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Thread: AutoCAD LT - Drawing 3D Shapes

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    Angry AutoCAD LT - Drawing 3D Shapes

    This is my first time ever to use any Autocad product and it is not even a full version. I have been using Floorplan3D to develope rough drawings of rooms on our campus. Since that program is limited in its abilities I was forced to do some of the more detailed work using Microsoft Powerpoint. That too has its limits and so my boss has asked me to use Autocad to develope proper dimensioned drawings of the project, but the only product available was Autocad LT.
    I am laying out the floorplans and elevations of equipment rooms that show devices mounted on walls, conduits projecting from the floor, etc. I just spent 2 hours in Autocad LT trying to construct a simple 2" diameter cylinder to represent 1 of the conduits. I gave up. The online help talks about UCS coordinates and wireframe modeling. I have no idea what UCS means. I know what wireframe modeling is but have no idea how to construct it.
    Should I give up now, or is there some simple concept that I need to grasp that will make all of this fall into place? I am not an idiot and have spent many years drawing rooms and devices in 2D and 3D without any trouble. But getting a simple shape together in Autocad seems to be a chore.
    Can I choose a cylinder object from a menu and then just enter the dimensions? Can this also be done for other shapes like boxes and rectangles? These were the good points about Floorplan3D. I could simply choose an object like a wall and drag it onto the drawing.

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    Mod / Salary / SM Wanderer's Avatar
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    Talking Re: AutoCAD LT - Drawing 3D Shapes

    I'm going to move this post from the tips and tricks forum as I believe it will be better served here...

    Quote Originally Posted by rfuller.85902
    This is my first time ever to use any Autocad product and it is not even a full version. I have been using Floorplan3D to develope rough drawings of rooms on our campus. Since that program is limited in its abilities I was forced to do some of the more detailed work using Microsoft Powerpoint. That too has its limits and so my boss has asked me to use Autocad to develope proper dimensioned drawings of the project, but the only product available was Autocad LT.
    I am laying out the floorplans and elevations of equipment rooms that show devices mounted on walls, conduits projecting from the floor, etc. I just spent 2 hours in Autocad LT trying to construct a simple 2" diameter cylinder to represent 1 of the conduits. I gave up. The online help talks about UCS coordinates and wireframe modeling. I have no idea what UCS means. I know what wireframe modeling is but have no idea how to construct it.
    Should I give up now, or is there some simple concept that I need to grasp that will make all of this fall into place? I am not an idiot and have spent many years drawing rooms and devices in 2D and 3D without any trouble. But getting a simple shape together in Autocad seems to be a chore.
    Can I choose a cylinder object from a menu and then just enter the dimensions? Can this also be done for other shapes like boxes and rectangles? These were the good points about Floorplan3D. I could simply choose an object like a wall and drag it onto the drawing.
    Melanie Stone
    @MistresDorkness

    Archibus, FMS/FMInteract and AutoCAD Expert (I use BricsCAD, Revit, Tandem, and Planon, too)
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    not all those who wander are lost

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    I could stop if I wanted to tyshofner's Avatar
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    Default Re: AutoCAD LT - Drawing 3D Shapes

    Are you trying to do this in 3D? If so, there are no 3D capabilities in AutoCAD LT, (about all it can do is "open" and "look" at 3D models) you would have to move to at least the full version if you are wanting to create 3D objects.

    Ty

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    Default Re: AutoCAD LT - Drawing 3D Shapes

    Well, I guess I do not need to do it in 3D. But that still leaves me with how to get started.

    Attached is a zipped Microsoft Powerpoint document that shows what I am attempting to accomplish.
    Attached Files Attached Files

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    Default Re: AutoCAD LT - Drawing 3D Shapes

    All I see are bunch of lines, arcs, and circles, and those are all easy enough. As far as the thicker lines, just change the lineweight.

    ~scratches head~

    So, the question was what - how to draw the stuff? Line command, arc command, circle command, probably some polylines for the circuiting...I'd start with the "help" menu.
    I drink coffee for your protection.

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    The Silent Type Mike.Perry's Avatar
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    Default Re: AutoCAD LT - Drawing 3D Shapes

    Quote Originally Posted by rfuller.85902
    Well, I guess I do not need to do it in 3D. But that still leaves me with how to get started.
    Hi

    Have you tried the forum search facility?

    If no, try giving that ago, should turn up lots of useful information on getting started with AutoCAD / AutoCAD LT.... below are a few threads to get you going in the right direction -

    Looking for drawing assignments....

    model-layout

    AutoCAD Training

    Have a good one, Mike

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    Default Re: AutoCAD LT - Drawing 3D Shapes

    i'm not sure about the autocad LT not being able to draw in 3d, but you can get decent 3d wireframe objects. if you want a cylinder or cube (basic things) its quite simple to do.

    all you gotta do is add thickness to the object. so lets say your looking from the top view and you have a 2" conduit coming from the ground. then you draw a circle with 2" diameter. then in the properties you change the thickness to whatever length the conduit runs.
    the hard thing is positioning some of the obects and dealing with complicated shapes.

    its not too bad though still. i use it quite a bit and its not the greatest but its not bad. you can change the views and all that, default is top view, and even check out the drawing in iso view.

    hope this helps you out.

    Shawn.

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    Talking Re: AutoCAD LT - Drawing 3D Shapes

    You need to rotate your UCS, to do this type in UCS (enter), it will ask you which axis you'd like to rotate it on (default is Y), use the "rule of thumb" imagine yourself gripping the UCS icon (thing in the bottom left hand part of the screen) with your hand, around an axis and twisting it towards yourself to get the cursor onto the correct drawing plane. After you select an axis it will ask you how many degree you'd like to rotate it (default is 90). mess with it until you get the cursor onto the correct drawing plane, then draw your circle, then draw another circle at the other "end" of where your pipe will be, connect the quadrants of the circle to one another with lines, and there you have it. A cylinder @ 2" inches or whatever dimension you'd like it to be. any other questions you can e-mail me at tony9502@hotmail.com

    Hope that made sense, and i hope you don't need any 90's or tee's, without true 3d your SOL.

    Tony

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    Default Re: AutoCAD LT - Drawing 3D Shapes

    oh... another thing you can do to draw in 3d is with isometric snap (DRAW menu, DRAFT SETTINGS, snap type & style). now this isnt in actual 3d, so changing view ports wont show the different faces.
    But this is an easy way to draw in 3d, i guess it just depends on how good you are at visualizing in 3d. use the F5 button to change the plane (x-y, y-z, x-z) your cursor will draw in. and if you wanna draw a circle type in ELLIPSE, ISOCIRCLE, then pick the centre point, and then type the diameter or radius.

    hope this helps you out.

    Shawn.

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