Program To Help Design Go Karts

[d311_5uxor]

yiu can g=download Google Sketchup from Google's site, its a great computer program for designing well... anything. its easy to learn and use, and even better, if you need to make kart plans for other people to use, just draw it out, you can make a 3d model of the kart!
examples:
http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=226ccedcedb5f52ab261b4d9f22b15bb&ct=mdsa

http://sketchup.google.com

[kibble]

Dude, nice! I'm dling it right now. I tried to get into other 3D animation programs before like 3DS and Carrara but I kinda gave up :surrender: I'll give this a shot just to make drawings and stuff.

[d311_5uxor]

if you get confused, the program comes with an animated tutorial to get you started
i would suggest doing the tutorial before trying the program to get a feel for how to use it

i used to use the program to layout custom computer cases and suspension plans for my jeep

[kibble]

Yeah, I tried it right after I finished Dling it and I tried to make a sphere the way they showed how to and I ended up with a donut. :confused:

The program keeps flickering on me when it's running though. I don't know why.

[ironman]

good program this is good for alot of people who cannot draw .like how you can measure things

[ed1380]

you could try getting solidworks student edition. like $100 but comes with everything the expensive one comes with. minus the 5-7k price tag

[d311_5uxor]

$100? who has $100 for a program?
i dont know about you, but im broke and the google sketchup is free :ninja:

[kibble]

Did you draw those that you linked to?

[d311_5uxor]

haha i wish, i drew one in 2d just so i could print the top view of the frame and draw on it

[kibble]

Oh, I was gonna say you did good on those, but nevermind. :D
LOL, JK

[zenki86]

downloading right now, I'm going to give this program a try and see how it is? thanks for the link d311_5uxor :thumbsup:

[d311_5uxor]

may take a minute to get used to the controls, but youll find it to be easy

tutorials:
from google...
http://sketchup.google.com/tutorials.html
youtube...
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=google+sketchup+tutorial&search_type=

[kibble]

The program seems ok and easy to use, but I have a really crappy problem on mine. For some reason, when I click on something, a square area on the screen shifts and gets distorted so I have no idea where I'm dragging. Apparently, there's not much in the way of video options cuz I tried looking there to try to fix it.

[time2bleed]

tell me what program you need and I might be able to get it for u. is it the "solidworks: Student edition"?

[ed1380]

solidworks has a steep learning curve, but once you get it. its awesome

[AutoMX]

yea it's quite steep, ive used rhino and sketchup (im using it for my trike) on a non professional level and i use softimage xsi and maya and 3d studio max for my job but i quickly gave up on solidworks from lack of time and a flood of functions i didnt care to learn lol

for hobby mechanical design:
sketchup
rhino

pro CAD/CAM:
rhino
solidworks
autocad
inventor
(and a million more)

NOT for designing, but good for animation (to show how something works):
3d studio max
softimage xsi
maya
(and again a million others, blender 3d is free but its kinda steep learn)

i think for the money sketchup is king. rhino gives u i think 30 or 45 days demo. or you could get any of those not-so-legally but thats not something that belongs on these forums :ack2: