Tutor for TurboCad or DeltaCad

[Glenn (Gravitywell) Reach]

Hi all.  I want to learn how to use either TurbeCad or DeltaCad as I have both.  I am sure that there are others out there that would like to learn as well.  If there is someone out there that would like to do a tutorial that we could follow along with, that would be great.  I was thinking of something not too hard, like starting with a Ringmaster plan or something and making it a CAD plan.  Anyone?  Please?  I'll buy the coffee!

[proparc]

You probably would get a lot more hits if it was something like Draftsight which has a native DWG extention then, everyone could share everything they have with you. If your were DWG, I could whip up a Ringmaster lickety split with you-no problemo.

[Geoff Goodworth]

Glenn, the Ringmaster S-1 has already been done. May I suggest that you might like to draw something new.

[Glenn (Gravitywell) Reach]

Hi Proparc and Geoff.  Long time no speak Geof.  I only chose the Ringmaster because I thought it would be easy.  I guess any of the non-flapped, profile fuse ships would do the job.  The Shoestring, Buster, Sterling Hellcat, etc., would all be good learning ones.

Proparc....I downloaded the DraftSight program.  The reason I suggested the others is simply cause I already had them! LOL

[Howard Rush]

Leonard has a CAD forum on SSW, but I don't think it gets much attention.  I have TurboCad, but don't know enough to be of any help.  This thread covers some tutorials, including my own not-so-satisfactory experience: http://www.clstunt.com/htdocs/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=114&topic_id=90&mesg_id=90&page=

[Glenn (Gravitywell) Reach]

Hi Howard.  I did read all the stuff in Leonard's forum, but it sort of petered out and no one has done anything there since.  I was really hopeing that I could get a real tutorial going that anyone with an interest could follow along with. 

[Dennis Leonhardi]

If we were all a little closer, I'd even buy pizza for a session while someone teaches us.  

I actually have the student version of AutoCAD on my 'puter as well as a few others, but it gets tough to find time for that old learning curve - especially at this time of the year!


Dennis
 

[don Burke]

The tutors help, but the only thing that worked for me was having to make a drawing then using the drop down menus to fiddle around until I made something that was workable.

I have TurboCad and I can send you a .tcw or .dwg file for a racer that might get you started.  Each program seems to save in it's own format, but most also give the option of saving in a .dwg or .dfx  file that the repro places use to make plots.

[proparc]

Glenn,
Hooking you up with stuff is no problem. I have a CAD plan I did, of a Ringmaster  that I would be more then happy to let you have. The problem for me would breaking down ALL the steps I did.

If you have Draftsight, I could hit you up with the plan, and you could load and click on various aspects of it to see how I did it,(one of the advantages of Draftsight).

I think picking something like a Ringmaster is a perfect first choice for you because of course, its simple. But it has a mix of compound curves and quite a few break lines that would give you a good leg up.

Let me know if you are interested.

[RogerGreene]

Glenn,

I would like to help.

The main thing with TurboCAD is to use the snaps. You can find them on the bottom of the screen and right click on the name and this will pull up a window to turn on the ones ou will need.

Just go in and and start messing around to get the feel of the software.

By the way which version do you have?

I like one sugar and some cream in my coffee.

Roger

[steven yampolsky]

Hi all.  I want to learn how to use either TurbeCad or DeltaCad as I have both.  I am sure that there are others out there that would like to learn as well.  If there is someone out there that would like to do a tutorial that we could follow along with, that would be great.  I was thinking of something not too hard, like starting with a Ringmaster plan or something and making it a CAD plan.  Anyone?  Please?  I'll buy the coffee!

Glenn, you and I are on the same boat! I just started learning CAD too! Actually, I did dabble in CAD over the years but found all these low cost CAD software difficult to use when compared to AutoCAD 2000 LT. 2000LT was a 2D only package which had all the features we need to create drawings for our models and NONE of the fluff of 3D or team-design junk. Every other version of AutoCAD since then has gotten new features that we would never use(unless you need to calculate how much heat escapes from a double pane window). At the same time, all this new stuff adds complexity to the user experience. In other words, look for a used AutoCAD 2000 LT.

