Re: TurboCAD - Comments please

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@y..., "Gail & Bryan Harries" <gab@s...> wrote:

> I have been looking to get another package to do 3D work, with view

to use

> for not only CAD presentations, but output for a CAM package... The

thing

> is, most of the many possible that I have looked at are either too

expensive

> (I burnt my money on ProDesktop, and can't afford that price range

on round

> two), or do not have a (once again, for me) logical/easy method of

creating

> parts...
> TurboCAD is the right price and seems (from the P.R. literature) to

have the

> right capabilities for what I need/would like...
> So I would like comment from those who have experienced Sketch,

TurboCAD and

> possibly ProDesktop or Pro-E with regards to the logic/methodology

and menu

> system similarities/differences, how easy you found it to learn,

etc... Any

> comparative comments are welcomed...
>
> TIA,

Bryan,
You have quite a choice in front of you.
Turbocad isn't to bad at all and is relativly easy to learn. They do
have a second CD with the tutorials on when you buy the program.
Price is favorable. Version 7 is out so look around for cheap
versions of 6.03
Ask around as Turbocad is still one of the few people who give
complimentary copies away to beta testers.
Intellicad is still a free download from http://www.cadopia.com
This is an Autocad clone that's missing a few high end features. Most
people don't know they are missing. Learning curve is quite steep but
being a clone where are lots of Autocad books around. There is also a
down loadable manual.
Rhino is a cheap 3D program and I believe that on of the posters on
this group is an agent. If you are interesed in this tell him you are
a poor student, there's a cheap educational copy available.
Then there's a move to solid modeling. Solid edge's Origin CD is
still free for the asking http://www.solid-edge.com
This can draw and model but you can't save a 3D drawing. You can save
a 2D one and the model and it will output STL files for use in
Millwizard and similar programs. If you need to save the 3D drawing
then it's the $400 upgrade.
Unless you want to draw just for the CAM programming side try to
steer clear of the CAD/CAM programs. So far I haven't seen one CAD
program that I would like to sit down with and DRAW all day. They are
aimed at producing a shape to turn into a toolpath which most do
fine, but after opening menu's, dragging dialog boxes around and
tabbing between boxes to produce a drawing leaves you weary.

John Stevenson