[No problem; there's starting to be a fair amount of free software available, and you can do a lot with free demos before they time out.
On the CAD side, you can download Hexagon, Studio Pro, and Bryce 3d modeling software from Daz for free- but you'll have to contact their tech support for an unlock code unless they've fixed that.
DAZ 3D Home
Seimans has made their SolidEdge 2d drafting software available for free:
Free 2D: Siemens PLM Software
Dassault, another big European company, offers their 2d Draftsite software free:
Free CAD software * for your DWG files: DraftSight - Dassault Systèmes
There's less free CAM software, but Freemill from Mecsoft might work for your 3d designs:
MecSoft FreeMILL: 3D Milling package
And G-Simple might work for 2d:
G-SIMPLE --A Simple CAD-CAM for 3 Axis Milling Machines--
As for demos; Rhino is a very powerful 3d modeling program, and you can use it until you've saved a certain number of times:
Modeling tools for designers
And on the CAM side, DeskProto, which supports a rotary 4th axis, will post code for a month before timing out. They have special hobbyist pricing for people who aren't using it commercially.
DeskProto: 3D CNC machining for non-machinists. STL file milling for any CNC milling machine
Most programs will offer free demos, although some of them are crippled to some extent. But if you like trying new things, there's all sorts of free stuff on the Web to download and mess around with - Google sketchup, Blender - the list goes on and on. If you do find anything you like, please let us know.
Andrew Werby
ComputerSculpture.com — Home Page for Discount Hardware & Software