Just waisted $900

[Lessen]

Well this just may possibly have turned from the best Christmas ever to the worst. I was totally stoked and overwhelmed when my wife got me AUTOCAD for Christmas. I couldn't believe she went to that extent. She knows I want to slowly build my own personal CNC workshop some day. Except I have absolutely no knowledge of that stuff yet. I had planned to teach myself a little at a time about CAD/CAM and all that jazz. Well anyways, just like a little kid I had to open everything up and browse through the manual. Not because I have any idea what any of it means but just because I'm a big kid and that's what I do. So on the the way back from the families I decided to check out the manual a little more while in the car to pass time and that's when I noticed that AUTOCAD LT is NOT a 3D program, which is now totally worthless. So I'm thinking, poop. I'm sure you guys know how this goes. Open software = no returns. I'm gonna try n called Autodesk tomorrow to see if there is anything they're willing to do for me, but at this point it seems like we're screwed. Got nobody to blame but myself but this just plain sucks.

 

[retarded pilot]

you say you opened the box to look at the manuals but does the disk its self come in its own sealed case or something? hopefully if the disk is sealed they might take it back

 

[FastEddy]

RP is correct.
Until you load the software and activate or register it you haven't agreed to the licensing terms. The store you got it from may not take it back however the manufacturer should be able to do something for you. If you cause enough poop someone will do something.

FYI.
Poor mans auto cad
Turbo Cad 3D by IMSI.

 

[jcchase]

AutoCAD is a great program and easy to learn. But going to a community college course will speed up the learning curve alot and if you take all the classes you can earn a tech certificate in CNC Machining in about 1 year. (Notice: This is not a infomercial!!) I worked with this program about 6 years ago. If you want 3D you have to get AutoCAD with a number after it. (Like AutoCAD 14 was what I used) It is probably upto AutoCAD 19 or 20 now. Which will cost I would say around 1500 bucks. AutoCAD LT had gone up 300 dollars since I was around this software.

jcchase

 

[CorradoPsi]

hopefully you can return the software. AutoCad is nice, but a lot of people prefer ProE. its been a while since I've done any 3D rendering though.

to expand on jcchase's comment autocad versions are now year based ie: autocad 2000

 

[Lessen]

RP - I was thinking the same thing but no the disk itself wasn't permanently enclosed.

Eddy - yeah, I don't want that disk anywhere near my computer. I'm kinda computer illerterate so I don't know if those things know if they've been installed or whatever but I'm not touchin it. I really hope the manufacturer wil help me out. Yes, I've looked at TurboCAD on the internet. I actually downloaded the free trial just to get an idea of what it was all about. Of course I was totally lost but it was cool. I think they're TuboCADCAM program costs about the same as this AutoCAD program. That would be nice.. to have both programs together.

 

[Plaidfish]

Even if you aren't able to return it you can still get an upgrade package for it....I use autocadd and Visio all the time....and diong C-N-C layout is way more involved than you would think...I just do the orthographic layouts for my friend and he mods it for the machine...I've been lucky to where I havn't had to do any really intricate parts until now....those steering turnbuckles from th pro-line T-maxx steering set are a bitch to measure....I just want a pair of them w/ a 90 deg linkages instead of a straight one....don't worry about the software...I'd try and return it get your money back and take a night course on autocadd where you can get a copy for a huge discount....and spend the rest on cool RC stuff....

If you're comp illiterate
DEFINATELY TAKE A COURSE FOR AUTOCADD
you wil waste your money if you don't

One more thing intellicadd is a little more user friendly and will do all the cool rendering A-Cadd does.....and it's like 1/4 the price....it has great tutorials built in and it works very similar to A-Cadd so the transition would be easier...

 

[psunitro]

Yeah,take a course on it!! Most community colleges offer it. I have Autocad 2000 and it is a easy program to learn. If you dont know much about computers, you will have to learn. But learning G and M code is not too difficult.

 

[Lessen]

I'm not really worried about learning how to use it. I've already looked into classes at the local community college. Even if I can't fit a class into my personal schedule I'm sure there are plenty of tutorial CD's available for me to pick a little bit up at a time. Although it would be nice to really understand it's potential after only a year I'm not in any big hurry really. It just doesn't seem like this particular program isn't best suited for what I intend to learn and use it for. I hope the company will either let me send it to them for a refund or at least let me send it to them for credit or something. I understand the safeguards that need to be put in place to protect a company's product but it really sucks when it inhibits somebody who just made a mistake. Don't these things have to go through a registration or something?

 

[Rolex]

Normally there's an automatic on line registration for any program you install, but you can choose not to do it. If it was a 'hot' copy, you could run the program, but you wouldn't register it.
Registering allows you to get any updates or fixes that are added on.

 

[CorradoPsi]

so..............do you want this book then

its for autocad 12, but will give you a really good idea of how to use whatever version you end up with.

