topic Re: Starting Out in Civil 3D Forum

Starting Out

ESchomberg — Thu, 24 Dec 2015 20:58:15 GMT

Dear Sirs, I hope this is not a dumb post. This is mostly for land surveyors and perhaps Engineers.

Many of you already know my stage of development through my posts. I have only been doing CAD for about 3 months. I can turn out small 2D surveys, and feel that I can now do a surface fairly well. I am still extremely slow, and continuously run into issues that I am not sure how to deal with. I probably still have a lot to learn. I have one paying client that is easy to work with, but just took on a second client that has stricter standards about his drawings(which I feel that I can learn).

I guess my question is: (I'm not looking for a pat on the back) At my present level of understanding could I be biting off more than I should be chewing at this time? Also is it normal to feel a little overwhelmed in the beginning?

At the same time I may not be giving myself enough credit for what I have accomplished in 3 months. And I feel that maybe just (diving in like I have) without a formal education is a necessary process to have to struggle through.

Any input or advice? Has everyone felt this way? Maybe I am just feeling a little insecure because I am not able "to crank out about 4 drawings a day" like many long term CAD users can.

Re: Starting Out

jmartt — Thu, 24 Dec 2015 21:37:52 GMT

The "four drawings per day" is a meaningless metric. It depends on size and complexity and so many other things. You could say a sheet per day, or a project a year or any other x per y's and they'd still be meaningless. Perhaps the only ratio that would make sense to apply to your concern is dollars per hour: If you're still getting it, continue to do it.

I feel it would be remiss not to make a statement here about qualifications, as you have brought it up. I've no idea your background, but you should keep in mind that surveying and engineering licenses are given out not for software proficiency. Just as you wouldn't have a guy who was really good with a knife but not a doctor performing surgery, so to you wouldn't have a non-licensed professional designing your public road or setting your property corners. Federal and local laws prohibit you doing these things without a stamp, so I'm sure you're not and, outside of that, again, keep doing it as long as someone is paying you, I'd say. But my point is this: Civil 3D and all CAD is basically a glorified calculator. A very elaborate, complicated, interesting and brilliantly-designed calculator, but not much more. Your decisions in regard to taking on more work should not rely on how quickly you're able to mash the calculator's buttons. Even if you're a draftsperson who is transcribing, from paper to CAD, designs or plats that you're receiving from engineers or surveyors, (I'm not sure that job actually exists, but...), you should still rely on your capacity for understanding the material and your proficiency with determining potential problems and evaluating design solutions over how fast you crank out drawings.

Also, check your inbox. I private messaged you about one of your earlier posts.

Re: Starting Out

Joe-Bouza — Thu, 24 Dec 2015 22:11:13 GMT

Dude! If you aren't feeling insecure our overwhelmed i would check your pulse. That's called living life; embrace it.

Bravo for having the testicular fortitude to go out on your own and get clients and work for yourself.

Take a big bite and stay hungry

Re: Starting Out

ESchomberg — Thu, 24 Dec 2015 22:12:38 GMT

OK thank you sir for that encouragement. Yes I am aware that a surveyor needs a license. I have been a surveyor for 30 yrs and almost took the test years ago before a degree was necessary. I am just interested in getting out of the field and eventually working from home subing out drawings.

Re: Starting Out

Joe-Bouza — Thu, 24 Dec 2015 22:12:50 GMT

Oh by the way if your bite leaves crumbs there is a little thing called hiring help or sub consultants

Re: Starting Out

ESchomberg — Thu, 24 Dec 2015 22:14:43 GMT

OK, Joe, thank you. I was hoping for some encouragement I suppose.

Re: Starting Out

caddie99 — Sat, 26 Dec 2015 00:59:54 GMT

Save this Post.....

keep plugging away and dont give up

In a few years YOU will be helping others on this forum and can look back at y our post with a lot of satisfaction

c3d is a powerfull and tough to learn at first, everyone has problems

because its a good program it worth it

I'm a 40 year surveyor, cad since 1990 and my first few weeks with c3d in 2008 I could only get about 30% of my topo drawings done before I had

to 'explode all' several times and go on with simple cad drafting to finish the map.

Now I can 'crank' out great maps all day long

ps..if your doing surveying get sincpac, it pays for it self very quickly,

Re: Starting Out

ESchomberg — Sat, 26 Dec 2015 01:42:00 GMT

Well thank you for the encouragement. May I ask what is sinctac?????And what does it do??

Re: Starting Out

Pointdump — Sat, 26 Dec 2015 09:25:32 GMT

Erik,

Sincpac is an add-on for Civil 3D. It has TONS of useful tools for making Survey Drawings easier:
http://www.quuxsoft.com/SincpacC3D.aspx

Dave

Re: Starting Out

neilyj666 — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 10:46:49 GMT

I would also recommend the Mastering Civil 3D 20?? that is relevant to your version as well as the many Autodesk University classes that are freely available.

Continue to post here as well as most problems are solved pretty quickly in my experience (apart from software bugs some of which are still around after several years ....;))

Re: Starting Out

doni49 — Tue, 29 Dec 2015 15:28:13 GMT

@neilyj666 wrote:

I would also recommend the Mastering Civil 3D 20?? that is relevant to your version as well as the many Autodesk University classes that are freely available.

Continue to post here as well as most problems are solved pretty quickly in my experience (apart from software bugs some of which are still around after several years ....;))

I will second that. That's exactly how I started out with C3D. Although I had previous acad experience (lots of it), I had never touched C3D. I started a new job that required I use it. So I started watching AU videos and reading every C3D blog I could find. That combined with following this forum was a huge help to me.

Even when I didn't have a specific question to ask, I'd spend quite a bit of time just reading the questions other people asked and the answers they recieved. That was in and of itself very educational.

Re: Starting Out

tcorey — Tue, 29 Dec 2015 15:42:43 GMT

@ESchomberg wrote:

... and continuously run into issues that I am not sure how to deal with....

A great way to network and to learn at the same time is to attend a local AutoCAD User Group meeting. Better yet, see if there is a Civil 3D user group in your area. At user group meetings, you will find people who are eager to help you. As much as you can learn by searching online, it's often easier to work through your list of issues with a live person. Don't be afraid to bring a thumb drive...

Tim