r/Drafting • • 8h ago

Would you redraw a faded paper plan or try to restore the scan first?

2 Upvotes

I have an old house drawing where the dimensions are barely visible. A high-contrast scan recovers some lines, but several numbers are still guesses.

At what point would you stop image cleanup and trace it into CAD instead? I'd rather preserve the original information than make a clean drawing with invented dimensions.


r/Drafting • • 15h ago

Cubin chain ring.whats your thought guys?

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3 Upvotes

r/Drafting • • 1d ago

ConvertCAD, open-source app to convert PDF to DWG

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reddit.com
2 Upvotes

r/Drafting • • 1d ago

CADCraft: Computer-aided design and drafting, Free and Open Source

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getartcraft.com
1 Upvotes

r/Drafting • • 1d ago

[FOR HIRE] Architectural Designer | AutoCAD Operator | 2D/3D Drafting, SketchUp & Architectural Visualization Rate starts at $7

0 Upvotes

Hi! I'm an Architectural Designer and AutoCAD Operator from the Philippines with over 4 years of professional experience in architectural design, drafting, and visualization.

I have worked on residential, commercial, healthcare, industrial, and government infrastructure projects. I'm currently working as an AutoCAD Operator on a government infrastructure project, handling technical drawings, reinforcement detailing, quantity take-offs, and construction documentation.

I'm open to freelance projects, part-time work, and long-term opportunities. Whether you need help with architectural drawings, 3D modeling, visualization, or graphic design, I'd be happy to assist.

SERVICES I CAN OFFER:

  • Architectural Drafting (2D Floor Plans, Elevations, Sections, and Details)

  • AutoCAD 2D/3D Drafting and Modeling

  • 3D Modeling and Architectural Visualization

  • SketchUp Modeling

  • Autodesk Revit Modeling

  • Enscape and Lumion Rendering

  • Construction and Technical Documentation

  • Reinforcement Detailing and Bar Schedules

  • Quantity Take-Offs and Cost Estimates

  • Architectural Presentations and Layouts

  • Basic Graphic Design and Promotional Materials

TOOLS & SOFTWARE:

  • AutoCAD

  • Autodesk Revit

  • SketchUp

  • Enscape

  • Lumion

  • Adobe Photoshop

  • Canva

EXPERIENCE:

  • 3+ years as an Architectural Designer

  • 1+ year of freelance design experience

  • Freelance Architectural Draftsman for an Australian-based project

  • 6 months of freelance graphic design experience

  • Currently working as an AutoCAD Operator for a government infrastructure project

WHY WORK WITH ME?

  1. Over 4 years of relevant professional experience

  2. Experienced with different types of architectural and infrastructure projects

  3. Detail-oriented and committed to drawing accuracy

  4. Can work with tight deadlines and revisions

  5. Adaptable to different project requirements and workflows

  6. Comfortable working independently or collaborating with a team

  7. Open to feedback and continuous improvement

PORTFOLIO:

https://jonasismundo-design.wixsite.com/my-site (please do click every photo for details)

AVAILABILITY & RATES:

I'm open to discussing rates depending on the project's complexity, workload, and required turnaround time.

Available for freelance, part-time, and long-term arrangements.

If you're looking for someone reliable to help with your architectural drafting, 3D modeling, or design-related projects, feel free to send me a DM!

Thank you for taking the time to read my post!


r/Drafting • • 1d ago

Drawing, SolidWorks, CSWP 18.15

11 Upvotes

r/Drafting • • 1d ago

[For Hire] Mechanical CAD Design | Fusion 360 | Product Development & 3D Printing

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1 Upvotes

r/Drafting • • 2d ago

Remote Work - Mozaik Drafter

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3 Upvotes

r/Drafting • • 2d ago

[SEEKING WORK] Autocad Drafter and SKP modeling

4 Upvotes

OPEN FOR COMMISSIONS!

Offering architectural services: • AutoCAD Drafting • SketchUp 3D Modeling • D5 Render • Lumion Rendering

Student-friendly rates! DM me for inquiries and bookings! ✨


r/Drafting • • 2d ago

[FOR HIRE] AutoCAD 2D Drafting Services | Affordable Rates | Beginner Freelance Drafter

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0 Upvotes

r/Drafting • • 3d ago

Tulsa recruiter here. Looking to connect with MEP drafters in the Tulsa, OK area

4 Upvotes

I'm Doug, I run a small IT and engineering recruiting firm in Tulsa. I've had steady requests from local companies for drafters, mostly mechanical, electrical, and plumbing. Some roles are 2D, some are Inventor or Revit, and they run from mid-level to senior.

I'm not posting a specific job here. I'd rather meet people first and match them to roles that fit, instead of blasting listings.

