Safe Free Drafting Software For Windows

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djw2112

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Hi,

Anyone know of a safe and reliable drafting software for windows.  I thought in my spare time i would go ahead and start creating my home that i plan to start building in a few years. 

Thanks...
 
Thanks, there are also several on GitHub but i have never been able to access GitHub via my hughesnet connection, something to do with the header timeout or something.  Some sites are just not accessable, its a well known issue.
 
I designed and built, (from the ground up) three different houses the old fashion way using a scale, straight edges, some triangles and a calculator and  much used erasers.
I made all my mistakes on paper and then when it was time to do the bricks and sticks, wiring and plumbing it was very enjoyable
I did all of the above on the side while I was in the work force as a non-degreed electrical/Instrumentation engineer

I just said to my wife the other day as I was designing some cabinets that I should find a free course in CAD, so I'll keep a close watch on your post

Jack L

 
I have been very happy with DraftSight. Before I retired, I used AutoCAD extensively. Thr commands and menu structure in DraftSight is so similar to AutoCAD, that the learning curve was zero. I just opened it and started drawing. The only time I need to refer to the Help Files, is when I have forgotten how to do something.

If you are new to CAD, there are several good books on AutoCAD that will help you get started with DraftSight.

Joel
 
Interesting story.

I was the first person to use AutoCad on a portable computer.

In the early 80's I was doing design and consulting work developing Ambulatory Surgery Centers.

I set up an office in a motorhome and outfitted it with a Compaq portable computer, (looked like a sewing machine with a fold down keyboard), a plotter, and a copy of AutoCad version 1.1A.

AutoCad had never been installed for a customer with a portable computer.  The Technical person and I debugged it to get it running.  That is how I know that I was the first to use it on that hardware.

One of the big advantages to using AutoCad back then was that the Health care Architects that I dealt with at the varius state's department of health did not have access to anything like it.

Up until then you would submit plans on paper, they would review them and make comments and you would redraw the plans.

I had several state architects at different times come out the the office in the motorhome and make the changes on the computer and then plot out a new set and sign off right then.

That's my story and I am sticking with it.
 
i work at a two year community college at the college of San Mateo at 1700 west blvd San Mateo ca 94402 are email is @gmail.com im a instructional aide II I'm retiring after 21 years of teaching computer but start computers before windows I'm 6  foot 9 any help would be grateful I'm a disabled veteran, eagle scout, master mason, volunteer of year from Jackie spear volunteering over 12000 hour, teacher of word, excel, powerpoint, access, quickbooks, mac, windows, search engines, I'm a researcher, i like finding jobs for people, my wife works k-12 . she already retired as of November we set up are own business look forward to more at .com and youtube video of the challenges of being tall 6 foot 9 and short 5 foot 4 we also have running a non profit for 15 years as president and treasure and vice president a newsletter and a succeed hot line and got volunteer of the year from San Mateo county
 
Welcome to the forum. Can you do one thing for us?  Use the proper punctuation like capital letters at the start of sentences and periods at the end of sentences. It will make it so much easier for us to read your posts. Thanks.
 
I used SketchUp (free version) when designing my sons tiny house.  We ended up not using any contractors but were told by several that they could take everything that they needed to build things from a Sketch UP file, including a SIP panel manufacturer.  We chose not to use them but it was nice to know.

When building we just had the laptop file open and built the walls using measurements from the program.  We used a shed roof lofts, so only the two end walls were the same, but each 2x4 in that wall was a different length and had to be cut for slope of the roof. 
 
Thanks, ill give that a try to see if it can import smartdraw files.  My smartdraw demo time is just about over, so im doing screen prints and saving the images using paint just in case i cant open those files after my demo time is over.

Here are a few of my plans so far, not perfect but i think if someone had to redo them it would make the job easier.  There are no inspections here, i still want to do everything the right way but at least i have alittle freedom with no code inspections here.

I do have one question, can the power company extend my current power lines in the ground if i need more line, or do they have to run all new line?  I seem to remember seeing a power guy when i was little adding extra length to a line.  My plan is the take the current RV power station and remove it from the ground and frame the house around where that use to be and then just extend the conduit up the side of the house and into the utility room on that corner, easy peazy right :)

I still need to do the electical plan and wall plan but i have all week to do it as this cold front is going to last all week. 

Comments welcomed and appreciated :)

 

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Freecad will do architectural and 3D modeling and it has a good support forum. 
 
Thanks...    i did also find quite a few mistakes in those images as i went through them in detail so i have fixed those in my file versions.
 
Jim18655 said:
Freecad will do architectural and 3D modeling and it has a good support forum. 
Click to expand...

That is the one via github and i cant access github for some reason via hughsnet sat, i never have been able to. 

nevermind i got it via firefox first time ever wow...

OH its for windows server not PC, and you have to compile it... i cant do that...

Oh i see i have to use the portable 7z version.    I had to access it this way

https://github.com/FreeCAD/FreeCAD/releases

as the full url would not work on either browser

https://github.com/FreeCAD/FreeCAD/releases/download/0.18.4/FreeCAD-0.18.4.980bf90-WIN-x64-portable.7z

I think if fails during the TLS handshake

 
I feel like such a goofball, tonight after my verizon was active i still could not download the freeCAD... so i started messing around and trying stuff and low and behold all this time, just over a year now, i have not been able to get into github on the hughesnet and it was all because my killer control panel drivers were WAY outdated.  I didnt know that the killer control center was seperate from the drivers and you need to download the new drivers all by themselves.  After i did that wow i can access anything and faster than before. 

There are soooooooooo many drivers on a computer how can anyone remember to update them all, seems so crazy to manage it...

I am installing freeCAD now... thanks :)
 
Just a thought? You may want consider the spatial relationships of your design. The furniture/cabinets in your drawings are out of proportion. For example: an 8? wide kitchen is tiny and there would be no room for an island if there are cabinets and countertops on three sides. Also, in the 5? space between the pantry and exterior wall, there would be no room for a round table, especially one that seats four. Most round tables are 42?-48? in diameter. The chairs would be touching the walls, no room to walk around the table and certainly no room to open the door to the pantry. Your biggest bedroom is 10? x 10? with no closet. A bed is almost 7? long which doesn?t leave much room for other furniture. I could go on but I think you get my point.
 
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