topic Re: New to autocad struggling with homework in AutoCAD Forum

New to autocad struggling with homework

michaelpscrivener — Sat, 08 Feb 2025 23:39:58 GMT

hi yall, first semester autocad student and new to everything about autocad. Really struggling even getting started as all of this class is online and I learn more in person and doing examples with someone. My current assignment is this and i'm struggling even getting started. How would you guys start something like this? I know its different for everyone.

thanks everyone

Re: New to autocad struggling with homework

paullimapa — Sun, 09 Feb 2025 04:19:59 GMT

Since you learn better in person, why did you enroll in a class on-line?

You should really enroll in an in person classroom.

Then you can ask the teacher questions directly and learn along side other students.

But to start off, the following items you need to know really is not necessarily involving AutoCAD:

1. Graphically speaking the exercise is made simple because the left half is exactly the same as the right half. So all you have to do is really draw half of the exercise and then you're done:

2. You'll need to know how to read the instructions already provided in this drawing:

a. The horizontal & vertical lines with arrows at both ends and a number in the middle represents how far apart an item is from another and this is typically called a Dimension. For example the outer most vertical Dimension on the right of the drawing shows number 158.75. This tells you how tall this item you are drawing needs to be.

b. An arrow pointing to a Circle with the following formatted text at the end: #X 0##.## tells you how many items there are in this drawing matching the same criteria and with the size of the Circle's Diameter.

So for example:

The 2X tells you that there are in this drawing a total of 2 Circles matching the following criteria:

The 060.33 (that's a zero before the number) tells you that the Diameter of this Circle is drawn at 60.33 units.

c. An arrow pointing to an Arc with the following formatted text at the end: #X R##.## tells you how many items there are in this drawing matching the same criteria with the size of the Arc's Radius.

So for example:

The 4X tells you that there are in this drawing a total of 4 Arcs matching the following criteria:

The R15.87 tells you that the Radius of this Arc is drawn at 15.87 units.

Now you'll need to know some basic AutoCAD stuff. Since you're drawing on the computer, it's not like drawing on paper. You don't have to worry about running out of room. So you can start the drawing on the AutoCAD graphics screen any where. If you want to, you can use the Move command to move the drawn object elsewhere. If you change hour mind, you can use the Erase command to erase it. The key is to start.

Here are some additional basic beginning steps you should learn with AutoCAD:

1. When you start a new drawing and select Acad.dwt as the default template this should set your drawing units to match with the units used in this drawing Exercise. To check at the command prompt enter the following: UNITS

For now just make sure the upper left hand corner of the Units window matches this:

2. Use the Ribbon on AutoCAD to assist you in selecting the commands to help you draw:

a. A Circle using the Center point and then enter the Diameter:

b. An Arc using the Start point, End point and then enter the Radius:

In addition to AutoCAD drawing commands of Circle & Arc, you'll need to learn how to use the basic Line drawing command..

In addition you should learn how to use editing commands like Fillet, Move, Copy, Erase and Mirror.

I have not even started on TEXT, DIMENSION, LIST & DIST commands.

But hopefully this will get you started in the right direction.

Re: New to autocad struggling with homework

TheCADnoob — Sun, 09 Feb 2025 05:37:30 GMT

You are correct there are many ways to get this done, so the following probably is not the most efficient. Its often best to just build out all your construction lines so that you can make drafting easy. That said... i didn't do that in this exercise. (but not doing it first let to making mistakes along the way)

Some helpful things are using different layers and using your OSNAPS. You need to know how to use those.

Below is where you can find OSNAPS and an image of the OSNAPS i use.

It looks like you can take advantage of bilateral symmetry in this one. I drew a center line on a layer that isn't my main drawing. Then, I started drawing lines at full length and then moved them by the midpoint to a line that I will later use to mirror the whole object. (If you use point filters and some of the other overrides it could make that process easier, but I'm trying to show you a way you can start to work without knowing a whole lot.

Once i have the line at full length drawn I grab it by the mid point and move it.

Next I drew another line in the same manner.

Next I drew the vertical run

Then I mirrored the inner boundary geometry using that vertical run mid point. This part can get confusing if you use the wrong dimensions. (This is why its better to build construction lines first)

Next Ill begin working on some of the fillets. Here i prefer to use CIRCLES and the TRIM command for ease of seeing whats going on. Here I'm going to use the tan tan radius version of the circle command.

Begin Trim

Now ill use mirror to copy that part to the bottom.

Next I drew a line to indicate the distance that will be covered by the fillets. (ill be using circles here instead of the fillet command.

I drew the circles and then used the quadrant OSNAP to move them by their quadrants to the locations seen in the image.

Next i began the line command. In the line command i hold CTRL + RIGHT CLICK to bring up the snap override menu. Here i will draw my line tangent to both circles.

Now its back to the trimming

Now I created some more construction lines to help through the next few steps.

I drew some more construction lines to help.

For the next circle i didn't see the necessary dimensions so I used an estimation. I assumed that it would likely be between the who size of the circles so i used 6.35 since its between 3.17 and 9.52... Read you directions to make sure they didn't cover that dimension else where.

