What program to designs boxes?

[dman4486 5,000+ posts]

No, but it's different. Having been using sketch up since version 4, I can tell you that it makes the process so much easier. With that said, it's far more satisfying to draw it out by hand to get your ideas down first, then to draw it up on the computer to have an electronic copy. I guess it just feels more like you designed it instead of the computer did the work for you.

makes sense

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

Having used some of the earliest 3D CAD programs when they were in their infancy, and still knowing how to use the newest versions of AutoCAD, I draw it by hand. If you know what you're doing from a drafting/technical drawing perspective, you can get a usable, dimensioned drawing in just a few minutes. Much easier to make changes and last I checked none of those programs do cutsheets so you still end up hand jamming it. If I was in the business of designing boxes and was going to be using production equipment to make multiple copies of each one, I might go to the trouble of making a CAD drawing. Even machinists with access to CAD-CAM and CNC don't bother building the computer model for a one-off unless it is a prototype for future production or super complex, they just make it manually.

Sketchup is a total waste unless you just are unable to picture something in your head. If that's the case you probably shouldn't be designing anything. As far as showing off your design, build the box. Take pictures.

And your *** analogy sucks. *** is better with a partner. Your box design isn't better because you wasted the time to draw it in a 3D sketch program.

 

[PV Audio 5,000+ posts]

Having used some of the earliest 3D CAD programs when they were in their infancy, and still knowing how to use the newest versions of AutoCAD, I draw it by hand. If you know what you're doing from a drafting/technical drawing perspective, you can get a usable, dimensioned drawing in just a few minutes. Much easier to make changes and last I checked none of those programs do cutsheets so you still end up hand jamming it. If I was in the business of designing boxes and was going to be using production equipment to make multiple copies of each one, I might go to the trouble of making a CAD drawing. Even machinists with access to CAD-CAM and CNC don't bother building the computer model for a one-off unless it is a prototype for future production or super complex, they just make it manually.
Sketchup is a total waste unless you just are unable to picture something in your head. If that's the case you probably shouldn't be designing anything. As far as showing off your design, build the box. Take pictures.

And your *** analogy sucks. *** is better with a partner. Your box design isn't better because you wasted the time to draw it in a 3D sketch program.

Exactly what I was thinking. You need a hard copy first to actually understand what's going on acoustically instead of drawing lines on the computer. This is the primary reason that I don't do car audio designs anymore, because people became less interested in having an enclosure and more concerned about having something super fancy that just happens to be a speaker enclosure.

 

[PV Audio 5,000+ posts]

makes sense

I mean, it's just my opinion which doesn't make it right, but I've still drawn up every design I've made and I can't even imagine how many total that is //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

 

[Immacomputer 10+ year member]

Your box design isn't better because you wasted the time to draw it in a 3D sketch program.

The quality of an enclosure design has nothing at all to do with the drawing; the latter cannot exist without the former.

Exactly what I was thinking. You need a hard copy first to actually understand what's going on acoustically instead of drawing lines on the computer.

So your inaccurate scribble on a piece of paper is supposed to give you a better acoustical understanding?

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

The quality of an enclosure design has nothing at all to do with the drawing; the latter cannot exist without the former.

So we agree. Good.

So your inaccurate scribble on a piece of paper is supposed to give you a better acoustical understanding?

I would say probably more so than a sketch program. You can't draw it without having designed it first. The scribble is the design. Mine aren't usually pretty, just pretty effective.

 

[bunkerking09 10+ year member]

i didn't mean for this to become a debate thread, i just though the designs looked cool lol

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

The box itself looks cooler and is actually useful.