Hey guys.
Does anyone know of a free software that is good to do this. Doesn't need to be too fancy.
Google "Sketch up" easy to learn at least to make drilling patterns, 3D takes a little longer, but still easier than other programs. Good Luck
Inkscape, Gimp, Scribus, etc... these are all great open source applications.
Quote from: Skruffyhound on November 24, 2009, 09:05:21 AM
Google "Sketch up" easy to learn at least to make drilling patterns, 3D takes a little longer, but still easier than other programs. Good Luck
i second this. i use it weekly to make to-scale drawings with easily added dimension measurements. great for drill patterns.
Quote from: aziltz on November 24, 2009, 10:24:24 PM
Quote from: Skruffyhound on November 24, 2009, 09:05:21 AM
Google "Sketch up" easy to learn at least to make drilling patterns, 3D takes a little longer, but still easier than other programs. Good Luck
i second this. i use it weekly to make to-scale drawings with easily added dimension measurements. great for drill patterns.
Are you guys talking about the free 3d one?
I use AutoCAD. But it's far from cheap!
Say if i wanted to make a template for etching enclosures would google sketch up be good for that?
I use a free AutoCAD workalike, A9CAD. It works similar to AutoCAD (what I learned originally), but it doesn't have some of the nice tools. But hey, it's free.
I'm a mechanical engineer, and I'm using Pro/Engineer at work (3d modeler). I've recently put all components in there and made a layout, so there's no headscratching when drilling each and every enclosure anymore.
Far from cheap! There was a free alternative at one time, I think it was called Pro Desktop Express, but I think they've pulled the plug on that one.
Does anyone know of a free alternative to Adobe Illustrator? (vector based graphics program)
Open Office Draw will allow you to do both drilling and designing ala CAD or Publisher
I'm a mech eng too.
I've got a bunch of fancy software that I use at work but, frankly, I find the drawing tools in Word to be perfect for doing really quick and simple layouts. It's by far the easiest to learn - you probably know all that you need to know already.
Inkscape is a very good freebie alternative to Illustrator, by the way.
+1 for Inkscape, too.
Quote from: Jarno on November 25, 2009, 02:03:33 PMDoes anyone know of a free alternative to Adobe Illustrator? (vector based graphics program)
Inkscape: http://www.inkscape.org/
If you use alternative OSs, theres these too:
Xara: http://www.xaraxtreme.org/
Skencil: http://www.skencil.org/
Inkscape and SketchUp here too.
Quote from: aziltz on November 24, 2009, 10:24:24 PM
Quote from: Skruffyhound on November 24, 2009, 09:05:21 AM
Google "Sketch up" easy to learn at least to make drilling patterns, 3D takes a little longer, but still easier than other programs. Good Luck
i second this. i use it weekly to make to-scale drawings with easily added dimension measurements. great for drill patterns.
I've just started to use SketchUp mainly to layout and squeeze all the components into tiny enclosures. There's a box template for our common Hammond enclosures online!
How exactly do you draw a drilling template?
Is it as simple as drawing all the enclosure's sides that need to be drilled and drawing holes where it needs to be drilled and then implementing some kind of scale? I need to put 18 holes into a 1790 and I have NO idea where to start.
Quote from: Hupla on November 25, 2009, 09:59:01 AM
Quote from: aziltz on November 24, 2009, 10:24:24 PM
Quote from: Skruffyhound on November 24, 2009, 09:05:21 AM
Google "Sketch up" easy to learn at least to make drilling patterns, 3D takes a little longer, but still easier than other programs. Good Luck
i second this. i use it weekly to make to-scale drawings with easily added dimension measurements. great for drill patterns.
Are you guys talking about the free 3d one?
yes. The free version rocks my socks off.
Quote from: welcomb on November 25, 2009, 09:19:19 PM
Quote from: aziltz on November 24, 2009, 10:24:24 PM
Quote from: Skruffyhound on November 24, 2009, 09:05:21 AM
Google "Sketch up" easy to learn at least to make drilling patterns, 3D takes a little longer, but still easier than other programs. Good Luck
i second this. i use it weekly to make to-scale drawings with easily added dimension measurements. great for drill patterns.
I've just started to use SketchUp mainly to layout and squeeze all the components into tiny enclosures. There's a box template for our common Hammond enclosures online!
Have ya got a link to the box template or are they already on it?
It's on RG's Geofex site, BB's are a favourite of his, so the layout is just for this size, no B or A layouts.
Actually it should be possible to import the Hammond AutoCAD drawings to sketch up. We've imported some CAD files at work but I haven't tried this yet.
QuoteHow exactly do you draw a drilling template?
It's as simple as making a few calculations to divide the space up, so all knobs/switches/power jacks/jacks etc. are nicely placed aesthetically and functionally. You can do it with a pencil and a piece of paper,you only need to draw the face to be drilled and the center points of the holes you want, cut out the shape and tape it to your enclosure.
The difficult part is the 3D inside the box, imagining how everything will fit in. Will this perfboard go free of the jacks if I place it here etc.
As my builds get more complicated I think there's a tendency to try to build as tight as possible, it's not really necessary, but I can't help it. Thats where 3D technical drawings start to be required.
Quote
It's as simple as making a few calculations to divide the space up, so all knobs/switches/power jacks/jacks etc. are nicely placed aesthetically and functionally. You can do it with a pencil and a piece of paper,you only need to draw the face to be drilled and the center points of the holes you want, cut out the shape and tape it to your enclosure.
The difficult part is the 3D inside the box, imagining how everything will fit in. Will this perfboard go free of the jacks if I place it here etc.
