Inserting blocks into isometric views

[canalej]

Hi!

I use Autocad LT 2006.

Typically, my drawings are 3rd angle orthographic projection, with front, side and top views. Occasionally, I like to add a isometric view of an assembly. For instance, like a slope topped case with digital panel meters on the sloped surface. I'm not very accustomed to doing isometric views, and find it difficult to calculate the distances of the angled lines.

I also create and save a lot of blocks. How do I take one of these and drop it onto the sloped surface as depicted in the isometric? Rectangles would have to become parallelograms. Must I create an isometric view of the block from scratch. Seems as if there must be some mechanism to do the conversion to an isometric view.

Thanks for listening.

JC Edited by: canalej on Oct 22, 2009 1:10 PM

[Anonymous]

Start Help>Index tab, type ISOMETRIC and explore topics on offer. Post back
if you are still stuck.

--
Dean Saadallah
http://LTisACAD.blogspot.com
--

[Anonymous]

One other possibility is to draw it in 3D

[Anonymous]

LT can do wireframe 3D and a pseudo surface 3D (by giving a closed polyline a thickness)...

[Anonymous]

HELP>Index tab>type ISOMETRIC and explore the topics, see if that is what
you seek in guidance.

--
Dean Saadallah
http://LTisACAD.blogspot.com
--

[canalej]

Sir:

I searched the topic thoroughly before I posted. Autocad LT does not have wireframe 3D.

[Anonymous]

I beg to differ. Back when all I had was LT, I drew a complete trailer frame right down to hitch, ball, wheels, tires and brakes, in 3D. It was primarily in the pseudo 3D I had referred to, but for the wheels and tires I inserted a legitimate 3D object and exploded it to a series of 3D surfaces, which I then copied and grip-edited to the correct shapes and then used polar array to copy in a circle. I was then able to set up numerous views in LT, including a perspective view.

Autodesk will not tell you that LT can draw any 3D, but LT has to be able to open everything regular AutoCAD can draw. If you have LT you can hit F1 and research there. What it won't do is draw surfaces and solids, but as stated before it will draw wireframe and a pseudo 3D by thickening a closed polyline. And it will display all 3D objects drawn in the full version. And you can expoded and manipulate surfaces so you can "build" a surface model (not recommended).

Furthermore, look into Inventor LT for a low cost 3D program. Until January, autodesk is bundling it with AutoCAD LT for as little as $895 US...

[canalej]

Thank you for your answer Dean.

I was hoping there was a simple way to move a 2D block into an isometric assembly without manually drawing a new isometric view of the block. I have a great deal of problems working with the isometric grid, figuring out distances of lines, location of features, shapes of cutouts, etc. Wish I could find a video tutorial on it.

I have no experience with 3D wireframes or solids. I can see how LT would allow you to build a 3D wireframe by creating objects in each plane with a thickened polyline, but the isometric would still have to be viewed in 3D space. In fact, I just created a simple object. However I could not copy and paste the isometric view from 3D space into my 2D drawing. Is there a way to do this?

[Anonymous]

Should you wish to explore 3D further, the simplest answer would be to create 4 viewports of a 3D model -- the 3 standard ortho views (top, front and side) and an isometric view. View --> 3D Views --> Top (etc). Not sure how to get to them from the ribbon yet. But pursuing this on my own is what led me to embrace paperspace years ago. In the meantime, good luck with your iso drawing 🙂

[canalej]

Thank you Modman. Still not certain how to get the views from 3D space onto my 2D isometric in model space. I will try again.

Incidentally, I apologize for addressing my previous letter to Dean when it was your reply I meant to respond to.