Any CAD programs out there for this

[Filthymutt]

Hi All, I was wondering if there were any CAD programs out there for designing and building brick things, etc. that might be useful?
Anybody come across such?

I thought I'd seen reference to someone using a CAD program but when I did a search of the threads nothing came up.

Bob

[brickie in oz]

Sketchup by google is kind of ok for the price, free.

[Les]

I bought a copy of Autosketch 9 on Ebay for $20.00. I didn't use it for my build but for the price, its not bad. It's a dumbed down version of Autocad.

[Filthymutt]

Thanks to you both, I will look into them promptly.

[jcg31]

Look into Blender (Blender.org) , Free with a tremendous user community. Not the typical use (this is a 3d modeling and animation program), but for the purpose of this project can do what Most CAD programs would provide with the added advantage of photo realistic rendering of your vision. Great for trying different enclosures, facades and roof treatments before executing Can sync with photos and video to place the rendering in an existing scene if you need to convince the wife that it won't be a blight in the back yard.

Jim

[Filthymutt]

Great, I will take a look.
The wife is fully supportive of this little project already thanks. Probably just so it will keep me busy and out of her way!
Great Avatar you've got there by the way

[Filthymutt]

Jim, That OvenCam is GREAT!!! And I really like the arch, fantastic. How long did it take start to finish?
Was the Cam something you did with the Blender program too?

[jcg31]

Thanks FM,
Yeah my wife started that way too until my fourth adjustment to project cost. She loves it now though.

I had to look up posts to remember how long. The base and dome took 10 weeks (base 2 dome&vent 8). Probably a tad longer than most, but I was dealing with Wisconsin weather in November and December. The enclosure took much much longer (once the dome is done cooking becomes a huge distraction). In fact is still is a work in progress.

Here was the post I made on the arch which I believe was the same week I started the brickwork. I used either blender or 3d studio max for the illustrations
http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f6/f...lled-2752.html (Flaired arch (or whatever it is called))
but this serves as a good example as to why I preferred a 3d modeling program over CAD, it helped me understand the challenges of the cuts before I made them. and, of course, once created you can turn and view your model from any angle which was invaluable to me.

Here is the post for the placing of the keystone six weeks later
http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f8/k...-day-3009.html (Keystone Day)
I signed (etched) the bottom of the keystone which you can see in the virtual tour (ovenCam) if you zoom in when looking at the top of the dome.

And here was the completion of the vent http://www.fornobravo.com/forum/f8/v...shed-3050.html (Vent finished)

The "Cam" was accomplished by shooting a spherical panorama using a 8mm lens (plenty of howtos out there on the web on the subject) and then I created the player using Adobe Flash.

I have a 2 year later version of the panorama that I will incorporate into the player at some point, a before and after sort of thing, so people stop fretting over their cracks.

Good luck with the Build, and to my earlier point, when your dome cracks during curing don't lose a moment's sleep, they all do and it makes absolutely no difference.


Jim

[Filthymutt]

Extremely interesting, I think I will do the same with mine. I really liked the flared opening.
The Cam thing would be great too to record the process of the build itself. Just not sure if I have the patience to keep stopping for photo taking. We shall see
Downloaded the Blender program already. Slight hiccup when I went to Blender.com instead of Blender.org but found the right one eventually. Pays to pay attention when someone gives you directions I guess
Thanks,
Bob

[jcg31]

One thing on the flared opening. If I had it to do over again I would either lengthen the distance between dome and flare by six inches (identified as "oven door to edge of arch" in the illustration) or increase that dimension by 3" and the the depth of the flue by 2" (4.5" in the illustration). On a windy day the draw is affected and I blame the flare for that.

Jim