I been using google sketch www.sketchup.com/try-sketchup
I find its really good.
So for all the diy chicken hutches ;-) Its easier to put pen to paper (mouse to keyboard) and might save you costly mistakes and save you materials etc.
Here is ma latest Im gona make some automated gates !!!! good luck!
then im gona make a gazebo!!!
Its a good basic 3d modeling programe and it give you dimentions. 2 hours and you be an expert !
I wish I could get used to sketch up, tried to use it but im so used to the functions of Autocad, 3Dstudio Max and Archicad my cabbage cant use sketchup or adobe illustrator, they seem foreign but are so friggin useful, Im just so used to keyboard shortcuts, and you tend to get used to them in differing programs but the differences come obvious in my lack of skill in either but doesnt matter because I can execute the same in the programs Im used to which used to cost a fortune once upon a time and are now pocket change to buy.
Bloody nice work BTW, I hire at $27 an hour, for the brave ;) Not hiring ATM, in transition.
I earn my living on Autocad.
I think sketchup is great ... perfect for anyone to pick up and go with. The pro version saves to autocad .dwg version too which is great (not worth paying $$ for, but)
Toots I used to use shortcuts... very busy left hand... but taught myself to use this instead. I have nearly 100 commands programmed into this thing (including all numbers) so now I only put my hands on the keyboard for text labels or file names...
P.S. nice work buster, looks good
Sketchup's a great intro to design software imo. I use Archicad with my building design, and very happy with it. I've seen some amazing designs using sketchup & with a render add-on you can get photo-realistic renders. A mate (architect) has used Sketchup for all his designing through working drawings since it's beginning (he went to uni with one of the software developers and was one of their guinea pigs.)
Anyway, you can import the free version to autocad, and I've managed to bring in 'sketchup' models into Archicad via another cad program.
Hey buster, check out the 'sketchup warehouse' on google - thousands of already-designed (free) 3d models to use as starting points for your projects.
i will check it out sail. Although i don't do this as a profession because im more into the fabrication side of things Its extremely helpful.
I think to design something is a very rewarding job hey if not more fun than building them .
Its also good to use the computer for once and not annoy people and play video games. Im finally doing something constructive with my spare time !!!
The sketch up seems basic so ill run with it, but cad and advanced programs would be the bomb.
Its good to have a diagram and especially the angles of cut (protractor) . Angles for the gates (316 )(stainless) Have a bit of tig welding coming up !!!!
Shame i didn't fins that 3d stuff earlier. would of taken half the time to build my bitztake for ever to work out. Welding gaps SUCK 
Just designing center piece
These programs provide high accuracy I wanted to put that first piece in the cottesloe sculpture by the sea. but i fluffed the intersection angle between the two pyramids ! looks shi1e and unprofessional. been better to draw a 3d model and mkae the cut without gaps.
The biggest failure of building stuff i guess is lack of planning and with these programs spend the time and do it correct ! You can nail it !
That 21" pad looks sweet anyway. I have never tried one of those, but they look great for the prettier looking type of stuff.
I use this:
www2.razer.com/au-en/gaming-keyboards-keypads/razer-nostromo
I got one off Amazon US for cheap but then they stopped shipping to Oz the next week!
Let me know if you get one & I'll send my cheat sheet to you, it might help you with your setup.
Hehe yeh, Im not really spewin that much , its the older 21 ux with the older touch pads, no gyrating discs, but it still rocks, I got it for 2K that was less than 1500 retail, coz it was just before they bought in the new 21 ux with the new knobs and buttons I dont use it for cad, use it for Photoshop (working on a Photog collection) and sketching scenes, I have delusions of grandeur in the concept art market, when I can get time to sit and draw ;) also need to do a few Mudbox tutorials, I got used to Metareyes years ago, and loved working with them, but the plugin only works on max 2.5 and I cant get that to run these days.
I'll definately look at one of those as I love shortcuts, saves so much time
toots it does macros really well, so many of my buttons are actually small macros like
visretain ON (to keep visual settings) is a macro -
visretain
enter
1 (yes)
enter
or UCS to 'world'
ucs
enter
w
enter
But I have a few huge ones, like a "supersave" one that does about 15 things to set everything just right before saving the file at then end of cycle of changes, like:
layer = 0
ucs =w
zoom extents
text to z =0
text & dims to front (draworder)
audit
purge x 3
etc etc
save
If you're interested I can't recommend highly enough, it's really comfortable/ergonomic for the left hand, however like anything there is a learning curve, you just have to use it for a while, then eventually you get back to being as fast as you were before, then you get even faster 
Looks like cool work to me, the letter box is the bomb.
Hey guys, I am starting my autocad1 at tafe tomorrow. pretty excited.
I am interested in getting into architectural signage so I think it may come useful, my background is in graphics design, may study interior design next year but. btw any one want to take on an intern???? i am sydney based.
I started using autocad back in v11, taught it at uni for a number of years part time. Its an extremely well tuned old skool tool. I used archicad v5/6 around 2000, it was nice for what it was (is), but for real BIM and IPD you can't beat Revit (architecture, structures and MEP). Revit 2013 is supposed to integrate the real deal surface / mesh modelling capabilities from other autodesk programs like 3DS and Maya. The industry in sleepy old perth is slowly catching on to the whole BIM thing. I went to the UK in 2006 to gain experience in Revit and taught it to 4th years students a few years ago. Software companies are like the windsurfing industry- about 12 months ahead of itself. They also have mastered the art of squeezing annual subscription dollars out of it's users. The Building Design Premium suite contains about $25,000 worth of programs. Annual fees also cost an arm and a leg. It's no wonder why so many companies "evaluate" warez for more than 30 days. [}:)]
that razer look pretty cool though.
"Dad, I dug a hole."
"It's filling up with water."
(p.s. Not my design, non-proprietary sample data)
update.. first ever autocad lesson last night, spent alot of time learning about absolute and relative position, and we learnt to draw squares!!! at the end of lesson. Seen alot harder then graphics design software.
btw seems like i may move into the signage industry but they dont use autocad at all for 3D stuff... go figer.
not a bad basic programmer ive been using cad for civil design for 5 years now so this is my job.
Canuk those things look awesome, if I was using 3D all day I would maybe treat myself.. but they are overpriced at the moment for sure.
Starboarder - stick with it if you can land the 1st job you will be able to earn decent bucks and possibly get into a job that has a good split between office and outdoor. I used to work at a refinery and it was awesome climbing all over the equipment measuring stuff etc. Just when you're getting sick of the heat you can go sit down in A/C for the rest of the avo.. nice! Give you an idea our cadet at my current job is on $40 p/h and he does 3 days a week and is in final year associate diploma eng. at TAFE.
I admire people who use autocad as I can't get my head around how it can be so efficient; this is coming from someone who has very little exposure to it however. We did a few weeks on it at uni (mech eng) and I just kept thinking to myself...holy crap this is antiquated (was r14.1 though lol). Next few weeks we used Solidworks, have never used anything since. I use Solidworks at work, however almost all of our design work is 3D machine type stuff which I guess is what SW is aimed at. Autocad is the workhorse of the civil/arch industry though and I guess there's a good reason for that.
