CAD Newbee requires path to enlightenment

Hi, I've recently completed a 2d/3d course in AutoCAD, unfortunately
for me the course was only geared to learning how to pass the exams.
I'd like to know if there are any resources about the practical every
day use of CAD.

I have in mind scenarios to do with types cad use, useful strategies when
working in cad, Dimensioning standards, 10 things you should know...
A day in the life of... etc

Does anyone here have a favourite site along these lines, or any tips
for they like to pass on to this newbee...

 

hours & hours of cad time.. as far as standards .. they seem to be pretty
different everywhere you go, depending on who you talk to. make sure you can
build whatever you are drawing from the information on your screen & you got
it whooped. good luck.

 

Thanks for this, but I was after the wisdom of your experience. A short
cut to truth, an idea from one who has travelled the many paths of frustration
and has found his Nirvana...

Speak Cad masters, humble novice listens.

 

hours & hours of cad time.. as far as standards .. they seem to be
pretty

there's a lifetime of wisdom in that short paragraph, if you don't believe
me, print it out & place it in a sealed envelope & open it in 15 or so
years. Then my son, you will understand.

 

The one piece of advice I can give, and I give it full in the knowledge that
I do not class myself as a CAD professional, NEVER, ever let someone tell
you that what you do is easy and that you are easily replaced. If an
employer thinks that, let them get someone else, and find yourself another
job. It is not worth trying to show them that you are any good, they would
never believe you, instead, cut your losses, and put your energies into
finding an employer that appreciates you and your skills.

Bigjobs

 

WOW. I was gonna say just about the opposite. .. do your job , keep your
mouth shut , because you are easily replaceable. if you think you are under
compensated then find a better offer. when you give your notice, your
employer will make you an offer you cant refuse to keep you, if you are all
that. I have seen about 20 stupid people come & go through this office, in
the last 10 years. some were cad wiz that knew it all. if you act like that
, you won't last long.

 

My motto: use your head.
My favorite resource: this group.
My favorite site: see the sig below ; )
My advice: when asking questions about CAD standards replace the words "CAD
standards" with "underpants". If the question is then ridiculous, then the
question is ridiculous.

 

Fair enough comment, although, my point stretches to any dicipline of any
career really, and was more pointed to the fact that an employer that
doesn't value their employees is not worth having.

I started my working life as an engineer, both manual machinist and CNC
programmer/operator. It took me seven years to learn that I was actually
quite good at what I did, and that my empoyler didn't know what the frell
they were talking about in respect to my abilities.It was all so that I
wouldn't ask for a rise and he could get away with paying me what was sweat
shop rates really. The killer is that I worked for my father's company, but
that is another story altogether.

I would never accept an offer to make me stay in a position when I have
handed my notice in, in fact I have turned down 2 so far. The point being
that if I am worth X now, why wasn't I worth X 3 months ago when I asked for
a rise?

And as for being a CAD whizz, I design the internals of offices and shops. I
class myself as good at it, I can transfer my ideas to the screen in a
modest amount of time in 3D, this is done with no mess and no fuss. I don't
shout from the rooftops how good I am, (sorry this is going to sound so
twee) I let my drawings and the time they are done in do my talking.


The point I was (not very well either) trying to make was that, if you are
any good, then find a job that you enjoy doing, for a company that respects
you and pays you accordingly. Then you will indeed be a happy human.

Bigjobs

 

Hmmm.. that's completely different if you stuck it out for 7 years.. ) the
guys I'm talking about come in & know so much already there's not room in
their brains to learn to do it the way this company wants it done
I work for an Industrial construction company , in the mechanical/ sheet
metal dept & do a bunch of everything. Mostly I measure & make prints of
anything a customer needs fabricated when they don't supply a print. that
includes piping, ductwork, motorbases, structural, .ect.. I spend most of my
time solving problems...

the guy that trained me 10 years ago is now the president & I run this
dept. Out of the 20 plus guys that have been hired to do this job, one
remains.. the rest were sent to the shop as laborers & then quit or were
fired.


I have seen several that were very intelligent & were cad whizzes, they were
the worst to try & train. I'd rather take a guy that used to be a carpenter
or millwright & teach him autocad. common sense is hard to find

 

The thing is that i REALLY miss my job as an engineer, the job satisfaction
was second to none, and whilst I love the job I do now, the problems I meet
are not that difficult compared. All i need to do is know the building regs
to a detail. then anything I can think of that fits into them is fair game.
Funny thing is that my engineering background helps me no end, I only draw
stuff that I know can be built.

Another thing I didn't say previously, but should have done was this. I have
always been open to learning from people that know more than me. I know that
I don't know everything, but i can't forget when in my last job, they sent
round the chief trainer from one of the best architects firms in Liverpool
to teach me 3d. He showed me what he had brought, i showed him what I had
already done. He left. Funny as frell.

Bigjobs

 

<snip>

I am hereby asking permission to use this as my sig, giving credit to
yourself of course.

Bigjobs

 

1) CAD is a database that happens to have a graphical interface.
CAD is NOT an electronic Etch-A-Sketch.

2) Don't work too hard: let CAD do what CAD does.

 

It's yours. Just promise to wash it once a week at least.

 

The one piece of advice I can give, and I give it full in the knowledge that

EXCELLENT excellent advice!!

 

Funny as frell.

Is this a Farscape convention ?

I'm just the opposite, started work as a draughtsman and ended up as a
Structural Engineer. My mum would be shocked if she found out what I
do for a living. She still thinks I play piano in a whore house!!!

Check out my How to draw page at http://www.cadalot.co.uk

Alan (Cadalot)

 

I amjust watching all the series in order, and it is sort of affecting me.

Bigjobs