CAD for drafting, woodworking...?

[roy_okc]

Newbie here; let me know if I stray from approved protocol, please.

Has anyone here had experience with the open software Libra and its Draw application?
I've long experience with Visio on a PC, but having been burned out last October I'm now on a MAC, and miss my ability to make scale drawings easily.
Ray

Ray,

I've used OpenOffice/LibreOffice Draw a little, as well as Inkscape (also free), and it seems to me an open source attempt at something like Visio. I've also used Visio and other 2D drawing programs. For what I do with Visio, house/shop/office/etc. planning drawings, I've not found a good alternative to Visio.

You might want to consider Parallels or some other software that lets you run Windows on your Mac. That way you could use Visio and any other licensed software that you have.

[Ray17]

Thanks Roy. I'll consider every alternative that comes to mind. I've some experience with Parallels, and will keep that as a last resort. Your response is much appreciated.
Ray

[jms]

+1 for SketchUp !!!

[tenbears]

Been a Sketchup user for many years. With that said I've had the opportunity to use Fusion 360 for about six weeks now and I must say that it is an incredibly robust software package. The learning curve is steeper than Sketchup but once you get through the baby steps, the same for any complex product the proficiency picks up and bang. While Sketchup requires a full paid subscription to get Layout for doing 2D paper plans, Fusion 360 includes from within. Furthermore "Mapboards" a free plugin for Fusion 360 is a very user friendly cutlist program addition. Hobbyists can get full access by filling out the Autodesk information. There are lots of YouTube videos for Fusion 360 and by taking some time to watch them you can be off the ground floor and running in no time. One of the best was a complete make on a drawer with half blind dovetails. There are also several on finger joints and mortice and tenon joints. It really gets fun when you can import hardware like hinges or screws, latches etc. I'll be keeping my copy of Sketchup for awhile but I paid Trimble for the last time this spring and migrating all my designs into Fusion 360

[tenbears]

Here is a quick remake of the drawing "edible" put up done with Fusion 360 rendered to a jpg in blue shiny plastic. There is an underlying model so making changes to any of the object locations or dimensions does not require the user to start over.

[Hobbyman2]

Same here with drawing on a table ,for me it just makes sense , I dont have a way to print off patterns bigger then 8x10 .

I can solve and adjust design issues on table drawings that would cause way too much brain clutter on a computer .
years ago we made paper models to scale using shrink rules and made them fit and work before we cut the first piece of stock.
like a old diesel engine, I dont need electronics to operate ,{well,,,not yet any way } once I get started off I go .

[dusty]

Same here with drawing on a table ,for me it just makes sense , I dont have a way to print off patterns bigger then 8x10 .

I can solve and adjust design issues on table drawings that would cause way too much brain clutter on a computer .
years ago we made paper models to scale using shrink rules and made them fit and work before we cut the first piece of stock.
like a old diesel engine, I dont need electronics to operate ,{well,,,not yet any way } once I get started off I go .

Hobbyman2, Do you have any aspirations about moving into the "new age"?

[Hobbyman2]

lol
I am still trying to figure out how being as smart as a computer program some how makes one live in the dark ages ?

[JPG]

lol
I am still trying to figure out how being as smart as a computer program some how makes one live in the dark ages ?

Indeed!!!

Wonder how long some computer 'programmers' would last in the dark ages. Back then survival depended upon one's self.

Being one myself(in a former life) I get very irritated by what is passing for acceptable. Such short sighted effort would result in their demise back then.

Where has human factors understanding disappeared to?

End rant.

[Ray17]

Thanks to All for your responses to my question about Libra Office Draw. Evidently no one here has used it. The favorites seem to be: 1) Sketchup and 2) pencil and paper <g>.
Perhaps I should say a bit more about my objective.

Years ago, using Visio, I made and printed (on 8-1/2 x 11 paper) scale drawings for every meeting room at my church, and for most of the tables and chairs that are used therein. These drawings have been used to plan setups for meetings, etc. I've also built several objects of wood that were needed there, not to mention a few for my own use -- housings for security cameras mounted high on outside walls, a free-standing base for a large cross used at Easter, mounting platforms for projectors, etc.

Right now I want to design an outdoor storage cabinet for barbecue materials for use at a mountain cabin where it will be under snow all winter. Decades ago I did this sort of thing on a drafting table, but found it much easier to do it all on Visio, and I wouldn't go back to manual drawings for anything requiring precise dimensions. I don't get plans right the first time, hardly ever, so re-dimensioning must be easy to do. Besides, my hands aren't steady enough to do such things manually. ( I'm a bit wobbly at 96 years and can't read my own handwriting any more. )

My new Shopsmith is now up and running -- it's my fourth -- and I'm eager to build a stand for my TV -Hi-Fi stuff similar to but better looking than what I've cribbed together in our temporary living quarters while our home is rebuilt after the fire. But I've got to get the dimensions right on paper before making sawdust. I'd like to have tried DeltaCAD, but its Demo version doesn't work on a MAC. I'm experimenting with Sketchup, and still hope to get LibraOffice Draw to work. I don't need the 3-D capability that is demonstrated in the Sketchup video, but that doesn't rule it out for simple work.

More trials are called for. Thanks again to all who responded.
Ray