Topic: Grants mower: Now made in 3D.

[mowinmachine]

My job wanted me to learn 3D modeling for an upcoming project. I know nothing about 3D programs or how to build things in them. So I had to teach myself in one week. What was my first model? My racing mower of course. So here's my very first 3D model, which is a replica of my actual racing mower. It is slightly crude,as I still have lots to learn.

[Rooster]

What software are you using?

[mowinmachine]

Its called Swish 3D, which is an inexpensive 3D program that can also export to Flash. I'm using a trial version of it. I sort of wish I had known how to do this sooner because I can see how it would be useful for mocking up builds before actually making them.

[Dylan]

theres also another program.. im not sur ethe name of it.. but you can build ANYTHING you want.. and animate it.. and it will show you where the stress point are.. what works, what dosent.. ect

[300xdeere]

Auto cad or Auto cad inventor can do both, select your material, library' s of nuts bolts etc.
As for drawing 3D in such programes it proves to ne much harder then a 3D anamation program.
Auto cad is also extremely presicise and can be exported into a Cad cam program. Ive been using auto cad for going on 3 years and from what ive learnt it canot be self tought. You need some one with knowledge to lernt it good. Especialy when it comes to 3D modeling and maping an object to run it through motions.
By the way cool looking drawing, must have taken you that whole week Maybe i will draw a mower some time...

[TheMowinCuban]

I've found that another program called VectorWorks is best for me. it is very simple and user friendly, and supports thousands of plugins and can do nearly everything that autocad can do and more. it is the program that i learned CAD on and what i use in school everyday.

[Rooster]

Well thats a prett good model, especilly for a first try and inexpensive software.
At work we have Solidworks, around $10,000 a seat, and ESPRIT cad cam at around $15,000 per.
For personal use, you guys should really look at the stuff I have been messing with called Alibre.
You can download it for a full version 30 day trial for free. And it CAN be self taught, with the help on their forum and tutorials.
After the 30 days the "light" version is still free, or , get this....if you want this $15,000 professional software for personal use only....$500!!!
LOL, I'm prolly sounding like a sales man about now, but I'm not, just this has gotta to be the best deal in software in the industry!
Try it, the free version is better than Autocad.

[Dylan]

thats what it was.. solid works!!

[Wheelhorseracer]

That looks cool....  can you animate these drawings?

[mowinmachine]

You can animate it, but since I have the trial version, I can't actually export the animated movie. Roosterlew, Is the Solidworks a autocad system or a studio system? I need one where I can eventually draw organic shapes and perhaps animated cartoons. I was looking at Cinema 4D, which is the software used in making the Lion, witch, and the Wardrobe and Monster House. It is around $2,000, which is probably more than what we want to spend.

 Swish is difficult to use because it is almost impossible to align the parts accurately. It also acts real squirrelly on the PC.Trying to select and group objects is a pain in the rear. But for $250, you can't hardly beat the price. I think it was designed for Flash designers like me, because we Flash guys tend to think alike in the way that we work. With this program, you can export 3D into flash and it will turn all the pieces into vectors that you can edit in flash, which is pretty durn cool.

 Anyhow, I'll check out Solidworks and see what that's all about. Thanks!

[Rooster]

Solid works is a High end CAD system,actually  parametric modeling,  not really made for animation.
And you won't touch it for $2000. The only "animating" you can do is if you have an assembly of parts that move, like gears, or a clutch arm, you can make it move. It is grea for designing mowers, but not for cartoons and stuff.

All the software I listed is CAD stuff, made for draftsmen and engineers. I don't think that it's what your looking for.

For the rest of us, who wan to design mowers, download the Alibre fre trial.

[mowinmachine]

Well, I sure appreciate that tips. Thanks!

[THawley08]

Yeah my ex girlfriend's step-dad had to buy his own SolidWorks 2008 nice 15,000 loan....

[mowinmachine]

Man, I thought Adobe Suite 3, which has Flash, Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Fireworks, and Bridge was expensive at $1,200. $15,000?! That's a lot of dough! Course I remember back a looooong time ago when I was in school ( 1995), the community college I went to owned one SGI computer, which was smokin' fast for its time ( 133MGHZ) and $30,000, and a copy of Softimage, an early 3D program that cost around $20,000. 50k for ONE computer with a basic 3D program!

[Rooster]

If your an engineering student, or school you can get Pro-E or Solidworks really cheap, but it is not licensed for commerecial use. Most software does that now, people are more likely to buy high end software they already knoe is good.