How do I draw this?

http://i45.tinypic.com/2nrexio.gif

looks easy enough. first i'd start off with drawing with multiple viewports use the vports command and set it up to four equal and setup as 3d. you can adapt your ucs through the views to draw in the projection that you want and switch from the varying vports to put the objects in place

Is this something you do in 2d mode of autocad? Do I use the 3d orbit command?

Would you happen to know of a good tutorial online?

The image can be drawn in 2D using the isometric settings. It can also be drawn in 3D which would probably be easier.

Which do you prefer?

I guess 3d since its easier, what would be the downside?

The downside is you would have to learn something new like reorienting the UCS.

Really, I don't see much of a downside. A 2D isometric can be pretty limited compared to a 3D drawing in that you can't view it from multiple locations be they top, bottom, one of the four standard isometric angles or any other position for that matter.

I'll try and provide more detail on what I'm trying to do.

I'm currently training to be the cad drawer for my brothers caststone company. Basically I will be starting each jobs drawing with the overview plan like this:

This will allow me to plan all the piece dimensions which I will draw next like this:

I was thinking to make the piece drawings I would only have to draw the isometric view(and they will all look like that, no special views, just a left or right view) which will give me the side length views and section views as seen to the left of and below the isometric piece.

The next step is where I am hazy on. I was hoping to turn the isometric pieces into blocks and then put them back into the overlay plan view and then use 3d orbit to give me a view like this:

That's basically the extent of what I need to be able to produce 3d wise. Is this method going to work? Is it efficient? Can it be done with basic 2d isometric acad?

Thanks.

Once you have selected an isometric view in 2D and start drawing you've basically locked yourself into that one view without drawing a second one. Imagine you have blocks in a location not easily viewed in your 2D isometric. Now what do you do?

The profile of the block depicted in your isometric view above could be extruded to form a 3D solid. This solid object, in 3D, could be viewed from the top, bottom, left and right sides, and any one of the four default isometric views (NE, NW, SE and SW). Can't do that with a 2D isometric can you? Sections can also be cut as well. Even sections with jogs in them can be created using the Sectionview command.

With 3D the possibilities are endless.

Is this something you do in 2d mode of autocad? Do I use the 3d orbit command?

 

Would you happen to know of a good tutorial online?

Try this 3D tutorial http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/course/48-568/PDFs/3D_AutoCAD_2009.pdf

**Note** You can save this *.pdf for reference.

Or this well done 2D tutorial http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/course/48-568/2DVideosWEB_files/frame.htm