Cabinet Design Aide

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Skitzmixer

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Just curious if anyone uses any programs to help with designing enclosures. The main thing I have issues with is the measurements, such trying to work out the length between point a and b. I find myself always 2nd guessing everything I do.
 
Google sketch works great, takes a bit to work out how to work it though.


Rick
 
does it deal with measurements as well?

Might give it a shot. Thanks.

Yep, i little tricky to enter measurements if ya first start using. I played with it for a few hrs before i got it all sussed.


Rick
 
As mentioned google sketch up is good for basic design, without downloading rivet. It does take a while to get used to but once you do it is just as simple as data entry. I tend to write down all my numbers beforehand so it is less complicated. It is probably the best you can download for free.

Since you seem to be trying to figure out dimensions maybe pen and paper will be the easier option. Or possibly a couple of tape measures and string in the place you want the cabinet.

Obviously to get exact theoretical measurements you would have to know correct dimensions of the materials you are using (LxWxH).
 
I use Microstation V8i. Can design in 3D or 2D. Probably not as basic as you what you are after though.
 
If you have about $9-15k laying around, I hear Solidworks is great for this :D

Any 3D CAD package requires the user to be able to visualise 3 dimensionally in a 2D space. Some people just can't do it so if it confuses you no matter how much you try, you may not be cut out for it.

While it is better to visualise a product in a 3D space and design in this manner, you can achieve similar results in 2D but you will need to be able to draw front, side, top, section, detail views knowing which line correlates with each other.

If you can't do 3D, try downloading a free Vector Based program. From Ebay you could even purchase Adobe Illustrator CS3 for about $10. It's not the latest version, but good enough for this purpose. It is a lot less of a learning curve than AutoCAD which would still set you back a lot of money.

I downloaded and had a go of Sketchup8 and it suffers from very bad UI (User Interface) the intuitiveness is not there. Given that I am coming from many years of using Solid Works I am not surprised. I could understand how you rage quit the program. I feel like quitting out myself lol.

Kudos to those who stick with it and master it - but I'm uninstalling this and going to Solid Works lol...
 
I can visually draw it out myself fine, its just working out the exact lengths I need. Say if I wanted the sides (16mm thick) sitting on top of the bottom piece (900mm in length), I then need to minus the width of the wood on either sides (32mm) from the total length of the bottom piece which gives me 868mm length and what ever width I need for the glass tracks to rest on.. so thats the exact measurement i need to send in to get it cut.. kinda hard to explain.. Reason I was asking was because I wanted to see if there was an easier way to calculate the exact measurements, I've done it plenty of times before but I think I've also measured and re-drawn a thousand times before I actually send it in to get cut. I started to confuse myself when I was trying to work out the measurements for a storage cabinet to fit under an existing enclosure - and started to think there must be an easier way to do this!
 
I can visually draw it out myself fine, its just working out the exact lengths I need. Say if I wanted the sides (16mm thick) sitting on top of the bottom piece (900mm in length), I then need to minus the width of the wood on either sides (32mm) from the total length of the bottom piece which gives me 868mm length and what ever width I need for the glass tracks to rest on.. so thats the exact measurement i need to send in to get it cut.. kinda hard to explain.. Reason I was asking was because I wanted to see if there was an easier way to calculate the exact measurements, I've done it plenty of times before but I think I've also measured and re-drawn a thousand times before I actually send it in to get cut. I started to confuse myself when I was trying to work out the measurements for a storage cabinet to fit under an existing enclosure - and started to think there must be an easier way to do this!

How big do you want it make? I can do a sketchup of it for you an email it back if you want.


Rick
 
I can visually draw it out myself fine, its just working out the exact lengths I need. Say if I wanted the sides (16mm thick) sitting on top of the bottom piece (900mm in length), I then need to minus the width of the wood on either sides (32mm) from the total length of the bottom piece which gives me 868mm length and what ever width I need for the glass tracks to rest on.. so thats the exact measurement i need to send in to get it cut.. kinda hard to explain.. Reason I was asking was because I wanted to see if there was an easier way to calculate the exact measurements, I've done it plenty of times before but I think I've also measured and re-drawn a thousand times before I actually send it in to get cut. I started to confuse myself when I was trying to work out the measurements for a storage cabinet to fit under an existing enclosure - and started to think there must be an easier way to do this!

Usually the easiest way is to break it down into an equation:

H = (D-(2xT))-G

H is the Height of the panel of glass
D is the overall height dimension of the enclosure.
T is the thickness of your material
G is the allowable clearance for the glass panel
If you have a support beam from which the track sits on, the equation becomes H = (D-((2xT)+S))-G

G is calculated as:
- Measure the overall height of the top track (B).
- Measure from the top of the floor or bead to the upper edge of the bottom track (A).
- Measure the overall height of the bottom track (C).

Eg.

A = 7
B = 15 (This is always at least the height of A, however as tolerance you want to allow 2mm, this means B is actually 17)
C = 10

G = ((C-A)+B)-A
G = ((10-7)+17)-7
G = (3+17)-7
G = 20-7
G = 13

If you use the same brand of track all the time, then once you have calculated G the equation for H will always give you the exact dimension for your glass panel.

This will become your standard equation and no drawings and checking dimensions are required.

Eg. Of this standard equation in use:

You have an enclosure of 950mm high. There is a 50mm high support beam at the top and you have your glass track installed. You have calculated your G value as 13mm. Your enclosure is constructed from 16mm MDF.

H = (D-((2xT)+S))-G
H = (950-((2x16)+50))-13
H = (950-((32)+50))-13
H = (950-82)-13
H = 868-13
H = 855mm



That's enough maths for one night I think :)
 
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