How would you give this drawing more depth

[netman]

Funnel with net and gradient 1.dwg

Does anyone have any TIPS for giving the second drawing more depth ( 3D appearance), using AC12 Lt.

Could anyone give this a deeper look, WITH a 3D program?

Have tried working with Infusion. Limited skills right now and no hatches like I need.

Thank you for any ideas.

[ReMark]

Maybe you should consider using SketchUp.

[netman]

I tried and tried but I just can not get it. The hatches are of fencing and I am just not getting the look i would like.
I might have to try it again though . I have one project that would look really nice if I could get just two or three 3D nets inserted in the PDF for a presentation.

Fusion has no hatches ( that I know of and no color).
I am very comfortable with the LT 2D but was wondeirng if there were any tricks someone else might have tried.

I was told by a long time European net maker that he used Solid Works, but come to find out, he was just drawing hardware parts..... not nets.

It may be that I have reached the limits of what 2D can deliver.

[netman]

Just a thought, but is there a way to import a 2D wire frame into Sketch Up and then extrude it ?

[ReMark]

Not in the free version that I am aware of.

Maybe it would have more depth if you could actually see through the net.

[netman]

Not in the free version that I am aware of.

Maybe it would have more depth if you could actually see through the net.

I tried that and it does work somewhat. the issue is that the hatch is the same the whole way through. Even if I reduce the size of the hatch, the meshes do not line up. I guess I am looing for something that the 2D just can not do.

I saw a drawing years back that had the meshes trailing off>>>> large>>>>> to small.... inferring that there was a distance. I can't explain it that well.

With that said, I downloaded SKetch Up and may have gotten something going.
How would save those .skp files in Sketch Up to use with AC files?

[stevsmith]

You could draw a Horizontal construction line from the centre of the circle.
Do a polar array of 5 items at 180 degrees using the centre point of the circle.
Trim outside the large circle and inside the smaller circle. This will give "projected depth" in 2D.

[StykFacE]

Have you considered moving up to full AutoCAD to start utilizing 3D? Is the license with a company? If so you could talk to them about upgrading as there are endless reasons and benefits to utilizing a full AutoCAD license vs AutoCAD LT.

[netman]

You could draw a Horizontal construction line from the centre of the circle.
Do a polar array of 5 items at 180 degrees using the centre point of the circle.
Trim outside the large circle and inside the smaller circle. This will give "projected depth" in 2D.

I am on this right now..... thank you.

[netman]

Have you considered moving up to full AutoCAD to start utilizing 3D? Is the license with a company? If so you could talk to them about upgrading as there are endless reasons and benefits to utilizing a full AutoCAD license vs AutoCAD LT.

I am the company. ha ha

Yes, i have cosndiered this and that is probably going to happen but not uintil next year. Our busy season ends shortly and the winters are tough.

I do expect to be in 3D MAX by 2014.