Software tool for making line/technical drawings

[Mark76]

I am looking for a software tool to make simple technical drawings. I want to make just simple drawings, like the ones in this blog post[/url] or like the one Bluntcut made in this thread.

It doesn’t have to be an advanced tool, but it should be able to handle curves and angled lines well. I find myself using Powerpoint and Visio for those tasks, but these tools aren’t really up to that.

The most important thing is that the tool should be user-friendly. I’m sure Autocad can do what I want, but that has much too steep a learning curve. It’d be nice, too, if the tool were free.

Any suggestions?

Molecule Polishing: my blog about sharpening with the Wicked Edge

[Mark]

Mark, I use Draftsight. Pretty much the same as Autocad but free. You can check it out here http://download.cnet.com/DraftSight/3000-18496_4-75445046.html

Mark M.

[cbwx34]

I’ve been looking too… more for something online or cross platform.

Clay has mentioned Google Sketchup[/url] to me before… I think he does some work in it.

[Mark76]

Thanks! I will give them a try.

Molecule Polishing: my blog about sharpening with the Wicked Edge

[cbwx34]

Mark, I use Draftsight. Pretty much the same as Autocad but free. You can check it out here http://download.cnet.com/DraftSight/3000-18496_4-75445046.html

Mark M.

I started playing with this… it actually has potential. Works on Windows or Mac.

Best part… free!

Good tip… thanks!!! 🙂

[Mark76]

I tried Draftsight as well. But I am afraid I was scared by the interface. It obviously has lots of features, but I need only a few…

I’m now trying Adobe Illustrator. Definitely not free 👿 . But does seem pretty user-friendly, especially if you know Photoshop. And, apparently, if Gimp is the open-source alternative to Photoshop, Inkscape is the open-source alternative to Illustrator. (Nice site: http://www.alternativeto.net .)

Molecule Polishing: my blog about sharpening with the Wicked Edge

[Author]

Posts