knife design

K

Keith Willis

Joined
Oct 24, 2007
Messages
812
Could someone tell me of a program that i could use to design and draw knife patterns on the my computer.I'm not looking for nothing real expensive,just something simple.Any help would be appricated.

Thanks,Keith
 
I use a Autodesk product called Turbocad, it will produce real cadd drawings and is easy to use. You may want to look at the difference between cadd and graphic programs
 
Im not saying that you should get a crack copy of autodesk, but some people do...
 
I have autoCAD, turboCAD, photoshop, and corel and I have to say I much prefer turboCAD for designing knives. The splines seem to be much easier to tweak than they are in autoCAD.
 
I'm a graphics guy and I use Adobe Illustrator. You can work in color to make a pretty good representation of the knife and also export for CAD. The software is not really cheap, but it is not bad if you need the entire Creative Suite like I did. I got CS3 (Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Flash, InDesign, Illustrator, and Acrobat Pro) for $585 on my wife's student discount.
Here's a recent sketch.
classknife.jpg
 
I'll second Adobe Illustrator. The intuitive spline tools help you capture your design easily and help you tweak it until it is sleek and refined. And you can go from AI to CAD to waterjet very easily.
 
pen and paper. then try the design out on wood and see how it feals in the hand.
 
In a recent woodworking magazine a guy did a review of Google Sketchup. He liked it. I've only just started using it, but its pretty good. And, its FREE!!! Or, at least there is a fully functioning free version.

http://sketchup.google.com/
 
Although not cheap, I use Photoshop for most of my design drafts. If you learn to use the layers and paths you can do some pretty neat design work.

If I have a pattern that I want to keep with exact dimensions and 3D views from all angles I will use a CAD program.
 
You could draft a knife on just about any program. some are easier to use of course and some are cheaper/easier to get. I mean i found a full version of mastercam X which i "payed" basicaly nothing for by nothing i i mean nothing,
autocad is easy to get too im sure.
 
Larry Hensley said:
Im gonna try this one I always love a free program....
Click to expand...

I tried Google Sketchup a while back and it's pretty neat. I haven't used it for knives at all though. I would suggest running through some of the tutorials before using it. If I remember correctly you have to download them.
 
Add another vote for Sketchup. I haven't used it for knives specifically, but for lots of other things. I have several CAD programs but when I need to draw something, Sketchup gets you drawing fast and easy. There are some great video interaxtive tutorials, plus and awesome forum. It's a lot like this one. Lots of really helpful people involved. And all this for FREE! One of the best deals in computing. Plus, once you get the hang of it, you'll use it for all sorts of things. Want to know how to layout your shop to best make use of available fllor plan? Just draw the floor, then make blocks of the correct size to represent the foot print of large machines, benches and cabinets. Then move them around. Do it in 3-d if you have extra time. Wife been after you to make a shelf for that wall over there? SKetch one up. Even of you don't get around to building it, you can show her the sketch and prove you're working on it. "I'll get to it as soon as I'm done tweaking the design babe!"
 
I don't really see the need to spend a bunch of time on a computer drawing when I could be working with steel making something that will cut. Practice makes perfect.
 
Fiddleback said:
In a recent woodworking magazine a guy did a review of Google Sketchup. He liked it. I've only just started using it, but its pretty good. And, its FREE!!! Or, at least there is a fully functioning free version.

http://sketchup.google.com/
Click to expand...

Hey Fiddleback,

Great app, I installed it and within 10 minutes had a simple knife drawn out, and I have no CAD experience.

Thanks.
 
I'm a big fan of paper, pencil, french curves and a BIG eraser. I have a couple of legal pads full of drawings and a large sketchbook that's getting full. True, I could be in the shop whomping away at steel but I feel unguided action is wasted action.
 
Steve Hayden said:
I don't really see the need to spend a bunch of time on a computer drawing when I could be working with steel making something that will cut. Practice makes perfect.
Click to expand...

Said the man with darn near 4000 posts on a computer forum...

(sorry, just kiding, couldn't resist.)
 
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