Then again.. there were no dimensions for that exterior radius. say so i just assumed the exterior circle would be twice the radius of the smaller circle. and moved on. Again look over your notes and the rubric for this to make sure they do not indicate what to do there.

Next i drew another circle and moved it using quadrants.

Then, I utilized the tangent between the circles line again.

Then some more trimming

I started filling in the other geomtery

You can get different line types from the line menu

If you need to change the line type after that can be done in the properties pallette as well. (CTRL + 1 , or right click on the items and select properties).

The i continued to add gemotery.

A helpful override to use is the from override. This allows you to move an item as though it was from another location. This helped me make short work of moving items around to the proper dimensions.

Next I made another assumption (third one so far by my count). I assumed that the distance of the small circle is the same as the one from the bigger circle at the top. I didn't see that dimension called out.. though i could have overlooked it.

I started back with some of the boundary work

I used the line command with the tangent overrides again

Ill use it again on the lower circles.

Go around trimming everything up. Notice I trimed everything up to the center symmetry line.

I turned off the construction line layer

Now just mirror,

I'll save all the annotations as an exercise for you.

Re: New to autocad struggling with homework

michaelpscrivener — Sun, 09 Feb 2025 21:16:58 GMT

thank you guys SO SO SO MUCH - this is above and beyond the help i expected. I should of clarified this course is only available online or I definitely would have taken it in person. again - you guys rock. thank you so much! i will get started right away.

Re: New to autocad struggling with homework

jskalaXDDX5 — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 12:34:50 GMT

How would you guys start something like this? I know its different for everyone.

I knew a graphics guy once who could make really beautiful perspective mechanical drawings with a triangle, ruler, pencil and felt tip pen. His approach was that one could draw anything accurately if one could put it in a box...I guess that's where I would start something like this, draw first a box that the part would fit in and then use offset to create and place the geometry...

As Cadnoob said, perhaps there are more instructions available somewhere that provide the information that is missing...if not, then...what would be the point?

first semester autocad student and new to everything about autocad.

So, about a month into an entry level class and this is the current assignment? With respect to you for asking here and respect for all the work that went into the help provided I am not sure the course you are taking will be worth much without a lot of extra work on your part. There are free tutorials on Youtube that I think might be better focused on building basic skills...maybe consider doing both?

Re: New to autocad struggling with homework

elso263 — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 22:25:14 GMT

Hi guys! I recently started doing AutoCAD for a tec design course and I'm really struggling. I would appreciate if anyone could provide step-by-step instructions or advice on how to go about this drawing.

Re: New to autocad struggling with homework

paullimapa — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 00:26:09 GMT

This is the kind of drawing where I would tackle it like how I would assemble a jigsaw puzzle.

I would first start with the outside boundary because the inside objects can be drawn anywhere and then moved inside the boundary afterwards.

So let me get you started with this:

I hope you know how to start a new blank drawing selecting a template file like acad.dwt which should give you the setup you need to enter the units of measurements and angles in degrees as shown in the drawing.

Since this is CAD, you can really start the drawing process anywhere.

But as I initially stated, I would start at a corner where the drawing shows most of the dimensions.

This would be at the upper right hand corner:

I've circled all the outside dimensions in red which you'll use to complete the outside boundary.

In addition you'll need a couple of inside dimensions in green as well as the angles in purple with the calculations based on how you would enter them in drawing a line.

So start the LINE command from anywhere on the graphic screen and with ORTHO toggled On (F8) just enter 150 and then ENTER (2x) to finish the LINE command.

Next start the OFFSET command and enter a distance of 35, select the LINE and select a point below the LINE & then press ENTER to complete the command.

Repeat the OFFSET command again and this time enter distance of 72 selecting the last LINE you drew and pick another point below that and then press ENTER to complete that command.

So now you should see 3 LINEs on the graphic screen:

Now to draw the 15 degree angle LINE from the upper right corner, start by using Object Snap End and select the end point of the top LINE on the right.

Then toggle ORTHO Off (F8) and then enter any distance like 100 and then hit the lesser than symbol on your keyboard "<" this tells AutoCAD you will enter an angle which in this case would be 180+15 = 195 and hit ENTER 2x to complete the command:

You've just learned how to draw an angled LINE.

Next I would draw the vertical LINE from the upper right corner down 35 units to meet with the end point of the 2nd LINE from the top.

Then OFFSET that vertical LINE 72 units to the left:

Now that you've got that 2nd vertical LINE to the left you can now draw the that down 15 degrees from the top LINE and this time the angle is 270+15=285:

Now enter the FILLET command to get rid of the excess the two angle LINES:

Now draw the far left vertical LINE connecting the top to the bottom LINE:

To get the lower left 45 degree angle LINE, use the CHAMFER command and enter the Distance for both as 28 units then finally select the far left vertical LINE and the bottom horizontal LINE to complete the 45 degree angle LINE segment:

You now should be able to use the same commands to complete the remaining outer boundary drawing.

Re: New to autocad struggling with homework

elso263 — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 01:29:25 GMT

Thank you! Much appreciated!

Re: New to autocad struggling with homework

paullimapa — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 01:39:45 GMT

you are welcome...cheers!!!