Free CAD software.

[John Schmidt]

I'm not looking for something to help build the next Mars lander or booster to get it there. All I want to do is try to put my ideas on paper for a one-wheel cargo trailer. I've tried free hand drawing, but Rembrandt I ain't. Heck, I can't sign my name three times in a row and have them all look alike. With talent like that, how could I expect to draw anything more complicated than a straight line....let alone a trailer?

I tried sketching it a couple times and my dear wife looked at my scribbling and asked what it was. Told her I wasn't too sure and at that point....I quit.

[Serk]

Give Google Sketch Up a whirl, I used it quite a bit designing my aquarium room:

http://sketchup.google.com/

[GreenLantern57]

Bently used to offer software for free so that you could learn the software, MicroStation.

http://www.bentley.com/en-US/Community/Academic/Be+Employable/

I have used this since 95. So I am biased towards it. But I can really fly with 3D. Plus, AutoCAD does not offer students a free version (as far as I know).
You should be able to download some cell libraries that have structural steel shapes. From those shapes, you can extrude it into 3D shape.

[John Schmidt]

Serk, I downloaded the Google Sketchup...quite the program. I'm still in the learning curve, expect to be there a while but they do have some good training videos available. I've changed the basic shape of my trailer idea about five times so far. When I see it with straight lines and all the sizes are proportional....makes a big difference.  Thanks for the link.

[Serk]

Glad I could help... I loved the fact that, for what it can do, it's so simple and relatively easy to use... No, it's not AutoCAD, but I'm not a CAD type and was able to sit down and create what I needed to create to get an idea of how things were gonna look in just a few hours...

Let us know how it turns out!

[Stude]

Well John it seems once again we think some what alike I made a 3D model of a one wheel trailer
at work 4 or 5 years ago.... if I still have it....I can send it to ya, the jpeg that is. YOU would chit
if I told you how much the software package was that I drew it on.

Serk, I downloaded the Google Sketchup...quite the program. I'm still in the learning curve, expect to be there a while but they do have some good training videos available. I've changed the basic shape of my trailer idea about five times so far. When I see it with straight lines and all the sizes are proportional....makes a big difference.  Thanks for the link.