Possibly The Most Beginner-Friendly Software for Woodworking You can download thousands of ready-made projects other users have designed, and play around with even as a beginner. Source: YoutubeĪlso, since SketchUp has been popular for so many years, there’s a great community. Top results of users/woodworkers who have uploaded SketchUp tutorials. It’s popular among both older and newer woodworkers, so there are a wide range of video tutorials for getting started, and for learning different niche uses, tools, and how to design certain projects. SketchUp is one of the most popular woodworking software options around. And if you are more advanced, SketchUp Pro is an excellent choice – whether you’re looking for woodworking software for Mac, or Windows. Plus, SketchUp’s simplicity doesn’t hamper your woodworking abilities. In contrast, it would require much more CAD knowledge to navigate AutoCAD, even for a simple design. You only have to learn the CAD tools that directly apply to woodworking (as opposed to many other software like Solidworks, Blender 3D, and even Fusion 360).įor example, designing a simple chair with SketchUp doesn’t require extensive CAD knowledge – you can design it using SketchUp’s simple and intuitive toolbar. Overall, we feel SketchUp Pro is the best software for woodworking, as it’s simple to use and doesn’t confuse with irrelevant tools. SketchUp is not complete CNC software, since you need separate CAM software to generate g-code. With other programs on the market for $1000's of dollars, MacDraft is still the one that reminds you of how drafting should be done.SketchUp Free version has fewer features compared to Fusion 360 free.Īlthough adequate, SketchUp’s render engine is not as impressive as Fusion 360 or PRO100. It uses drag and drop libraries and allows you to build pages based on your needs that can be used time and time again. With easy to use tools that help with the layout process, you will be up and running in no time. MacDraft is designed to make you feel like you are working on a drafting table. With MacDraft and my libraries I concentrate on what is really needed and so I produce drawings in a fraction of the time it takes other home designers. You'll find a number of software programs available from $80-$2000 that offer 3D renderings however this is not necessary and it only complicates the design process. In the real world all plans that go to permitting are 2D drawings. It is designed for speed, so contains only what I need to produce fast floor plans, sectional views, foundation plans and elevations fast. These library items can be dragged and dropped into any drawing in seconds. With MacDraft’s easy to use libraries I created all the different plan components needed to assemble a working set of drawings. decks, porches, garages, family rooms, stairs and entrances). When building a plan I found myself using the same components time and time again (i.e. Thanks to my libraries and MacDraft I can produce an average of 160 home plans a year working a 10-15 hour week. Since then I have been designing libraries that allow me to be more efficient in the design process. I started my career doing marketing for our Home Centers and in 1990 I started my own Drafting & Design company. Growing up in a family owned chain of Home Centers I have learned the building industry inside and out. Maki, owner of Beyond Basics Drafting & Design and I have been using MacDraft since 1985.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |