Drawing software.

[REN]

Hi,
Can anybody recommend a software package for my iPad that will enable me to design and modify woodwork ideas easily, hopefully at a reasonable price. I do most of my sketches on paper. Lots of rubbing out, redrawing etc. I have had a look in the app stores and they look far to complicated for my needs and to be honest I don’t really want too hard a learning curve to be able to use.
Is there any package out there to suit?

 

[Jacob]

Maybe look at improving your pencil and paper technique? Do you have a drawing board, T square, set square etc.? Cheap paper is flip chart pads. Copying and altering is easier with draughtsman quality tracing paper, which is also tough and takes a lot of rubbing out. Also you can work at A1 size + bigger than any computer screen

 

[yetloh]

Most people seem to use Sketchup these days. Although I learnt Technical Drawing at school and got the "O" level, I have long since abandoned it in favour of CAD which has a lot of advantages once you have learned it. But, really gettin to grips with a Cad programme takes time and commitment and it is much more effective on a reasonable size screen, as Jacob implies. I certainly wouldn't want to use it on an Ipad but a 15" laptop is doable because you can zoom in and out so easily. which you certainly can't do on a drawing board. For me, the really compelling argument for CAD is the ability to draw in 3D and see your design from any angle.

Jim

 

[fezman]

another +1 for sketchup. Used it for about 4 years now and would be at a loss without it.

Not sure if there is an equivalent for the iPad. You can get a free sketchup viewer for the iPad (I use this a lot when in the workshop). But is doesn't let you do the initial design work. I've tried the online version of sketchup in an iPad and found it "unworkable"!

Do you have access to a PC or Mac? If so use sketchup online - there are still downloads available for offline working too.

 

[AFFF]

As mentioned, a tablet is not really suitable for CAD work. You really need a PC/Mac with some sort of pointing device such as a mouse (I use a Wacom graphics tablet) to enable accurate drawing. Sketchup is a good place to start but consider Fusion 360. Although it has a steeper learning curve than Sketchup it is so much more capable

 

[petermillard]

Can anybody recommend a software package for my iPad that will enable me to design and modify woodwork ideas easily.

I think you need to define ‘drawing’ - do you mean artistic sketches of ideas, or do you mean CAD-style plans, as the approaches are very different. And if CAD-style, do you need 3D or will 2D be enough?

FWIW I use Graphic.app (graphic.com) for my 2D line drawings and it works well, though I aven’t put a lot of time in on the iPad app.

Cheers, P

 

[noddy67]

Shapr3d

 

[Chris Hawkins]

Hi REN,

in answer to your question, I use Graphic for Ipad for virtually every project that requires CAD. It’s a lot easier to use with an Apple Pencil. There is a Mac version too and I sometimes switch between the two. Graphic is 2D only, but that’s never got in the way for me. I’ve tried Sketchup, but find it a tad too complex to learn and use.

 

[RichardG]

I’d recommend trying an App called concepts, it can work as a paper replacement for a quick sketch but you can gradually learn more advance features to improve your drawings. For instance it can auto straighten you freehand lines, you can use guides, you can draw to scale. It has a lot of depth but it is not a CAD program.

However, a pencil, Apple best or a lower cost alternative is needed to make the most of it.

‎Concepts

 

[REN]

Thanks everyone for your experiences and advice. I do think ,as suggested , that my mini iPad is inadequate. I shall continue to use pencil and paper until I look for a suitable laptop. Will then have to get to grips with learning the whatever package.

 

[J-G]

I regularly use SketchUp & CorelDRAW! and could never work with just one (say) 15.6" 'Laptop' screen. I suggest that you seriously think about a minimum 19" 5:4 ratio monitor (or two) but If you have to have a 'landscape' (16:9 ratio), at least a 22". The screen size is probably more important than the PC processor speed.

All drawing programs need room to display not only the drawing you are working on but also the floating toolbars/boxes needed to manipulate the drawing tools.

 

[RobinBHM]

Thanks everyone for your experiences and advice. I do think ,as suggested , that my mini iPad is inadequate. I shall continue to use pencil and paper until I look for a suitable laptop. Will then have to get to grips with learning the whatever package.

one thing that is a good idea is to scan important drawings and put them on a hard drive -when running a joinery shop I did that with all site surveys -it saves losing key info and having to drive back to site.

 

[LJM]

I think it depend what you want to achieve from the drawing; if it’s simply for you to develop you design, you may well be best served with paper and pencil, especially if you’ve good visualisation. For example, my twin brother is a professional designer-maker of high-end stuff; i know from working with him, that I’m better able to see in my head, inside a joint or construction detail. He makes good use of design software. I use pencil and paper. I often simply work from my head.

I have played with software, from AutoCAD with all the bells and whistles on a big screen etc, down to Shapr3D on my iPad Pro, so I know the benefits as well as the time it takes to learn a piece of software. Shapr3D does work well on an iPad, if you have a pen for it.

 

[Spectric]

A good program with a reasonable learning curve is Qcad, a good 2D package that will allow you to produce technical drawings and there is an extension package that will allow you to produce a file for CAM.

An example are these saw blades, exported as a JPEG, drawn as a DXF,

 

[Phill05]

On the Ipad I use Autocad Sketchbook app to rough sketch with designs before moving them to main computer.

 

[LJM]

is Qcad still free and open source? It used to be one of few free cad packages that ran on Linux or Mac

A good program with a reasonable learning curve is Qcad, a good 2D package that will allow you to produce technical drawings and there is an extension package that will allow you to produce a file for CAM.

An example are these saw blades, exported as a JPEG, drawn as a DXF,


View attachment 112215

 

[Spectric]

I believe there is a free version or £30 a year for the pro, which includes updates, good value when you think how much solid works and autocad cost.

 

[yetloh]

Agree with most of comments, but it really depends on what you want. I use TurboCad pro and draw in 3D. For design work £D is essential and photo realistic rendering in perspective is invaluable for assessing proportions - something many struggle with. This level of sophistication really gives a very clear idea of the finished article from any angle and is an excellent way of showing others just what you have in your head, but it is a lot to learn.

Jim