QCAD.org Forum

Hi guys, I'm new on here. I have very basic knowledge of Solidworks (self taught on Youtube) however their price point is so far out of my realm I don't really see a point continuing to learn that program. I am a metal fabricator and find it much easier to lay intricate gates or brackets in CAD prior to making them. Previously I've just made a line drawing and then added dimensions and relations (degree of angles, vertical, length etc) to lock the drawing and find unsolvable equations or over-defined sections. Am I able to do this in QCAD? Attached is a quick sketch of the rough shape I want to make. I want to know if I can add relations after the rough sketch is drawn or do I have to stipulate the relation as I'm making the initial shape.

Hello Dimensionmetal - welcome to the QCAD Forum.

Dimensionmetal wrote:... I am a metal fabricator and find it much easier to lay intricate gates or brackets in CAD prior to making them.

Agree - that is the right thing to do.

Dimensionmetal wrote:... Previously I've just made a line drawing and then added dimensions and relations (degree of angles, vertical, length etc) to lock the drawing and find unsolvable equations or over-defined sections. Am I able to do this in QCAD?

No.

Dimensionmetal wrote:... Attached is a quick sketch of the rough shape I want to make. I want to know if I can add relations after the rough sketch is drawn or do I have to stipulate the relation as I'm making the initial shape.

You have to design your drawing with Draw tools like
afterwards you are able to modify everything what is drawn with the Modify tools like ...
... or the powerfull Property Editor.

But you are not able just to change a value in a dimension and the whole shape (like a rectangle) will adopt this new values.

Your quick sketch: Will that be made out of sheet metal and has to be prepared (cuts) for bending? I think that is an pretty easy task for QCAD but maybe you like to try it by yourself with a Free QCAD Trial Version.

http://www.qcad.org/de/qcad-downloads-trial

If you have any further question please feel free to ask us.

I downloaded the free trial but didn't open it soon enough and it expired after about 1/2" of me diddling around on it. That drawing will be made out of aluminum and yes dotted line are bends. Thanks for answering my questions!

Dimensionmetal wrote:I downloaded the free trial but didn't open it soon enough and it expired after about 1/2" of me diddling around on it.

Did you notice that you can simply restart the trial version after it expires?