[linuxuser3890]

Your schools engineering dept or technology dept would probably have autocad or solidworks on their computers but u would need access and someone to tell you how to use it. For cnc eq you will want to use some sort of CAM software to draw the tool paths and set the speeds and origins. To actually run ur cnc code u will need to get someone to help u. I know all this from experience.

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[pwlucas]

You should not being using AutoCAD for this type of stuff. If you want to be doing design, you need to be using a real program. If you do not have access, Alibre is the best bang for the buck. None commercial is around $100 which is very cheap. I use Solidworks and CATIA V5 for design depending on what I am working on. Different programs are easier or better for certain things. If I were you, look into Alibre or Inventor since they are the cheaper alternative. I will list some with difficulty level of learning.

1. Alibre (easy to learn and can do a lot)
2. Inventor (easy to learn and decently powerful)
3. Solidworks (good user interface, powerful for most things except surfacing)
4. CATIA (difficult to use but very powerful)
5. Pro-E (difficult to use but powerful)
6. NX (never used)

Here is part of the AR15 I am working on using blueprints and dial calipers on my AR15.

[rferguson61]

Originally Posted by pwlucas

You should not being using AutoCAD for this type of stuff. If you want to be doing design, you need to be using a real program.

Excuse me? A REAL program? AutoCAD is the leading and most used software for designing. You can design in 2 and 3D with AutoCAD. ALL .dwg files can be imported into SolidWorks or Inventor (another Autodesk product) in which you can convert to 3D. But if you know what you are doing there is no need. AutoCAD is a fantastic program for doing this.

[pwlucas]

Originally Posted by rferguson61

Excuse me? A REAL program? AutoCAD is the leading and most used software for designing. You can design in 2 and 3D with AutoCAD. ALL .dwg files can be imported into SolidWorks or Inventor (another Autodesk product) in which you can convert to 3D. But if you know what you are doing there is no need. AutoCAD is a fantastic program for doing this.

Maybe I should have been more specific to 3D design. What industries do complicated design, like firearms, are using AutoCAD? Yes you can do it in AutoCAD, but it isn't the right tool for the job in 3D design.

[Twpbaseball10]

wow that looks awsome I will look into thoes programs for sure...
Just to make clear What my intensions are was jusr playing around with it was just adding little things like maybe extending the mag well and opening it up at the bottom. also designing the trigger guard to be milled into the receiver.
All the major demensions and important things like that I am keeping. Im just trying to add on little things for ergonomics and looks if you see what I mean. I will look into the programs mentioned and go from there