Auto CAD

[Stuckwldr]

Any of you here use auto cad? If so have you tried Al's steel mill? This program for CAD rocks. For example if you want to build a skid or something using 6X20 I beam you can bring it up looking from any view a 6X20 Ibeam or any other piece of steel. You can draw an end view of a 4" pipe or tubing and insert it into the end of the Ibeam. You can take measurements to get exactly what the cope needs to be, or even print out a life size pattern on paper. If you are putting a project together in your head and need to see if you will have enough clearance for a moving object, you can create a pivot point and see before you start wasting time and material just to find a big oops later. You can enter in floor elevations to set up a perfect set of stairs.

I love Cad and als steel mill even though I am pretty new to it. I would think it would be a must for fabricators.

[Carl26]

I use AutoCAD, but I have never heard of Al's Steel Mill. Sounds neat though.

[Stuckwldr]

Originally Posted by Carl26

I use AutoCAD, but I have never heard of Al's Steel Mill. Sounds neat though.

If you are a Cad user you will love it. It draws any size material you want. There are hundreds of shapes to choose from and if there is some very strange thing you need you can enter dimensions to get it. All you do is pick your stock ie. 4" sq tube. Then pick which 4" sq tube, lets say 3/16" wall. You then tell it which view you want top, end or side then enter the length in inches. You then hit ok and it puts it into your drawing and you can move it or edit as you wish. It has all the corners with the correct radius on them. I will see if I can find a link or I can get you a free copy.

Here is the most current copy I see on the CAD site. Follow the install directions and you should be good to go. If you have issues you can email me at N2narcdout@gmail.com Ill walk ya through it.

http://discussion.autodesk.com/servl...7520/STEEL.zip

[Carl26]

Is this an AutoCAD add on or is it an entirely different program?

[Stuckwldr]

It is an add on. You set it up like any lisp program. While you are in CAD you just type in STL (depending on how you set it up) and a new screen will come up asking you what steel you want ie-wshapes, Lshapes, Cshapes, round tube, Pipe, sq tube rect tube etc.

[Carl26]

Thanks. I downloaded it, but I have never set up a lisp program before. I may need a little help.

[Stuckwldr]

If you want you can email me and ill either call you or you can call me. I had to read the Cad for dumbies to learn how to set up lisp programs. Once its in there you are gonna stare at your screen and say MAN! WHERE HAS THIS BEEN ALL MY LIFE?

[Carl26]

I'll give it a try first. Thanks again!
Carl

[Carl26]

Ok, I finally got it to work. I haven't tried it out yet, but it looks pretty cool. There are all kinds of shapes to choose from!

[Stuckwldr]

Im impressed, I had to go buy a book LOL. When I asked people on the CAD forum they may as well have been speaking a foriegn language. Since I have got it working I build very few projects without it, it sure cuts down on manhours and scrap to have good drawings.

[backuproller]

i loaded the proggie, i type in STL and it says it's loaded in the command prompt but no window opens.

[Stuckwldr]

Originally Posted by backuproller

i loaded the proggie, i type in STL and it says it's loaded in the command prompt but no window opens.

Typing it once brings it up to where you can use it, try typing STL again to open the dialog if that doesnt work, Try typing this exactly parenthesis too (load"stl") . The way mine is set up I have to type (load"stl") the first time in a session, after that I just type stl. If you know how to do it you can make hot keys for your tool bar to bring it up.
You took the steel folder and put it in the autocad support then told Cad to look for it there correct?
If you dont know how to do that Email me and Ill walk you through it. N2narcdout@gmail.com

[Carl26]

Originally Posted by backuproller

i loaded the proggie, i type in STL and it says it's loaded in the command prompt but no window opens.

I had the same problem. Do this:

Once you extract the zipped files, put them in a folder. I kept the files in the folders (Tip1779, and Updated_Files) separate, but put both of those folders into a new folder called AutoLisp. If you try to put all of those files into one folder, it will ask if you want to overwrite some files. I wasn't sure thats why I kept them separate.

This part is important: In AutoCAD, go to Tools>Options. Select the Files tab. Select Support File Search Path. Press Add button. Press Browse button and search for the folder where you put your new files. Select that folder. Press OK.

In AutoCAD, go to Tools>AutoLisp>Load Application. Or Tools>Load Application. Look for your new folder (Mine was AutoLisp). In the Tip1779 folder, there is a file called stl.lsp. Load then close.

Now at the AutoCAD command prompt, type in "stl". A window should pop up with a bunch of shapes to choose from.

Good Luck!

[backuproller]

i got the app loaded, in the command prompt it tell me the program is loaded. but no window is opening up.

[Carl26]

The command prompt told me the same thing, but the program didn't open until I put that folder into the "Support File Search Path." Then it worked. If that doesn't fix it, then I'm not sure what's wrong.

[Stuckwldr]

That was the problem I had too. Backuproller if you need more help with it let me know. Its worth figuring out IMO.

[tanky321]

wow that makes things very easy, I use to draw all of them out, it took forever!!

I havnet been able to tell yet but does this allow you to make bends in pipe and etc?

[Stuckwldr]

Originally Posted by tanky321

wow that makes things very easy, I use to draw all of them out, it took forever!!

I havnet been able to tell yet but does this allow you to make bends in pipe and etc?

I dont know, I am pretty new to CAD. Please update me if you find out. I may wanna pick your brain

[backuproller]

amen, praise the lord i got it to work. this thing is great. thanks stuckie, this is really gonna save some time.

[Stuckwldr]

Originally Posted by backuproller

amen, praise the lord i got it to work. this thing is great. thanks stuckie, this is really gonna save some time.

Youre very welcome

[steve oickle]

where can i get a cad download(free of course)?

[enlpck]

3D modeller/cad: http://www.alibre.com/
'trial' version is free. Pretty good system.

[Snap-on]

Awsome little program that al's steel mill. I have made a couple of lisp's myself, but nothing like that. Thanks for putting me onto it guys!!

[FluxcoreFab]

I don't suppose this Al's steel mill would work with turbocad would it?
Just wondering.

[aczeller]

Originally Posted by steve oickle

where can i get a cad download(free of course)?

you can get AutoCAD for 30 days free... after that, hack up a couple limbs, a new house mortgage and your first born (~$4,000 for the program). it's a DARN good program, but unless you know how to use it, it's pointless. it's really easy to learn, but you need to take a class or get some really good OJT to use it to it's full potential. wen people ask me what it is, i tell them it's basically a $3,000 - $4,000 version of Microsoft Paint.

later,
Andy
P.S. you can get "cracks", "hacks", "patches", and/or "keygens" for them, but if you try it, you never heard it fom me. they are highly illegal as they are an infringement of the anti-piracy laws in the US. As for me, i jsut got mine from an old job. the guy bought it for me to do some work, then he never called me back. don't know why. won't return my calls or e-mails, and his secretary says he's never in the office. it's full-blown 2008 (~$4,000). i love it... especially becuase i got it for free. hehehehe