Hey everyone! I've recently developed an interest in woodworking and am eager to dive into some DIY projects. Being a complete beginner, I literally have zero experience but plan to learn as I go. I'm particularly interested in creating CAD drawings for my woodworking plans. I have some background in AutoCAD from my civil engineering work, and while I expect there will be differences for woodworking plans, I'm hoping the dimensioning conventions are similar just on a smaller scale with greater design flexibility. My goal is to produce clear, usable drawings that professionals can easily follow to create the projects if I can't handle the building myself. I'm on the lookout for free online resources that teach how to sketch components like latches, railings, hinges, and other furniture mechanisms. Any general tips or best practices for practical wood designs would also be super helpful. Thanks a bunch!
1 Answer
Check out this tutorial I found; it’s pretty handy for furniture design. It uses SketchUp instead of AutoCAD, but the principles should apply just as well. It’s not exactly what you’re asking for, but it’ll help you think about crafting your CAD drawings better. Here's the link: https://youtu.be/AVb8ZBAOD0I?si=Z1BcVRzBuq2ELLBd
Sounds useful! We have SketchUp classes at my university’s civil engineering program. It'd definitely be beneficial to learn there. But I’m still on the lookout for even more resources; can't hurt to gather some extra info!