I’m just finishing (literally, with O/V) a coffee table that was my first big DesignCAD effort. It was a real tooth-cutting experience, and I’d like to encourage others to try to design an entire piece with the software. This is perhaps the best way to learn how to use it.
Attached are two JPEGs, one the DCAD rendered design, the other the source of lots of sawdust. Primary woods are bubinga and pau amarello (aka Brazilian satinwood, aka yellowheart) with ebony trim. Finish is a BLO/alkyd varnish mix, except that the drawers other than the outer face of the drawer fronts are shellac’d.
Modeling the legs for the table required tapering a rectangle along its width, then cutting with a Bezier curve to shape the leg, followed by cutting with an elliptical curve along the Bezier-shaped edge to round off the edges.
Doing the design in DCAD allowed me to identify a construction problem (and solve it). However, it wasn’t until I really built the table that I learned the best way to make it (which was not what I thought, based solely on CAD work). One of these years I’ll build something and not learn anything new while doing it. (LOL)
I’ll be happy to field DCAD questions; now that I’ve finished my second major design, I think I know the program pretty well, and its limitations (especially in dimension annotating).
Yours in CAD,
Paul
Replies
that's a beautiful table! I've been working on my DesignCad for a few months now, nothing near as good as your results. You have proven to me that it's worth the effort, Thanks!
NICE WORK! I assume the drawers are real!
Yes, the drawers are real. The drawer guides stiffen the substructure to make the table quite rigid. In fact, it was DesignCAD that made it clear that I had to be a little clever in how the legs are attached for the two end drawers to be full width. Each drawer is about 15x15, though the center one has a "secret" 4" compartment behind the main drawer (a drawer stop prevents you from seeing the compartment). I turned the knobs from scrap yellowheart and inserted a small bubinga disk in each.
I knew they were! Just askin!
That's awesome Paul -- I feel equally proud about the humble cabinet I am making based on my DCAD design.
Steve
Paul,
I recently purchase a copy of DesignCad V14. As noted in previous discussion here, I was not aware that the software did not come with the training CD's. Did your copy come with the training CD's and if it did, were they useful in your first big effort.
Bill
Right now I can't even find my DCad CDs--there's a pile of Sesame Street CDs all over, but I didn't find the DCAD one. I can't say if there was a separate tutorial CD. There are some tutorials as part of the help system, and I did do those a year ago when I first evaluated DCAD. I think there was a "table" tutorial that I did. But I found my real learning came from having a need to do a design, and sitting down and working it out.
So, in sum, the tutorials really didn't help me because I didn't really use them. I figured it out on my own on a couple of simpler designs.
My suggestion for anyone starting with DCAD is to learn the command (and keyboard shortcuts) for box (]), move (m), and info (ctrl i). Combine these with the point command (:) and you are more than halfway there, provided you can think in 3D dimensions.
Good luck,
Paul
Bill -
I was cleaning up a pile of papers today and found my DCAD CDs. I did receive one CD titled "DesignCAD 3D Fundamentals Training Version 14," but I have never used it. So to (finally, and fully) answer your question, I did get a training CD but it did not help me only because I never used it.
Paul
Paul
Are you willing to sell me the tutorial CD as I did not receive one with my package.
Alternatively, does anyone have a tutorial CD for DesignCad V14 and willing to sell it to me.
Bill
Please tell me which CAD software did you used, and the price range
I think you will find your answer here. http://www.woodweb.com/cgi-bin/forums/cad.plIf you are going to get some parts made on CNC machines, it seems like Thermwood or one of the largest CNC tool companies was offering their software for free because it made it so much easier to get parts made on their machines if the diesgn was made using their software.Before posting your question there, If you will look in their knowledge base, I will assure you that your answer is already in there.
I used DesignCAD 3D MAX v14, which was purchased for just $20 from nothingbutsoftware.com when they had a sale on it. They have this sale from time to time.
Paul, My old Cad program VersaCad (also by IMSI) won't run on my new operating system (2000XP). So I bought DesignCad 15. I want to draw plans for the attached picture of an armoire. Will you give me a rough out line of how to start? Once I get past a certain point, I'm hoping things will become more intuitive. My time is limited and I am having trouble getting there. Thanks, Bill Lindau
Edited 5/25/2005 10:00 pm ET by Bill Lindau
I always start by deciding on where to put the origin of my coordinate system, because all parts will need to be referenced back to it. For a table, I tend to put it at either the bottom of one leg, or at the underside of one corner of the table top. It's just a personal preference, but when defining sizes and positions of pieces, it helps to have an easy reference.
The second thing I decide on is what my initial layers are going to be. Split up your work into natural groups, like upper doors, lower doors, drawer fronts, top, base, etc.
The next part is deciding on how to use DCAD commands to create the pieces I want. Looking at the armoire base, I might make four square sides with gaps for the angled pieces in front, and then define those angled pieces from the corners of the side pieces (assuming the joints are flush finished). Or, I might make one of the doors with a big "top" rail, and then create the curves needed to use the "cut solid with a curve" command to shape the arch or ogee. Once one door is done, I would reflect it to make the second door.
And on and on. There are multiple paths to create an object in DCAD, and it's a matter of preference how you do it. One powerful command that seems underempahsized is the move point command. I found it easy to create tapered legs with it by first creating a rectangular solid, and then move the points of the four corners at one end to form the taper. Much easier than using a cut/slice command to "cut" a leg like you would on a saw.
Good luck with your project; if you don't know how to use DCAD before starting this design, you should by the time you are finished. You might need to throw away your first couple of tries...
I am just starting to play with DCAD. Is there any way to set a point and then just tell it create an x-axis (for example) line 3" long, then a Y-axis line 2.35" long or some such, rather than trying to pull the line straight and get the exact distance needed?1 - measure the board twice, 2 - cut it once, 3 - measure the space where it is supposed to go 4 - get a new board and go back to step 1
Paul, thanks for the tips. I'll be out of town for a few days and then will get to start on the drawing. If it works out, I will post it. Bill
My old Cad program VersaCad (also by IMSI) won't run on by new operating system (2000XP). ..
Don't ya just love that billionare that took all your money just to make ya UPGRADE!
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