I'm looking for a good free 2D cad program?

[JimPghPA]

I am looking for a good free 2D cad program that I can download onto my laptop so I can make some drawings that I can down-load into a format that I can send to a machine shop to have parts cut on a water-jet. I use to use hicad on an older computer, and it worked fine. But when I tried to load it on my current more modern Lenova laptop it did not work properly.

I have toyed with some of the free google 3D stuff but when you try to do any 2D drawings with it, you end up wrestling with it too much to keep things in 2D, and I did not see anything to convert the final drawing into something that would be usable to send so it could be used on a CNC water-jet cutter. It has been a while since I did anything like that, and I can't even remember the format(s) that are commonly used for sending that type of file, but I know there is something that converts the drawing lines into what a CNC machine can use.

Thanks in advance for any information.

Stay safe.

 

[OilReport99]

QCAD - QCAD: 2D CAD

QCAD is a free, open source 2D CAD system for Windows, Linux and Mac.

qcad.org

 

[Rand]

q cad looks decent, also has G-code export thats what you would use with a water jet?

The main problem I have run into with the free stuff is if you need to import an autocad file.. its bound to not work right because there were 30 versions and the files never import worth a crap.. its usable but fiddly and not just instant.

If you need any Wire Edm work can PM me. We have mitsubishi DWC 110HA and DWC 90C machines.

 

[tom slick]

try librecad, it’s open source.
I believe the new plasma table we got at work came with qcad

LibreCAD - Free Open Source 2D CAD

 

[gonefishing]

I have played around with the free version of NanoCAD which appears to be very similar to AutoCAD. You can save as .dxf which is pretty generic 2D file formats that about any CAD software can open.

 

[JimPghPA]

I loaded QCAD and after that my 32 bit Lenova laptop running windows 10 started running slow and locking up when I was typing on sites like ebay or amazon. I ran Norton power eraser to scan my computer and it had me remove QCAD to fix the problem. It said something like "link error QCAD". And I was about to pay the 39.99 for the for the best version of it for a year.

I guess I will try NanoCAD. Thanks gonefishing.

 

[stockrex]

I loaded QCAD and after that my 32 bit Lenova laptop running windows 10 started running slow and locking up when I was typing on sites like ebay or amazon. I ran Norton power eraser to scan my computer and it had me remove QCAD to fix the problem. It said something like "link error QCAD". And I was about to pay the 39.99 for the for the best version of it for a year.

I guess I will try NanoCAD. Thanks gonefishing.

Jim,
hmm, I will give qcad a shot on my test laptop, but I would get rid of any norton products.
when you install qcad, did it ask you permission to install extra bloatware? most FREE programs are sponsored by some shady bloatware and there is a check box to not install it it.

Like divx codec, etc, norton, and other antivirus sponsors these.

 

[JimPghPA]

I did not see anything asking for permission for any adds or extra bloatware.

Thank you everyone for the advice on CAD programs.