NEW, Open for some direction

[DontbesoCAD!]

Hi CAD forum!

 

I have just recently moved to Calgary Alberta. I'm looking to find work as a CAD entry drafter. I recently graduated from Dalhousie University with a degree in Chemical Engineering.

 

I've been job hunting just for the past few days, but have realized that CAD feels like something I could enjoy as a career but also a valuable tool for the many things I have in my head that I will eventually want to create. I've just started the basics but have plenty of hours to work on this while I also prepare for my eventual interviews.

 

What i'm asking from the experienced CAD enthusiasts and professionals are the following:

 

 

What are some things I should focus on with respect to 2D CAD drafting on this website (i.e specific tutorials which I have just started going through or important aspects. Currenty I'm going through Osnap functions. My next field will be layering.. what's your opinion on this?)

 

Any recommended readings specific to Drafting and Design?

 

My goal is to land a spot with Stantec a Canadian company which I am really eager to work for.

 

Thanks for the time, I welcome your advice.

 

Cheers,

Ryan Anderson

[Dadgad]

Welcome to the forum Ryan.

It sounds like you are very highly motivated and a self starter.

There is no reason why you couldn't very quickly become adept at cad with the help of the numerous

online resources, the tutorials offered on this site are very good.

Should you want to start with some more rudimentary lessons, which will

help you come to grips with the basics, http://www.we-r-here.com/cad/tutorials/index.htm#tutlist

is another good resource. Very well laid out series of entry level instruction.

The passion which you seem to feel and express in your post, will surely impress

those with whom you interview and for whom you hope to work.

Start with 2D for sure, but down the road I suspect you shall succumb to the desire

to take your work to new heights (3D).

INVENTOR offers the best of the 3D tools and direct modeling functionality from Autodesk.

Free student licenses are available to students with student email addresses, for virtually all of the Autodesk

software lineup.

[DontbesoCAD!]

Thanks for the input Dadgad,

 

I just had a long discussion with my sister regarding this endeavour. I believe that by becoming self-taught and fluent with this program independently would look impressive to future employers. Her arguement, is that going through technical courses will provide good connections with professors who are professionals within that field, and proper training.

My hesitation is, structured learning, which can be beneficial, but doesn't actualy teach me to teach myself... Just follow instructions. Also, the fact that AutoCAD I costs around 600.00 for the course and covers mainly up to overlay and 'making corrections'.

 

I do want to find a job, but I would like a CAD drafting entry position, which there seem to be a lot of. How practical is this endeavour given that I must compete with those who have a technical college diploma specializing in this field and I have a degree in Engineering with a basic course (which did not even cover layered techniques)?

 

Cheers,

 

Ryan

[Dadgad]

Is your concern then, that by taking the initiative to pursue an independent course of study,

that you would have an unfair advantage over those confined by class titles and descriptions?

 

I am not trying to demean professional instruction, there is much to recommend it.

For many, who lack the drive and curiosity, it may be the only choice.

Bad habits acquired early on become hard to break, and there is no

substitute for a thorough grasp of the basics, and fundamentals of

good technical drawing. A comprehensive well written book might well provide you with much more information

than you would likely learn even in a well run and taught class, and at your own pace.

You can always supplement that which you have already taught yourself with

a certificated course. In which case you would be way out in front of your

peers, and your professor would likely be well aware of, and impressed by that.

I taught myself how to use Autocad over a 10 day period, online, before

going to the essential Autocad instruction, one on one, for 2 days.

I would say that I knew about 80% of what was offered in the instruction

before getting into the class.

After which I was certified, but needless to say, there was, and always is,

especially if you are curious by nature, plenty more great stuff to learn.

Four years later I still love doing what I do, and learning how to do more.

I am happier booting up my machine in the morning than I am shutting it down.

You're going to do great, you like it? Enjoy the ride.

[DontbesoCAD!]

Thanks for the insight Dadgad!

 

I'm starting to apply for junior structrual drafters. I talked with people at my local employment office, they've been so kind to help me work on my Cover Letter and Resmue. I'm new to the whole 'professional carreer' as I've only had summer jobs and some construction gigs since I've been out of school. I will stick with self teaching, but look into the local technical college to eventually get the piece of paper. I would like to get a job sooner than later. A college diploma in CAD drafting will most likely help me in finding the job I would enjoy the most.