As my builds get more complicated I think there's a tendency to try to build as tight as possible, it's not really necessary, but I can't help it. Thats where 3D technical drawings start to be required.
Ah, but I am drawing a template for PPP to drill for me, since I don't have the tools.
Quote from: Jarno on November 26, 2009, 09:57:16 AM
It's on RG's Geofex site, BB's are a favourite of his, so the layout is just for this size, no B or A layouts.
Is that template not just for printing out and editing it with like a scissors? ha
QuoteAh, but I am drawing a template for PPP to drill for me, since I don't have the tools.
Same deal, just someone else doing the drilling. I don't know what format they prefer to drill from, better ask them. Good Luck
I use PPP and they haven't complained about my templates yet.
(http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q18/aziltz/Drilling%20Templates/1290NS-3knobs.png)
The models for the common Hammond boxes can be found on SketchUp's 3D warehouse. Somebody imported the CAD from Hammond.
Reason why I need those and not just a square box is when you start squeezing components into a 1590A, you need millimeter accuracy which takes into account the thickness of the enclosure, internal depth and the screw flanges. Especially when you "overlap" the jacks and solder components under them (like Solderman)
Interesting to know that the 3D warehouse has hammond enclosures, I didn't think of that. I imported the CAD files from Hammond last night, disappointing they were only 2D, but I used them to draw my Eddystone enclosure. I'll post it when I'm done. Perhaps we can ask Aron where to put this stuff as a resource. Has anyone drawn Alpha Pots/Jacks/Power Jacks etc. yet? I don't mind doing it, but there's no point if somebody else already took the time and they are willing to share.
Quote from: welcomb on November 27, 2009, 03:46:27 AM
The models for the common Hammond boxes can be found on SketchUp's 3D warehouse. Somebody imported the CAD from Hammond.
Reason why I need those and not just a square box is when you start squeezing components into a 1590A, you need millimeter accuracy which takes into account the thickness of the enclosure, internal depth and the screw flanges. Especially when you "overlap" the jacks and solder components under them (like Solderman)
I use the Hammond models if I'm working on the inside but those files are alot bigger in size than
my square models (which are intended to guide drilling).
I've been following this for a while, and I was unaware that so many used 3d programs to layout their boxes. I am student and hobbyist in the 3d design area and am fortunate enough to own a student license for 3D Studio Max. I just thought I would ask if anyone had any use for scale 3d models of enclosures, jacks, pots, or other components for layout purposes. Models made in 3D Studio Max could be imported into AutoCAD or Sketchup. These would all be free of course, the only snag is I have to make sure I can distribute things for free on my student license ( I know I can't use them for commercial purposes). But before I subject myself to all this trouble, would anyone have any use for moderately detailed and accurate models of components, or is this just overkill? Here are a few example renders of a simple "alpha pot" I just whipped up.
(http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii81/kearns892/Pot1.jpg)
(http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii81/kearns892/Pot2.jpg)
Quotewould anyone have any use for moderately detailed and accurate models of components
Oh yes :icon_mrgreen: Yes please!
At least all the off-board components, pots, jacks, switches etc. Maybe it's overkill to draw the on-board components, but I'm trying to figure out a way to import photos of the finished board to sketch up and scale them, sometimes space is so tight that off board components have to kind of nestle in amongst the on-board stuff. Plus, I just like drawing and being completely anal about building precision (in my day job too :icon_biggrin: nerd that I am)
Alright, I would like to do this, again though, I have a limited license and I think as long as I don't sell my product I'm safe. Once I get an answer for sure I will start giving out the project files. For now I will get to work on some jacks...
Sounds great, thanks for making the effort.
Little Bump :icon_biggrin:, anything happening with those pots? I'm piling up a few finished builds, would be nice to draw the pots/jacks in before drilling.
Also I don't know where to post drawings of enclosures, in the gallery or the sound clips archive? If anybody has any ideas...
Like a few others in this thread I use Inkscape. It's free, easy to use, accurate and produces good results. I've gradually built up a library of components and enclosures, both realistic views (for mock ups) and outlines (for drilling templates etc). I've posted my Inkscape files in the gallery (see http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/diyuser/rob/ (http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/diyuser/rob/)). There is also a template for a mid sized enclosure showing how I use the layers to give different views.
Rob.
I'll have a look, thanks :icon_mrgreen:
By the way, on the Hammond site are not just 2d drawings, but also 3d models in different formats. I used IGES to import them into my 3d CAD software, the rest of the parts I just measured and modelled in that software.
I have made a few PDF's wich need some work but I can put them up if that's of interest to anyone. I've made 2-, 3- and 4- knob variants in B housings and a 4 knob in BB.
Quote from: Jarno on December 07, 2009, 04:15:19 AM
By the way, on the Hammond site are not just 2d drawings, but also 3d models in different formats. I used IGES to import them into my 3d CAD software, the rest of the parts I just measured and modelled in that software.
I have made a few PDF's wich need some work but I can put them up if that's of interest to anyone. I've made 2-, 3- and 4- knob variants in B housings and a 4 knob in BB.
I would'ny mind having a look if it's not too much trouble for ya :)
I'll make a new thread for these layouts, because it is a bit off topic in this thread.
QuoteBy the way, on the Hammond site are not just 2d drawings, but also 3d models in different formats.
Interesting, thanks, I'll have a look for them. Or in fact, if you've got time, could you post a link here or in the new thread, thanks.
QuotePDF's wich need some work but I can put them up if that's of interest to anyone.
Would be great.