhkoi wing. With the CNC foam cutter, this step will be eliminated completly.

I will be using Compufoil Pro shortly to do the .dxf' profiles for my foam cutter. These are nicely transferred into the CAM software for Gcode generation and then onto the screen.

Hope this helps the question, sorry for too much detail....Don [/b]

[JimMcIntyre]

Originally Posted by scaleguy

OK all you scale buffs.. That's you especially Jim M and Jim Mc!

What are you guys using for drawing your plans? Cad programs or No.2 pencils!

Back to work.

Ok, I admit, I've played around with CAd programs (Autocad, Modelcad, VersaCad etc.) but never finished anything with them. I still break out the T-square, triangles and pencils when it's time to do real work.

Maybe if I had a large plotter handy, I just seem to always have a need to see it in "real" size to layout gear, work out interferences etc, etc.

For converting to Vextor, I've used the trace program that comes with Corel Draw....

[Mark]

I originally started off using a program called DrawingBoard (by Ashlar). This was a very easy to use program and quite intuitive. I dont think it is available any more. I found that my local printing shop and laser cutter use AutoCad and would charge a fee to convert dxf files to print or cut. This prompted me to get a copy of AutoCad. After a brief learning curve i now do all my drawings in AutoCad. Its not as difficult as some make out although there is some learning to do. I am not a draughtsman by trade although have kept up my pencil skills since school and apprenticeship. I do prefer the use of the computer for drawing.

[Rammer64]

Me personally. I prefer ARF/CAD Simplest to use yet.
Just open da box and assemble.