If you don't want to deal with software written for Windows 95, there is a new kid in town(it's 4 years old): Dessault System's DraftSight! The software is extremely easy to use, reads-writes all CAD formats, has a very large online community of users that help each other. What's even more impressive is that it's FREE. Yep, it costs nothing! I am in software business where I use/evaluate various software programs. As a general rule, FREE software from commercial entities usually means some low quality piece of software that tends to crash a lot. In the past 3 months of using DraftSight, I did not have a single crash! You can find the software here: www.draftsight.com

Speaking of Dessault Systems. Dessault is the maker of parametric 3D CAD software called SolidWorks. SolidWorks is the Cadillac of CAD software. It's extremely powerfull and at the same time easy to use. Unfortunately, it cost like a Cadillac too: $5500 for a "base model".

I have used(tried to) TurboCAD, DevCAD and a few others. What I found is that they're all using the same drafting engine. That's right! There is a company that will sell  you a CAD software library which you can then add menus and buttons to and call it your own. The only variations are the looks of buttons. Unfortunately, it also means that they all have the same idiosyncrasies and bugs. They also crash on the regular basis. My advice: stay away from the low cost CAD software and download DraftSight.

[Glenn (Gravitywell) Reach]

Thanks a lot for the help so far.  I did download DraftSight as recommended by Proparc and Steven. 

Proparc....I would love the Ringmaster plan.  Can you post it here so others that come along could use it as well?

[John Miller]

G reetings all,

I'll offer my help, such as it may be, as time permits.

In the past, I recommended Auto CAD, as that was what I was trained in. Later, I began to recommending other systems that offered compatibility with Auto Cad and it's native .dwg file format, at a reasonable price to the user. One of the first was Turbo CAD. It is a full function program, and still a good value.

Later, Delta CAD became available at a very decent price, even though it is not as strong a program as the others, it's capable of doing all we need, and the price is very good.

I just down loaded Draft Sight. It's a free download, so the price is very good, and a first look using one of my drawing files from my main CAD system, shows that it will work almst seemlessly without any problems that I've been able to find so far.

I'm going to attach some files, in .dwg format. You may find them interesting, and hopefully useful. These are from my Designer series. It is a good idea, but it's been out there for almost 2 years, and no one has taken the challenge to work with it.

What it is, is a drawing with a good airfoil, and wing design. There's a fuselage layout, and centerlines for setting up and using the wing in your own fuselage. Ther's alot of room  for you to use the basic drawings to create your own design, with a reasonable expectation for success.

This deigner file uses a wing with a total of 500 square inches.

Like I said, I'll help out, if you getmin a jam, but try reading the help notes first.

[proparc]

My advice: stay away from the low cost CAD software and download DraftSight.

Steve did you get my email?

[Randy Cuberly]

Hey John,
I just downloaded your file with Draftsight, and it's pretty slick.  A good generic starting place.  Works in Mechanical Desktop also...he he...

Hope you're still healing!

Randy Cuberly

[John Miller]

Hey John,
I just downloaded your file with Draftsight, and it's pretty slick.  A good generic starting place.  Works in Mechanical Desktop also...he he...

Hope you're still healing!

Randy Cuberly

Hi Randy. I'm happy you liked it. You are right, it is intended as a good generic starting point for teaching a method for designing a good performing stunter. The file will oen, and work with any CAD prgram that can open, and use a .DWG file.

I'm continuing to heal, though I still have a ways to go.

John Miller

[PerttiMe]

There's quite a lot of online material for learning Draftsight, including video tutorials. I should actually start going through some of that stuff...

