CAD BLOCKS

[decorators3]

Hi 

 

Subject: Learning How to Create CAD Details from an Existing PDF

 

I'm trying to learn how to create CAD details in Chief Architect, but it's proving to be a little more challenging than anticipated! Or perhaps I'm making it more complicated than it needs to be!

The attached PDF shows a typical party wall assembly from another designer's drawings for a project I've recently taken over.

This is my first time working with CAD details, and they'll be an integral part of my plans moving forward, so understanding how to create them properly is important.

To be quite honest, I'm not even sure where to begin when it comes to drawing CAD lines, adding fills, or putting the various components together to create a detail. I can see all the CAD tools available on the toolbar, but knowing how to use them properly and which ones to use for a particular task is where I'm struggling.

What I'd really like to learn is how to create the typical party wall detail shown in the attached PDF, step by step, rather than simply importing the drawing.

What's the best approach to recreating this in Chief Architect? Is there a particular process I should be following, or perhaps a beginner-friendly tutorial that would help me get started?

Any suggestions or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

 

Levina

Typical_Party_Wall_Only.pdf

[PitMan71]

 

Here’s how I'd draw this in Chief Architect.

1. Pick the scale and create a CAD Detail. It’s hard to tell from the image whether the original is at 1/2″ or 1/4″ scale. Decide what scale you want to use when you send the detail to layout, then draw the components at their actual dimensions.

2. Set up your text and callout arrows. If you want your text to print 1/8″ high, multiply that by the scale factor. At 1/2″ = 1′-0″, that’s 1/8″ × 24 = 3″ for the text height in the CAD Detail. At 1/4″ = 1′-0″, use 6″ for the same printed height. Set your arrowhead size for the chosen scale as well. (Scale factor is 12" (1 ft) divided by the scale..... ie 1/4" scale factor is 48, 12" / .25 = 48) 

3. Draw the main components. I’d use CAD Box for most of this detail. Draw each box to the actual width and height of the component, then apply a fill where needed. Use a closed polyline for any shape that isn’t rectangular.

4. Draw the insulation and plates. Under Box Tools, use the Insulation tool to draw the insulation and the box-with-an-X tool to draw the plates. Size each box to match the component it represents.

5. Add the callouts and send the detail to layout. Once the linework and fills are in place, add your labels and arrows. Send the detail to layout at the scale you picked in Step 1 and check that the text and arrows read clearly at the printed size.

I hope this helps.

 

[decorators3]

thank you

[PitMan71]

1 hour ago, decorators3 said:

thank you

You are welcome. With a little trial and error you will be an expert in no time.

[DBCooper]

There is some good info here:

https://www.chiefarchitect.com/support/article/KB-00766/creating-cad-details.html