autocad users

[jake00]

I have to draw some basic wood parts (that we make at work)

I've fooleed around with autocad before but never really used it.

I am very proficient with photoshop

Would you suggest:

getting a autocad book and learning that way, OR

taking a autocad class at the local college? (which is how i learned ps)

 

[Stuey]

Actually, it may be worth taking a look at some of the built-in tutorials, or take a look at Autodesk's website for downloadable tutorials.

You can also try getting a book, but try the free tutorials first.

 

[brs]

I have to draw some basic wood parts (that we make at work)

I've fooleed around with autocad before but never really used it.

I am very proficient with photoshop

Would you suggest:

getting a autocad book and learning that way, OR

taking a autocad class at the local college? (which is how i learned ps)

I took basic AutoCAD classes 3 times over 6 years at 2 colleges. I'd like to say I learned a lot, but I probably forgot more.

The things I remember, and still use, are some very simple commands.. My guess is what you are looking to do encompasses about 10 commands and some help from someone at work to get you started.

Books are good, but you may find it overwhelming for what you want to accomplish. (Which sounds like, "l" "ray" "dist" "units" limit extents ortho copy/paste and some printing options)

I'd advise seeing if someone from work can spend an hour or so with you and go from there.

 

[porschedude996TT]

There is a book call AutoCad for Dummies. I have not read it, but it makes sense that this is the place to start. Taking classes is going to help a lot in the long run, but you may get enough out of the book or from a mentor to get you productive faster.

Way back in the 80's there were local autocad groups that would meet and exchange ideas and ways of doing things. Now with the web I would think these groups have gone on-line. I sound like you need to find a local experienced user who can teach you the basics. The basics are not very hard to learn.

I have been an autocad user for 25+ years and have used every version since autocad version 5 in the mid 80's.

Working 3-D and modeling is where it gets tough on the brain. At work I use both AutoCad 2009 and will change to 2010 in a few weeks. I think our IT guys have it ready when they are finished up with my new computer. I also use I-DEAS/NX which is used by some auto and aircraft manufacuers etc.

 

[ddawg16]

porschedude pretty much spelled it out....my wife taught me AutoCad....and I found AutoCad for Dummies to be useful.

I would suggest AutoCad Lite....unless your doing 3D or need to use macros, ti will work just fine.....the good news is that a 3 button mouse with scrole wheel works fine....beats the days of having to use a tablet.

 

[Eds_tls]

If youre doing 2D, then I would just get a book. AutoCAD is very simple to use and pretty intuitive.

I don't have a lot of experience with 3D AutoCAD. I use Solidworks on rare occassions for 3D work. 3D is a little tougher to wrap your brain around, (at least for me). A class might not be a bad idea if you're going that route.

BTW I hated AutoCAD 2010. I used it for a few weeks and tried to like it. But it was so clunky, slow, and didn't have any new features, (at least that I could have used), and the ribbon thing made it impossible to find things. I switched back to my old copy of 13. For the simple drawings I do, its more than enough

 

[Cargo]

I know it's not AutoCAD, but has anyone tried SketchUp from Google?

 

[sanddrag]

Personally, I'd chose Inventor or Solidworks over AutoCAD. Much more capability, and much easier to use.

 

[Doug19]

I would also suggest google sketch up. Easiest cad software to teach yourself, free and tons of information online, but if your dead on AutoCAD it is very possilbe to teach yourself the program. I teach autocad in a high school setting and I highly recommend the following two books.


http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=autocad+turorial

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1585035017/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Buy both and start with the 2d one then move to the 3d one.

 

[BTG]

If youre doing 2D, then I would just get a book. AutoCAD is very simple to use and pretty intuitive.

I don't have a lot of experience with 3D AutoCAD. I use Solidworks on rare occassions for 3D work. 3D is a little tougher to wrap your brain around, (at least for me). A class might not be a bad idea if you're going that route.

BTW I hated AutoCAD 2010. I used it for a few weeks and tried to like it. But it was so clunky, slow, and didn't have any new features, (at least that I could have used), and the ribbon thing made it impossible to find things. I switched back to my old copy of 13. For the simple drawings I do, its more than enough

13???? Man...that was a loooooooong time ago!

Seriously, It takes a bit of time to learn and an AutoCad "bible" will be very beneficial. I was lucky to have several patient old timers to learn from... I started on 14 back in the late 90's. The old guys moaned about it too and said that AutoCad 12 for DOS was the best thing since sliced bread!

The architectural design community (which I am in) has been moving away from AutoCad and into REVIT. I will be a newbie myself soon as I will be leaning REVIT 2010 in the new year.

 

[JOHNMAN]

If youre doing 2D, then I would just get a book. AutoCAD is very simple to use and pretty intuitive.

I don't have a lot of experience with 3D AutoCAD. I use Solidworks on rare occassions for 3D work. 3D is a little tougher to wrap your brain around, (at least for me). A class might not be a bad idea if you're going that route.

BTW I hated AutoCAD 2010. I used it for a few weeks and tried to like it. But it was so clunky, slow, and didn't have any new features, (at least that I could have used), and the ribbon thing made it impossible to find things. I switched back to my old copy of 13. For the simple drawings I do, its more than enough

R13? Yuck!

I used R14 for years. Started on R2.62 then went to R10, then R12, then R14, when the company went to LT98, I kept using R14 (because I used LISP). I stuck with R14 while the company went through the LT series.

I changed jobs about a year and a half ago. They gave me 2009. We are now migrating to 2010.

I admit that R12 or R14 will do everything that we need it for, but they seem to want to keep up to date on software.

2009/2010 are just the way Autocad is moving forward. I didn't like the screen icons or menu system, but it is progress. (and licenses are not backward compatible)

It took me maybe a week to get used to and productive with 2009.


I would suggest (like others have suggested) to find a live person to help you do what you need. It would be far more beneficial than a book. Books are good (and I have several), but you can't beat the interaction between a live person.

If you don't have any people at work, I would suggest taking a class.

Good luck.