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Some folks post plans on here that were created in a proprietary engineering drawing package like Autocad or Solidworks, forgetting that people who download these plans need that same software to open the downloaded files. All files posted should be in .pdf format so that anyone can open them.---Brian
 
here is what I was talking about
Latest file added:
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Wire & Tube Bender
Uploaded by Ken I
December 20, 2011, 04:25:42 AM
0.031 Mb

Tooling - Rod & Tube bending & forming tooling.
2D Autocad
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Gordo
 
That file is in an AutoCad 2d format, or .dwg. As Brian said, you need an autocad type program to open it. I can open it with Solid Edge, a free 2d drating program, but cannot convert it to .pdf. Maybe someone here can convert it for you.

Chuck in E. TN
 
I can not speak for others, but I know if I open them with Solidworks (Which can open almost any engineering software drawing files) I can then choose "save as .pdf files" and it will do exactly that.
 
Brian, I post my plans as 2D Autocad *.dwg - because that's what I work with - there are plenty of free packages that will open a *.dwg.

Additionally I use a part / colour per layer so by switching layers you can see where all the bits go - on top of that I place the whole thing on one "sheet" - none of that works well with *.pdf

Having said that I will in future try to post *.pdf as an option - incidentally I have the tube bender as a MSword *.doc file - unfortunately this is (from my point of view) wastefull in that it converts a 97kB *.dwg to a 5MB *.doc file.

The downloads section does not allow me to go back and edit or change my posts - if there is a way I'd like to know.

Anyone wanting the tube bender a *.doc file ??

I can do another post.

Regards,
Ken
 
Ken---I wasn't taking a swipe at you there.----Sorry if I sounded like I was. For guys like us that work in engineering software as a way of life, we tend to forget sometimes that many folks out there don't have the same access to that kind of thing as we do.---Brian
 
Thanks to all those who responded, that's why this is the best BB on the net!!!
Gordo

PS Ken I,
Can you post it in a doc file?
 
Gordo - sent you a copy vie e-mail.

Brian - I was somewhere between too much Xmas spirit and hungover - took it as a very minor swipe - no offence taken - sorry.

Jeff - thanks for the *.pdf conversion.

Merry Xmas.

Ken
 
Don't mean to hijack this thread, but this thread led me to persue fixing my DraftSight install. For several weeks, it has been crashing with a video driver error. I finally found the fix this morning on Intel's websight.

http://www.intel.com/p/en_US/support/detect/graphics

I installed and ran their driver diagnostic, and it recommended a driver update. I downloaded and installed the updated driver, rebooted and Draft Sight now opens and runs. I played with the export to pdf function and am pleased to have that capability.
I had also downloaded Solid Works as DraftSight was crashing, to have the capability of opening a .dxf or .dwg format file.
I was a pencil and paper draftsman many years ago, but this CAD software has a very steep learning curve. I have tried several programs and their tutorials but just suceed in confusing myself.
Anyone know of a good tutorial for the non-CAD users, for either of these programs, that is easy to follow?

Chuck in E. TN
 
Are you referring to Draftsight on the Mac?
I loaded it and ran it for a week, then it crashed and even new updates won't run. Ugh!
Like it ,though.
 
Chuck, don't know about Solid Works but DraftSight is close enough to AutoCAD that any ACAD tutorial should get you in the neighborhood. I've been using ACAD for more years than I can remember (think 8" floppy disks...) so I don't know what's available online for the beginner.

Mosey, I'm running DraftSight on Linux (bye bye Windows = bye bye AutoCAD). It doesn't like the new version of Ubuntu but I can coerce it to run *knuppel2* . I've heard of many problems with the newer MacOS too. Seems Dassault is more concerned with the Windows users, which is a shame because it is miles beyond what is currently available in the Mac and Linux world.

Cheers

Jeff
 
That file is in an AutoCad 2d format, or .dwg. As Brian said, you need an autocad type program to open it. I can open it with Solid Edge, a free 2d drating program, but cannot convert it to .pdf. Maybe someone here can convert it for you.

Chuck in E. TN
Thanks for your nice sharing. I wonder does the toolkit you mentioned above offer free trial package for users to check. Any suggestion will be appreciated. Thanks in advance.



Best regards,
Pan
 
Sorry, Pan. That post was too long ago. Evidently I didn't get along with that program as it is no longer on my computer. Even though I was a manual draftsman 40 odd years ago, and a retired computer tech, I have a hard time with CAD, and haven't found one I like...

Chuck
 
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