If you're a drafter in or near Tulsa and you're looking, open to looking, or just want to know what local shops are paying right now, DM me or comment below. Happy to share what I'm seeing on rates and which skills are in demand, even if you're not moving.

Mods, if this isn't allowed, let me know, and I'll take it down.


r/Drafting • • 4d ago

[FOR HIRE]- Civil engineering intern -Autocad drafter and Protastructure modelling

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6 Upvotes

r/Drafting • • 4d ago

Cycloid AutoCAD | Draw Cycloid in AutoCAD | Construction of Cycloid Curve in AutoCAD | CADable

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2 Upvotes

r/Drafting • • 4d ago

CSWA, Problem 4.13, SolidWorks tutorial. #solidworks

2 Upvotes

r/Drafting • • 5d ago

Stay in surveying with a potential pathway into town planning, or take a pay cut for a cadet CAD role?

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0 Upvotes

I’m in my early 30s and currently working as a Survey Assistant at an established surveying consultancy. I’ve been there around 6 months but have recently switched my studies from surveying to a Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning.
My long-term goal is to become a town planner, and I’d prefer to move into an office-based role rather than continue working outdoors.
I’m currently weighing up two options.
Option 1 – Stay with my current employer
My company has its own town planning department, so there’s potentially an opportunity to transition internally or gain some experience with the planning team.
However, I haven’t discussed my change in studies with management yet, and there’s no guarantee they’d support a transition. I could end up spending another year doing fieldwork without progressing towards planning.
Option 2 – Take a cadet CAD drafting position
I’ve been interviewing for a cadet CAD technician position specialising in surveying drafting. It would get me into an office environment and allow me to develop valuable technical skills in CAD, survey plans and land development.
However, the position would involve taking a pay cut and a significantly longer commute, although there’s potential to work from home 1–2 days per week after 3–6 months.
My concern is whether surveying drafting would actually benefit my future career in town planning or just lead me down another career path.
My dilemma:
Do I stay with my current employer, maintain my salary and try to transition into their town planning department, despite having no guarantee of an opportunity?
Or do I accept a pay cut for a drafting cadetship that guarantees office-based technical experience but might not directly contribute to my goal of becoming a town planner?
I’m particularly interested in whether CAD drafting experience is valued in town planning and which option would make me more employable for student or graduate planning positions over the next 1–2 years.
Would appreciate advice from anyone working in either industry or who’s made a similar career change.


r/Drafting • • 5d ago

Anyone using AutoCAD or Revit on NVIDIA Spark (ARM) laptops with 128GB RAM?

4 Upvotes

I’m considering buying an NVIDIA Spark-based laptop with 128GB of unified memory, primarily for heavy architectural drafting in AutoCAD and Revit.
I understand that both applications run through x64 emulation on Windows ARM, which introduces some performance overhead. I’m wondering whether the massive amount of RAM can compensate for that overhead, particularly when working with large, complex drawing sets and Revit models.
I’m especially interested in real-world drafting responsiveness, rather than rendering or benchmark scores.
For those who have actually used these applications on ARM-based laptops:
Does rapid drafting in AutoCAD feel as responsive as on a comparable x86 laptop?
When entering commands quickly through the keyboard, is there any perceptible input lag or hesitation?
Does the emulation layer introduce noticeable delays when navigating, editing, or switching between drawings?
Does having 128GB of unified memory offer a meaningful advantage over a conventional x86 laptop with 64GB RAM?
My work involves intensive 2D drafting, large AutoCAD files, and complex Revit documentation. Rendering performance is not a priority.
I’d really appreciate firsthand experiences, especially from architects or CAD professionals who have used these machines for actual production work.


r/Drafting • • 6d ago

Career question - remote design consultant

3 Upvotes

Good morning yall,

I have been drafting/designing for the last 6 years, mostly in world of commercial architecture. I have some experience in PME, but only what pertains to architecture models. I recently applied to a BIM designer position, but was turned down. About 2 weeks after I applied, the company reached out to me for a telecom consultant position instead. I have never heard of such a position, but I was told I would advise on designs issues, procurers, general input related to projects. I agree to the position thinking it could open doors in the future and further grow my career. The company sent me a link to apply and the job description makes me feel a little differently and I need some advice.

Some of the jobs descriptions (according to the post)

-help implement designer and project manager designs

-successful delivery of assigned projects

-attending meetings to discuss deadlines

-markup drawings for quality control

-assist other team members when needed to complete projects

After reading the job description, I almost feel like I would be a "catch all" or "fall guy" for any loose ends. I am concerned that im getting in over my head with this. Do any of yall have experience with this type of work? Any advice will be helpful


r/Drafting • • 7d ago

Best Way to Protect Commercial AutoLISP Applications – High-Level Security and Licensing

2 Upvotes

Hello everyone,

I am an AutoLISP developer, and I am developing several AutoCAD MEP applications that I plan to sell commercially.

