Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Software Forum => Topic started by: dollaman on January 04, 2008, 05:58:26 am

Title: CAD Program
Post by: dollaman on January 04, 2008, 05:58:26 am
What is the best program to make a scaled drawing of my control panel and cabinet.
Title: Re: CAD Program
Post by: Dustin Mustangs on January 04, 2008, 09:00:04 am
Autocad is certainly the best, but it is big bucks and has a pretty steep learning curve.  I have heard a few people rave about google sketchup but I have not tried it myself (I've got autocad 2004).  It's free and seems to be a bit easier to use...

http://sketchup.google.com/
Title: Re: CAD Program
Post by: BobbyG66 on January 04, 2008, 09:22:51 am
I would reccommend Sketchup as well.
There is a bit of a learning curve, but alot easier than learning AutoCAD.
There are even some cabinets built and online for Sketchup.
Check them out to get a start.
Title: Re: CAD Program
Post by: Jimbo on January 04, 2008, 09:25:20 am
Sketchup is the way forward! :)

Once you get the basics its very easy.  Without it I'd never have got my own cab project started!
Title: Re: CAD Program
Post by: dollaman on January 04, 2008, 09:47:08 pm
Thanks, checked it out. Looks like it will work perfectly!!
Title: Re: CAD Program
Post by: richms on January 08, 2008, 09:26:44 am
I would suggest that you see if you can borrow a machine with solidworks on it and give that a blast. I found sketchup weird to use, but solidworks seems a breeze.
Title: Re: CAD Program
Post by: shardian on January 08, 2008, 09:52:43 am
I would suggest that you see if you can borrow a machine with solidworks on it and give that a blast. I found sketchup weird to use, but solidworks seems a breeze.

I used solid edge in college (alot like solidworks). It is a super expensive program that has a very intuitive 3d interface.
However, sketchup can do alot of the same things and it is frikkin free. For the average user, sketchup can do anything you can dream up.