[762frmafr]

So, I just placed an order for a 4x8 plasma table with a water bed. I have about 3-4 weeks till it gets here. I am trying to get a jump on the CAD program learning curve. The plasma table comes with AUTOCAD 2004. I will be cutting mainly basic shapes but will be filling time on the machine with artwork type stuff. I have never used any kind of design program. I bought the Education Edition of CorelDraw for $38 on Amazon just to see if I could use it or like it. I am ashamed to say that I couldn't even draw a circle. So, since I will have to learn a program anyway, will Autocad do everything I need it to do, or is it limited in the art department? Thank you in advance.

[DareBee]

Autocad will do anything that a plasma can cut.

Not sure what sort of artsy stuff you want to do but ACad is not made for free-form drawing or for converting scanned images into vector lines. If you need these functions you will need Corel or something similar.

An Industrial metalworking shop like myself needs no more than an Acad type program for plasma work.

[CCW]

Autocad will work fine for basic shapes. In recent versions you can also trace bitmaps with with splines and convert to polyline when finished; not sure about 2004 edition though.

For the "artsy" shapes try Inkscape, go through the tutorials online or buy a guide book from Amazon and work your way through.

You can find tutorial videos for most software on Youtube as well.

[Mike 1948]

So, I just placed an order for a 4x8 plasma table with a water bed. I have about 3-4 weeks till it gets here. I am trying to get a jump on the CAD program learning curve. The plasma table comes with AUTOCAD 2004. I will be cutting mainly basic shapes but will be filling time on the machine with artwork type stuff. I have never used any kind of design program. I bought the Education Edition of CorelDraw for $38 on Amazon just to see if I could use it or like it. I am ashamed to say that I couldn't even draw a circle. So, since I will have to learn a program anyway, will Autocad do everything I need it to do, or is it limited in the art department? Thank you in advance.

I use Vectrics Vcarve Pro for vector design and export a DXF file. I then use Sheetcam to process the DXF file and create the toolpaths for the plasma cutter.
Vcarve is a bit pricey at $600.00 but it can do the artsy type stuff, plus if you get bored and want to convert the plasma cutter over to wood with a router you can do signage. Mine goes both ways.
Also you might want to give Draftsight a look. Its a free 2D cad program similar to Autocad. Very good for a "FREE" program

Mike

[victorofga]

look at for gerrys website..
hes expert of autocad.. you can make toolpath directly from autocad
he wrote a program under autocad ...

The CNC Woodworker - AutoCAD 2 G-Code

hes ger21 on the cnczone..

you also can import virtualy any bitmap in autocad , align it or scale and vectorize.. btw autocad can rotate bitmaps.. that can be important for vectorizing..

[victorofga]

for newer autocads you migth have only manual on dvd... a paperbook really useful..
to learning drawing with autocad the older versions book still very useable, and you can get for great price..
they were printed by autodesk..

AutoCAD 13 Manuals | eBay

these books not only teaching you the use of the program, also takes you to modifying menus or any customization virtually..
you can create own libraries where you open complex drawings shapes with one click and insert into new projects.... no wonder it became standard in the industry..

one thing is sure.. anyone learned autocad, they have no issue learning further programs..