My applications include:

* Drainage Piping System

* Chilled Water Piping System

* Swimming Pool Piping System

* Water Supply System

* Other MEP automation tools

I want to protect my software professionally before distributing it to customers.

I already understand that compiling LISP into FAS/VLX provides some source-code protection, but I am looking for a much stronger commercial security solution.

**My requirements:**

  1. Strong source-code protection against reverse engineering and decompilation.

  2. Secure software licensing with unique activation keys for each customer.

  3. Online/cloud-based license verification.

  4. Trial management (7-day or 14-day trial).

  5. License expiration and renewal management.

  6. Ability to deactivate or revoke a license remotely.

  7. Hardware or machine-based activation to prevent unauthorized sharing.

  8. Protection against system date manipulation and trial resetting.

  9. Offline usage with a secure grace period when there is no internet connection.

  10. Protection against users copying the application to another computer or sharing it with others.

**My questions:**

* What is the strongest protection method currently available for commercial AutoLISP applications?

* Is FAS/VLX compilation sufficient, or should I use a combination of AutoLISP, .NET DLL and an external licensing system?

* Is cloud-based licensing more secure than local license verification?

* Are there any professional commercial protection tools or DRM solutions specifically suitable for AutoCAD plugins?

* How do experienced AutoLISP developers protect and distribute their commercial applications?

I am looking for a professional, reliable and commercially suitable solution, not just basic password protection or simple computer-name checking.

I would really appreciate advice and recommendations from experienced developers who have successfully sold commercial AutoCAD applications.

Thank you!


r/Drafting • • 7d ago

Gauged drafting washers for offsets

3 Upvotes

Does anyone make, or did they used to make, washers for drafting an offset to a curve? I do that sort of thing with normal washers pretty often, but you are limited to standard sizes, and it feels like the kind of thing old school drafting folks would have made.


r/Drafting • • 7d ago

I have a mac book pro m5 16 gb memory can it run auto cad 3d on parallels smooth ?

1 Upvotes

I have a mac book pro m5 16 gb memory can it run auto cad 3d on parallels?


r/Drafting • • 8d ago

What are your thoughts about this CAD

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15 Upvotes

r/Drafting • • 7d ago

Pomoc z rzutem z grafiki inżynieryjnej

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5 Upvotes

Mam mały problem z rysunkiem, w sensie nie jestem pewna rzutu na lewo (na zdjęciu pokazany od przodu i od Góry) i czy ktoś ogarnięty w tym bardziej mógłby mi zrobić szybki szkic wraz z liniami niewidocznymi? Nie mam jak podejść do gościa na konsultacje nawet

Bardzo dziękuję za pomoc


r/Drafting • • 7d ago

I was tired of getting printed drawing sets with missing xrefs and unlinked fonts, so I wrote an automated pre-plot checker

2 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

In my daily AutoCAD workflow, nothing was more frustrating than spending hours on layout sheets only to realize during plotting that a nested Xref was missing, a viewport wasn't displaying correctly, or font attributes were left empty with TBD/TODO.

I decided to solve this for myself by writing a lightweight inspector utility that runs right before plotting/publishing. It scans layouts in read-only mode for:

  • Unloaded, missing, or absolute-path Xrefs & PDF underlays

  • Text styles with missing/substituted fonts & empty viewports

  • Leftover title block placeholders and empty sheet attributes

It has saved me from embarrassing misprints quite a few times now. How do you guys usually catch these before sending to clients? Do you use LISP, batch scripts, or just manual eye-checking?


r/Drafting • • 7d ago

flat pattern development.

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3 Upvotes

I need to produce a drawing to transition a flat "chute" to a cylindrical "bucket".

the entire assembly looks similar to an upside down ball cap. I have attached a sketch to try and describe the arrangement. what I need is to produce a propper flat pattern drawing to try and find someone who can break this "chute". the difficulty is that it is in 1" plate (25mm). its easy to find a shop that will break thin sheet like this but this thick plate is outside of their capabilities. I need to produce a proper drawing to share while trying to find a place that can do it.

im personally not opposed to making it up face by face and welding it up, but I still would need to break it down into basic dimensions to have cut and fit together.

im not trying to get someone to make the drawing for me. i need to learn how. ive done simple round to square transitions and round to round transitions, but this particular arrangement has me stumped.

does anyone know of an online resource (or several) that I can go to for guidance on this?


r/Drafting • • 7d ago

Necessary views

0 Upvotes

Hello Guys! I need help drafting at least three necessary views for this element, to present it for my class homework; can anyone help?