Just waisted $900

[Plaidfish]

if you were to look at an object from a side and take all the dimension from that view and draw it 2-D.....do this for all 6 sides of an object then you would have every dimension or be able to calculate every dimension from this drawing.....the drawings lay out in a way that allows you to fold it up like a cube and get all the dimensions using geometric laws.....it's the first type of drawings you learn in drafting classes....it's the basics of any mechanical drawings.....these are the things that will be so much more clear to you if you can take the classes...not trying to brow beat you w/ that but it really does make a huge difference in learning this stuff..I'll help you out w/ questions as long as I can answer them man but you're in for some head banging nights w/ this stuff on your own....

http://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/~sjung/lec2.htm
this seems to explain it better than I did

 

[scottm]

Good find plaidfish. Lessen, that figure of the block is a 2d perspective view or orthographic projection of a 3d part. Autocad lite can do that. Any part has to be printed in 2d at some point so it can be made or inspected or documented for whatever reason, and all the sm programs provide a 2d drawing view of the parts. So you can just skip the sm step and make whatever you want in 2d.

The next step up is wireframe 3d, where the part is a 3d object that you can view from any angle. All the edges of the part are visible at the same time, as if it was clear plastic. That block could be considered a wireframe drawing with the hidden lines removed. Solid modeling is a step up from wireframe, where the part is solid with rendered surfaces. The advantages of sm is the ability to calculate volume and mass, to create assemblies, and the concept of parametric dimensioning. Parametric modeling lets you edit dimensions on the part and have the computer redraw the part to the new shape, updating all the assemblies and 2d drawings at the same time. But don't worry about that now, just get a good book or take a class and get started...

 

[Lessen]

sounds good guys. Thanks a lot!

 

[Lessen]

I just picked up "AutoCAD LT 2005 for Dummies" today at Borders. Seems like this won't be the waist I once thought it was. I'm excited!

 

[Plaidfish]

now that sounds like a good book to have for this software....not meaning you in particular.....I was actually thinking of myself.....well good luck with your adventure...I'm looking into taking classes on how to run C-n-C machinery myself.....

 

[Lessen]

Thanks, good luck to you as well

 

[psunitro]

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.

LOL I can beat that!! I had the last DOS based autocad. Dont remember what version. Must have been -3 or something.

 

[CorradoPsi]

yeah but jeff, I'm not old like you