Another good choice would be Fusion 360 by AutoDesk. It really is a good starting point, plus there are ample resources available for SketchUp. “You mentioned SketchUp, and I think that is a really great place to start even though they have increased their prices and it’s no long free for the stand-alone version. In a nutshell, that is my expertise in CAD, both 2D and 3D.” – Fred Patterson
I also have used CATIA which is a very powerful suite of CAD/CAM/CAE products that in the early 2000’s was $25,000 per seat. My go-to has always been Autodesk and their line of CAD products. I have heard of SOLIDWORKS, but I am not familiar with them. SketchUp is doing the same thing as of November 2020. It seems what I found that I wanted was that and more. I couldn’t justify it and started looking around for something else. For example, AutoCAD LT was going to cost me $425. It seems that everyone in CAD is moving from a desktop one-time purchase to the more expensive SaaS (Software as a Service) business model. Where I am having difficulty now is the cost.
Most CAD programs are very similar, so moving from one to another is not much of a problem. As with anything new, there is a learning curve and it takes time and devotion to learn. I could do it faster that way until I took the time to learn CAD. Like you, I was a pencil-and-paper type of guy. “For more than 20 years I was a machinist and had the opportunity to work with several CAD programs during that time. Be bold and jump in with both feet.” – bobrakarj2
SketchUp is much easier to learn and gives you everything in 3D. I know Jay Bates uses SketchUp for a lot of his layout and design, but I’m not sure if that is what he imports to his CNC’s interface. If you are going to use a CAD program to interface with a CNC, then I believe it should be a robust program. “I have been using IMSI’s TurboCAD since its early days, so I am pretty comfortable with it, but any CAD program that gives you the functionality of complete control is going to have a steep learning curve. Here’s what a number of you have to say on the matter. Last week Rob wondered what your experiences and opinions are about CAD programs.
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