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CAD programs with the home woodworker in mind.Prices of CAD program now range anywhere from free to thousands of dollars. The more options that are available in these programs the more it is going to cost you and the larger the learning curve usually tends to be. Many of these higher priced options are not necessary to the home woodworker. For that reason, I don’t want list all the different programs on the market. When I looked at what other sites on the web suggested I found huge lists of different software and was immediately confused on which would be the best CAD program to choose from. So I started looking for trends on these sites and woodworking forums. Which programs did other woodworkers suggest? What software names did I see repeatedly? Were they affordable? Did they offer different programs for different skill levels? Do they offer a free trial? One software designer stood out from the rest: IMSI Design IMSI Design is the global leader in retail CAD software. They offer many different programs for different levels of user at a reasonable price. There are also various add-ons and plug-in to get more options for your software if the need arises. Before you decide to purchase you can take a free trial of the product you are interested in to make sure it is the right on for you. Of the ones listed the most popular among home woodworkers is DesignCAD 3D. Read about all of them below. Instant Woodworking DesignInstant Woodworking Design is a CAD program for the rank newbie in using CAD. No experience required is what is claimed by the information on the website. Essentially what is does is give you the option to choose from 10 different projects and allows you to alter the dimensions of each project. When you are done it generates a material list and gives you step-by-step instructions on how to build your project.This software is very limited in its options and the only reason I mention it is to give someone with no experience on CAD software a simple way to get started. This will give you a feel for some of the most basic CAD options and symbols. The software sells for $29.95 on the IMSI website but after some research I have found it for free. Get
Instant Woodworking Design
and other popular titles for free here. DesignCADOf the programs listed DesignCAD will fit the needs of most home wood shops. With plenty of options available this program is great for beginners and experienced CAD designers. There are two different versions available, DesignCAD v18 and DesignCAD 3D Max v18. Either can be purchased for under $100. This is a great bang for your buck. Use it with cutting optimization software and export your design for the most efficient use of your materials.Be sure to make use of the free trial before you decide.
TurboCADWant to get a CAD program with all the bells and whistles, check out the TurboCAD series. This is IMSI’s full-featured CAD software. There multiple versions available with different features that are probable more than is need for most home woodworkers. This software has multiple add-ons, plug-ins and training options also available through there website.If you have CAD experience (this program has the highest learning curve), the need for all the options available, and can handle the $1,495 price tag (this is the price for most versions although some are cheaper. Turbo CAD deluxe is listed at only $149.95) then by all means go for it. Be sure to make use of the free trial before you decide. $300 OFF TurboCAD Professional v14 with coupon code TCADpro14 - Expires January 31st, 2008
Other IMSI SoftwareThere are other programs besides these listed on this page including there popular TurboFLOORPLAN series.Visit IMSI for a wide selection of award-winning precision design, graphics and utilities software at great prices!
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