I transfered a full size drawing to the PC. I use General Cadd.

Yep! About 6 hours per day sometimes 12 hours per day. What are you up to RichJ from NYC?

Yup, I use autocad 2004 and Solidworks 2004. I prefer autocad, but both will import .dxf files right to my cnc machines.

yep 2d cads problems for thinking, and recently changed to solid programs for stuff i expect to cam.

Wow, I'm a shrimp in the shark tank. I don't have any machinery to transfer these drawing to. I just like to see how this would look before I try it out. The pattern stock will be a sandwich of 3 pieces of 3/4" Poplar.

I traced out on paper two stocks that fit me quite well, in this case they were a factory Sako Monte Carlo stock and a factory low comb BSA Majestic. Two very different stocks but they also have many things in common, that's why they both fit me.

The drop and the heel and toe were with in a 1/2" of each other, so they shouldered well. The Sako was more of a "face plant" on the cheekpiece type. The BSA was more a "Heads Up" type.

This stock is in the middle.

Ditto on Sooner's post !. Going on 8500 Hr. with AutoCad , about 1600 with SolidWorks and lord only knows on Bio L-Chem; I've Fooled with most, ProE, Rhino, Turbo ,Maya , and CATIA although that one wasn't fooled with .

At a $75K Work Station they frown on those words like Fooled with or tweaked or personal files !.

I'm some what perplexed by the statement ; I transfered a full size drawing to the PC. I use General Cadd.:?.

What did you transfer it from ?. One generally creates a drawing in a CAD program in a PC .

For what purpose would you want a CAD drawing if you traced out a pattern ?.

Some what similar to the cart before the horse set up .

Best of luck with what ever your doing .


Shoot Straight Know Your Target . ...

techsoft and pro-engineer everyday to draw/cut (stuff)

autocad 2007 and vulcan

I use Ashlar Vellum now. I was forced to learn Autocad at my previous job. Autocad is very labor intensive compared to Vellum. Vellum gets it done faster and is MUCH easier to learn. It's kind of like the difference between driving a semi with a split axle and manual tranny vs driving my Duramax with an automatic transmission. The only reason Autocad is the "standard" is they planted it in every school that ever thought of teaching CAD. I think Autocad is a great program. Just can't understand why you have to right click or hit the enter key thousands of times every day. I never learned CAD in school so I had to pick it up on my own. At least I got paid to learn Autocad but it was pretty frustrating with someone behind me with a sharp stick. All the time knowing I could draw fast in Vellum.

In my world of guns solid modeling is not necessary. If I bought another three axis machining center then a solid modeling and CAM program would be great.

In fact, I'm on break from SolidEdge work right now. No better way to spend a break in my opinion than right here on the forums.

I used Generic Cadd on my DOC/PC years ago and installed it successfully on Win/98, I couldn't get it to work on XP so I bought General Cadd. Same instruction set. 2 character commands.

Rich

Yes I use it everyday. I have worked with numerous software and presently work with Rebis, this is a 3D software. I also worked with AutoCad, Mechanical Desktop and Microstation/Intergraph. All good all different depending on your pocket book and what you are trying to achieve.
bigbull

Gunmaker, While solid modeling isn't necessary, you should hear the excitement in a clients voice when he recieves a solid model of his stock. I send a full sized solid model of their gunstock most of my clients before I do any cutting, this seems to help them picture the final product, and lets them make any changes. I also use solid models to help them picture thier gripcaps, bases, or even their barrels.

Sooner
I'd love to have a solid program. I just can't justify the expense at this time. My Prototrak programs so fast but it's only 2D. I don't have the time to model something I can 3D shape faster by hand and not have in house machining and CAM program. Maybe some day. Might be cool to have stocks laser scanned to catalog them and work them over in a modeling program. It will still be harder to blast out a completely finished stock faster using all the latest and greatest super spendy gadgets and software. Here's a stock I started as a 2D drawing in Vellum, profiled a pattern, shaped it by hand, digitized and turned it into a solid model and machined it on a Mazak. There was still tons of hand work required off the machine. Would probably have been just as fast off a duplicator. But I did get to use a lot of somebody else's cool spendy gadgets! Now I don't have all that available to me.

I get chest pains everytime I see that stock. What an incredible stock blank.

Bill
If you liked that then side B is ok too.

Sooner
I do agree with drawing out projects first. My drawings now are usually just enough to get the numbers to plug into my mill. The modeling stuff would help with marketing. It's a great sales tool. Example: You could send a customer a solid model rendering of 4 different transitions for a half round half octagon barrels and they could see what you are trying to explain. How would you charge them for the time you spent modeling? Roll it into the job? Or, give it away? The frustrating thing is when the customer takes your drawings to another smith to do the work cheaper. Not that I've had this happen in my gun business, but it was a daily event while I was working for a point of purchase display company.

Gunmaker: Damn, thats sweet! First ive seen of it, can you go off topic a little and give some info>>>

35W on a Titanium Taconic sq bridge Mex with Burgess rings. I Never got to finish it. The gunshop closed and I had to move. Wish I still had that piece of wood.

Spent lots of time using CAD for that one. I wish that TSJC pushed CAD and CNC programming in the gunsmithing program. They said that gunsmiths have no need for these things. The year after I left they got a Haas VF-0. Every job I've had since school '92 involved me using CAD and CNC. I had to learn it the hard way though, at home and after hours. Sure I've got some bad habits. It's a good thing to be proficient with, although it does take time away from making chips. Today I've got to draw up a swivel base for one of my guild projects and machine it. Taking the time to draw and program makes it easier to make the second one.

Gunmaker, damn thats a gorgeous stock! Very well done. In answer to your question, the cost of drawing out the stock and metal work is passed on the the client. I draw everything out anyway, either on paper or on computer. I have yet to have one take the dimensions to another smith, but I guess it could be a problem. I have spent years shaping my client base and if one were to do that, it would in some weird way feel like they were cheating on me.

I started doing the gun modeling for clients after visiting with a guild member, who for the life of me I can't remember. He said his customers loved it, he drew on paper.

You're right, the gunsmithing schools should be pushing more cnc/cad, it's definitely the future. We were taught Autocad in gunsmithing school but no cnc. Had to learn it on my own. I usually do like you do and just draw enough to get the dimensions to the machine, mostly gunparts. I have a contract with a parts importer and distributor to machine certain parts, and do all their tig welding. To be honost the cnc mill was bought out of the need for help and the total lack of quality employees willing to work.

Chad