 

Cheers,

Ryan

[JD Mather]

....they've been so kind to help me work on my Cover Letter and Resmue.

Ryan

 

Maybe they should help here on the forum. Just kidding of course, everyone makes typos now and then.

[DontbesoCAD!]

 

Heheh, well as long as those errors on my resume, I think I'll get by

[Dana W]

 

Heheh, well as long as those errors

are not

on my resume, I think I'll get by

:lol:We got yer back, ey.

 

Top ten AutoCad Rules.

1. filedia =1, pickfirst = 1, pickadd =1.
   
2. Draw EVERYTHING at full scale (1:1) in modelspace. Do your scaling to fit the paper in paperspace.
   
3. Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.
   
4. There is no such thing as a monitor that is too big.
   
5. Rock & Roll is here to stay.
   
6. In Windows control panel, Set your mouse wheel (middle button) to "middle button" or, if there is no middle button selection, set it to "other", then set it to "middle button" in the sub-set selections.
   
7. If the display looks funny, turn hardware acceleration on.
   
8. If the display looks funny, turn hardware acceleration off.
   
9. If your cursor moves jerky or slow, turn hardware acceleration on, or off, depending whether it is on or off.
   
10. For gosh sakes, get your thumb out of your pudding, and install the service pack now.
    

There are some more, but we're good for CAD 101.

Edited September 11, 2012 by Dana W
To complete a stillborn thought.

[Dadgad]

A few additions to Dana's list of cad rules to live by ....

 

Double click your mousewheel to ZOOM EXTENTS.

Forget about DRAWING LIMITS, they are holdovers from the past

Dynamic UCS and Dynamic input are good things

Quick Properties are greatly under rated, and under utilized

Snap Mode and Grid can also screw up your mouse movement

Express Tools rule

SYSVDLG can teach you plenty

Neatness, grammar and spelling all count

Enough is enough, don't clutter your drawings

[DontbesoCAD!]

Thanks for the tips guys. I will look into those pointers

You just saved me a bit of reading on the Drawing Limits (I briefly wentthrough it on this site), and the double click saves a lot of wheeling. I'vejust been familiarizing myself with the OSnap tools. I did a orthographicdrawing found on this website (http://www.cadtutor.net/tutorials/autocad/drawing-aids.php).The drawing can be found in the SNAP section under 'Command Sequence' andtitled "Orthographic Projection", if you're so inclined to readfurther....

My method of tackling this is as follows:

-Drew a rough sketch with arbitrary lengths

-Used the line command and typed in all the co-ordinates starting from 0,0 (I didthis so I could snap my two boxes onto the lines, as well as give snap pointsfor the two vertical lines located in the center of the piece)

 

Worked out the rise and run on my two angular lines (made one, then mirroredit)

After completing this drawing, I realized I could have just drawn half thepicture then mirrored it! Much quicker. Also, I would have saved some more time if Idiscovered this short-cut:

Command: LINE

Specify first point: (pick apoint in the lower half of the drawing area)

Specify next point or [undo]: @0,30 (a relative co-ordinate, 30 units above the firstpoint)

Specify next point or [undo]: (to end)

Knowing this, I would have typed out all the lines then snapped them together.Does that sound quicker to you guys, or would you have gone about it adifferent route?

Also, is there a way to create a temporary snap point which you can specifyalong a line? My gut is telling me there is (possibly polar tracking....), butI haven't gotten there in my readings yet.

Cheers.

 

 

So

[Dadgad]

You are going to have so much fun learning this program.

Do it right though, read everything you can, in order so you get

the foundation you will need for more advanced work.

 

There are so many different great ways to do anything in CAD.

Yes there is a temporary snap which you can call from the commandline with TT for temporary tracking point. I have circled it in red on the OSNAPS toolbar in the image.

There is another very helpful temporary snap option which is M2P (or MTP) which stands for middle of two points.

You should familiarize yourself with the OSNAP settings dialog box, and I would suggest you also review the other tabs

in the DRAFTING SETTINGS dialog box.

OSNAPS will save you an amazing amount of time and energy,

they will also help you to create incredibly accurate drawings on the fly.

 

The GRIPS are probably the other greatest timesavers in the program, as they enable modifications to be done with click and drag ease.

Edited September 11, 2012 by Dadgad