 

[Lessen]

well, I'm kinda hoping to end up with nothing actually. I went to Autodesk's website to see the different versions and realized that this stuff is crazy expensive. Regular AutoCAD is like $3000. I'm really hoping they will buy it back from me, otherwise I'll be selling it. I'm sure I could learn the basics+ with this but when it actually comes time to do something with it, it'll be worthless.

 

[Plaidfish]

yeah it will...
Corrado that book was good in it's day but A-Cadd has gone so far from rev. 12 it would be Soo frustrating to learn a newer version from that...if you learn rev 12 and then go to the nwer ones it wouldn't be that bad....
Lessen you are bitting off Way more that the average bear wants to bite off with you venture...If you really want to learn this on your own try the Intellicadd software it writes files that are native to ACadd....and the transition will be much easier if you want to go to ACadd later....whole lot less money and all the features you'd want for C-N-C programing.... http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/default.aspx?EDC=626903 ....it's more user friendly....

 

[scottm]

Lessen, what is it you want to do? There are two levels of 3-d, wireframe and solid modelling. Regular Autocad is capable of wireframe 3d, which is basically a 2d drawing "extruded" to a specified depth. It is enough for many tasks, but solid modelling is better. This is a solid model of RCS bulkheads, drawn in Pro/Engineer:

Autodesk has a solid modelling program called Mechanical Desktop. The most popular and least expensive is Solidworks. Pro/Engineer is the most expensive. In any event, Autocad is still useful for 2-d work. Even a solid modelled part has to be made from a 2-d machining print. Those bulkheads were exported as an autcad drawing for the machine shop that makes them. If you plan to do serious part design, I would keep the autocad you have and look for an older copy of Solidworks.

 

[Lessen]

Scott- I want to learn how to design and make parts like that (those bulks you pictured). I'm totally new to all this but I'm really driven to learn it. If I'm understanding what you're saying I should keep AutoCAD LT 2005 but I could still use it's 2-D capabilities to start the design of a 3-D piece. Design it in 2-D then export the file to a Solidworks program to finish in 3-D? Is that right? I'm gonna call Autodesk tomorrow morning to see if I they would buy it back from me. But, if you're saying it would still be useful in the long run it only makes sense that I should keep it.


oh screw it. I don't know why I was getting upset about this. I'm just gonna keep it. Considering I don't know a thing about CAD/CAM right now I gotta start somewhere. I figure there's a whole lot I can learn from the LT version before I dare to take on anything even more advanced. Yeah, it's quite an expensive learhning tool but it was a gift and it was and is greatly appreciated. Thanks to all for your input!

 

[scottm]

Lessen, Autocad is often used along with the solid modeling programs. You can import an acad drawing into a sm program and make a 3-d part from it, but that has a problem - it becomes much harder to modify the shape of the part once it is solid. If you have a sm program its best to make the 3d part in sm. Regular acad is capable of wireframe 3d where you give a 2d drawing depth. You can look at it and work on it from all different angles, but it doesn't have solid surfaces and it is not as useful as sm. I don't know if acad lite has wireframe 3d or not.

The main utility of acad is that every machine shop, plastic molding shop, etc, in the world has it. So you can draw your sm part in whatever program and export it as an acad drawing, then email it anywhere to be made. Because it is so universal, it is pretty useful to learn. Then you can really appreciate what solidworks and PE is capable of.

I like the reference books by Autodesk, "Autocad and its Applications" basics and advanced. Here is one on Amazon:

[ame]http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1590702891/qid=1104240448/sr=8-2/ref=pd_csp_2/002-2513345-2752021?v=glance&s=books&n=507846[/ame]

 

[Plaidfish]

the LT is short for Lite...meaning the 3D capability is not there...there are no rendering features in that software.....I am sort of doing what Scott is saying w/ the build it in ACadd and finish it in SM......I can just do the orthographic drawings in ACadd LT and I've been having a friend finish it for the C-N-C machine to be able to use it.....until now I've just done 2D cuts and milled the peices down to the thickness I've wanted but I'm trying to do a 3D very intricate piece now and finding it's a lot different....Oh scott the PM you mentioned a laser cutter....does that just do flat peices or can they be more complex....i.e. take a pro-line steering set for the T-maxx and I need to turn the servo linkage portion 90 deg....will you be able to cut peices like that or will you have to send it out? I'm still trying to get all my ducks in a row on this and I appreciate your estimate.....I've been hand milling and lathing parts to get the right sizes and angles needed.......sorry for the hijack lessen

 

[scottm]

Plaid the laser just cuts 2d. So for your steering linkage you could cut the lever on the laser and weld it to a machined sleeve to make an assembly. You will have to reposition a lot to make it from 1 piece on a 2 or 3 axis mill. Some full-kill 4-5 axis milling machines can cut straight from an IGES or Pro/E part file.

 

[Plaidfish]

Damn.....the rates I get from those things is Crazy.....I think I'm going to just hand mill stuff until I start getting requests for people to build one for them......Anyone Ever see a race worthy 4WDS T-maxx?

 

[Lessen]

Plaidfish- what is an orthographic drawing?