Good free app for designing wood items?

[Red Squirrel]

I usually use autocad, but I'm wondering if there is a program specificly for designing things made of wood (2x4, plywood etc). In Autocad I just make the pieces manually but it can get tedious for complex items, wondering if there's a program out there that will let me virtually "build" something with standard lumber sizes.

 

[radhak]

I usually use autocad, but I'm wondering if there is a program specificly for designing things made of wood (2x4, plywood etc). In Autocad I just make the pieces manually but it can get tedious for complex items, wondering if there's a program out there that will let me virtually "build" something with standard lumber sizes.

Sketchup. Amazing capabilities.

Check out http://sketchupforwoodworkers.com/ and many other online resources.

 

[ringtail]

Sketchup. Amazing capabilities.

Check out http://sketchupforwoodworkers.com/ and many other online resources.

radhak,

I'm really glad to learn about sketchupforwoodworkers.com.
Thanks man!

 

[blurredvision]

Sketchup. Amazing capabilities.

Check out http://sketchupforwoodworkers.com/ and many other online resources.

Came in this thread to say exactly this.

/thread

 

[jhansman]

Awesome. I just was beginning to to draw up plans for a workbench. Think I'll see if I can do it with this tool. Thanks!

 

[Red Squirrel]

Hmm I always had the impression Sketchup was online only, and I want something local, but looking at it again, it seems it IS local. I will give that a try.

 

[LokutusofBorg]

Got some pics in this thread of what I was using Sketchup for:

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2211605

 

[Qvak]

I know this question is a bit ripe but I just ran across it in a search and it looks like you pretty much live here

cratepro.com designs wooden shipping crates. Not a drawing program though but that's because there's a lot of details that it handles, and drawing crates along with the controls is quite a challenge.

I don't know if it's what you had in mind but it does work with wood materials and considers all the unique aspects of the materials rather than just looking at the materials as sheets of 'stuff' and long pieces of 'things'