CAD?

Solidworks is great. That's what we use in my engineering classes. I just recently made a simple .dxf cut file and sent it to JLee at BAMF to cut. Took no time!

 

Nice work! We just recently got a waterjet machine that I have access to at work. It's awesome how you can create a dxf. File and get back exactly what you asked for. Cutting precise parts or matching parts by hands is for the birds! Haha. As for the getting your hands dirty, fabrication and turning wrenches has always been something that I love. I lucked out and got a job that I can design something, build it and then install and test the final product. Very happy when I get to turn wrenches and lay down some weld on something I have designed. Once my truck is no longer my only mode of transportation in the summer time I have a list of things already that I want to build for it.

Keep up the good work!

 

OP,

Solidworks is the easiest "real" program that you can get. ProE is much more difficult but alos more powerful. If your looking for some thing for fun it looks like the Google sketch up works fine. I need to check it out. I am a mechanical Engineer with tons of design experence.

Advantage to a good seat of Solid works iss that you can run simple FEA on single parts.