[don Burke]

I was fortunate enough to get the basics for CAD while employed in Aerospace. 
Since then as things came along I got used to using one program.  When I try others I always go back to the one I'm most familiar with because it's "second nature" and a lot faster than learning the idiosyncracies of new ones.  Although it's default drawing format is not compatible with ANYTHING else it does have the ability to save in other formats.  So I stick with it.

The gist of this is dive in to what you've got, get used to it.  Then if you need to exchange drawings or get a full size print save in a .dwg, .dxf, .dwf.

[Bob Kruger]

I have to thank Steve Y. for bringing Draftsight to my attention. 

I found out another interesting aspect of Draftsight.  The command line feature uses most of the classic AutoCAD commands.  So, for those who learned AutoCAD back in the day before it used icons and big drop down menus, e.g. you really had to learn the commands, Draftsight offers a similar functionality.  I prefer the older method simply because it frees up more of the screen for drawing.

For those wanting to try TurboCAD, you can download version 12.5 Deluxe legally with a serial number that will get you a legitimate activation code.  Try http://www.softwareparadise.co.uk/pr...D_v12.5_Deluxe .  For almost all model CAD work, 2D and/or TurboCAD 12.5 is perfectly fine for just about anything that you need to do other than do computer generated ribs between a root and tip rib.  And, given that the difference between the root and tip is not too radical, there are efficient ways around that as well.  And, there are a lot of tutorials out there on the web for TurboCAD.  Just google TurboCAD Tutorial" and you will see what I mean.

The fact that TurboCAD v12.5 has long since been superceeded by new versions does not mean that you can't produce good plans from it any more that AutoCAD 2012 is going to give you any more accurate plans than the old AutoCAD v14 does.

Bob

I was fortunate enough to get the basics for CAD while employed in Aerospace. 
Since then as things came along I got used to using one program.  When I try others I always go back to the one I'm most familiar with because it's "second nature" and a lot faster than learning the idiosyncracies of new ones.  Although it's default drawing format is not compatible with ANYTHING else it does have the ability to save in other formats.  So I stick with it.

The gist of this is dive in to what you've got, get used to it.  Then if you need to exchange drawings or get a full size print save in a .dwg, .dxf, .dwf.

[Steve Helmick]

I was going to download "DraftSight", but it wants to know if I have 32 bit or 64 bit Windows...and I have no idea. It's XP, anyway. How do I find out which version to download?  Steve

[proparc]

I was going to download "DraftSight", but it wants to know if I have 32 bit or 64 bit Windows...and I have no idea. It's XP, anyway. How do I find out which version to download?  Steve

Download the 32 bit. You'll be fine

[steven yampolsky]

I was going to download "DraftSight", but it wants to know if I have 32 bit or 64 bit Windows...and I have no idea. It's XP, anyway. How do I find out which version to download?  Steve

Just like Milton said, when in doubt, get 32-bit. There is zero benefit for our type of drawings.

[don Burke]

If you try to download the 64 bit version the program will tell you if it will work or not, you'll get a message something like this, " this program is not compatible with your processor."   Guess how I found out!  I had to start over with the 32. 

It's not the operating system it's whether or not the system processor can handle 64 bit.  My machine has an Intel Atom processor running XP pro.

[George]

Thanks Steve and thanks John. I downloaded both and hope to learn DraftSight in the near future. I played with CADAM on a large mainframe years ago but could not devote enough time to learn it well.

George

[phil c]

.....The gist of this is dive in to what you've got, get used to it.  Then if you need to exchange drawings or get a full size print save in a .dwg, .dxf, .dwf.

The latest poop on getting prints- get a PDF program and print the drawing to a .pdf file.   You get exactly what you see on the PDF when you check it, and all the service companies can handle it.  All the other formats may or may not work with a particular service company, and you can't see what you get until you get it printed.  I've found they are also for the service co. to work with.  Things like getting the page sized properly and the drawing postioned on it, line sizes and formats, they all can get lost in the translation.  The dwg and dxf do work pretty well for exchanging drawings.