Hello DIY, so software for modelling projects?

CAD software simply increases productivity, it doesn't make you a designer. If you can't do it by pen and paper then you won't be able to do it in the software either.

Solidworks

>>1135956
I don't want to be a designer, I just enjoy seeking out anything I don't know and make it known.

CAD isn't a place for creative design. It just translates an already established idea into a digital format.

I do lots of 2D architectural design work for my company as well as graphical side work and have always started out or drafted out plans with pencil and paper first.

For stuff with actual measurements, I'll simply copy the work over to AutoCAD. For artsy stuff, I'll scan my work and trace it over in Illustrator.

>>1135958
For 3D, look up SolidWorks tutorial.

For 2D, look up AutoCad for things that require precise measurements, Illustrator for arts crap.

Keep in mind that CAD is completely useless without a design. So if you're going to be copying other people's designs, what's the point? Chances are, it already exists in digital form.

All the tutorials you watch employ example designs that have taken many hours to design. That's the difficult part and real useful skill that takes several years to become fluent in.

>>1135961
Hey, thanks for the info, will look it up.

>>1135970
No... I seek to make my own furniture/ storage units. Because I have a very small room and I need to make custom furniture to fit and facilitate my interests and hobbies.

>>1135974
When it comes to making your own furniture, having well-planned designs is something of a luxury.
Lots of woodworkers do without. They more or less just wing it based on feel.

Of course, that doesn't mean that they start shaving away at a block of wood willy-nilly, there is a method to the madness, and a lot of autism dedicated to making sure everything fits together.

The only time when you need plans is when you're making complicated jigs or machinery to deliver a certain degree of precision to your work.
Furniture is just...put block here.

>>1135986
I can account for errors and the lengths lost while sawing wood. I won't attain perfection as it's all being hand made. But I will be able to plan out space and try and use the most I can.

I am trying to make the most of the planning stage, as errors cost money and buying as much as I need at the right time saves money also. The devils in the detail, as they say, and I want to have as much planned out as I can.

Errors will be inevitable as things happen and not everything is foreseeable. People who work material off of gut have usually spent a very large amount of time building things by hand. They can measure distance with a glance and know in full confidence how to do what they need.

My Grandfather who was a plumber was so good at his craft he bent pipes and did fine by glancing at what was needed. He was down to an unreal precision even in retirement.

>>1135974
For basic furniture planning, Sketchup is the simplest and fastest route. You aren't going to learn how to build furniture that way, that comes from experience, but you will be able to play around with sizing and placement of furniture in your space.

This is very different from ground up industry level CAD.

>>1135994
>Sketchup
yerp

get one of the older versions

>>1135994
>sketchup
disgusting

I tell people to avoid Sketchup because it's a crutch and produces bad output.
Literally any other software package would be better than Sketchup, which pretends to give you a clean model, until you import it into another application that shows how terrible the topology really is.

Personally I like to use Autodesk Inventor or Fusion 360. Mostly because they're easy to get. Costs nothing if you lie and say that you're a student, so you don't have to deal with shitty pirated software.

>>1136002
For what OP is planning on doing, just basic furniture planning, Sketchup will do just fine.

For actual furniture designs and plans, yes, OP should use a proper CAD suite.

>>1135955
Well first thing you wanna do is forget about programs like maya and 3ds max and that kind of thing.
You might be interested in Google Skecthup, it's basic bitch 3d software that can input real life measurements, feet and inches, millimeters and meters, and it exports to various 3d formats. And is designed with architects in mind.

>>1136002
The man uses pen and paper, I have no idea how you started 3d design, but I started with sketch up moved to blender and now use various autodesk softwares. You're talking about a complete computer design novice here, bear that in mind.

>>1136103
Blender and retarddesk software is a seperate path from solid parametric modeling. I know both and the skills and purpose do not translate.

Start with solidworks, end with solidworks.

>>1136103
I wrote this.
>>1136104
Yeah man, I'm into game modeling, so I had a very different path into 3d stuff, but obviously for someone like you and OP the path would involve more specialised tools, but my point is that one shouldn't just jump into the best most complicated software first, I tried to start with 3ds max and actually ended up teaching myself some really bad habits.

>>1135955
>>>/3/ is better for this kind of stuff

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>>1136104
>Start with solidworks, end with solidworks.
>recommending 1300USD/year software

Solidworks is basically the real nigga shit, but Rhino is bretty nice too, very easy to use. Not as expensive either, but you're probably gonna pirate them anyway so who gives a fuck about suggested prices?

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>>1136132
>spending money on software
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z80INXp9J5g

I'm confused, what abilities does Sketchup lack compared to solidworks?

I get there are maybe primo features that are lacking, but for general 3d modeling, would sketch up not suffice? For example, I am attempting to build my house in sketchup prior to building it irl.

>>1136159
>what abilities does Sketchup lack compared to solidworks?

don't listen to these fags. Sketch up is fine to learn on. that being said, when you do finally pirate Solidworks you will see the difference is significant because you will actually be getting work done.

>>1136159
>build my house
Solidworks is more for mechanical components and complex joinery.

a standard residential structure is fine to do in sketch up.

>>1136164
as a curiosity then, if i have a complex mechanical situation, does it allow for "test run" so to speak? or is it only for still modelling?

Also, i'm super ignorant if you can't tell. I have mechanical ideals that I wish to create or test and was just curious about the process too. Is it as simple as making it in one of these programs, then exporting it in some fashion to hand off to a machinist to create for me?

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>>1136171
>does it allow for "test run" so to speak?
yes. Solidworks is powerful as fuck. compressible flow, heat transfer, fatigue, impact, full blown dynamic analyses. there are other CAD packages that have simulation capabilities, but SW has the most robust. its simple too. i could teach a 12 year old to do FEA/CFD in SW.

>>1136171
>Is it as simple as making it in one of these programs

yeah. thats actually the way machinists prefer nowadays. they don't want part sheets, they'd much rather just have you email them the solid model.

>>1136191
Wonderful, looks like I need to get my torrenting on.

Thank you everyone for the (you)s. I have a lot to learn in these programs however to be able to put anything in my mind to this reality.

Do they do well with anything in the electical engineering world? For example, having an idea for a polyphase motor, rather than our typical single digit phase motors, in so far as having a dipole moment at every degree, rather than set degrees?

>>1136198
>Do they do well with anything in the electical engineering world?

don't know much about the electrical design tools but i know if you can think of it, solidworks probably has a plugin for it.