Suggestions?

 From:  mjs (MSHIDELER)
4123.2 In reply to 4123.1 
My thoughts are coming from the context of not understanding the importablility of files into your CAD package, so consider this just an opinion with a whiskey chaser.

MoI for intial layout, Rhino if you need dimensional drawings, add t-Splines to Rhino for fine work as needed.

Moi is much faster that Rhino to lay things out in and even with detail work you can get a great start into a detailed model.

Rhino is always (from my experience) a great tool to have, even if just for file conversions. With that said, Rhino might help you when it comes to working with dimensions or just making drawings with digital notes in place. TSplines, http://www.tsplines.com/, added to Rhino will turn Rhino into a designers dream.

The path is a little bit of bread, but the general feel of how Moi, Rhino, and T-Splines work is similiar. Its not like trying to use a full on CAD tool like SolidWorks while keeping more freeform modeling of Moi in mind.

Rhino + Moi + Tsplines would come in around $1900, which is much less than the typical CAD package.

If you do not really need drawings of other Rhino tools, you might be a Moi, Modo house. Personally, I would think Moi, Rhino, Tsplines would be better for those times that something needs to be done that is more CAD in nature you would have extra Rhino features to bridge those gaps. For general push, pull, tracing image patters, etc the ~ $1,900 solution would be the path I would take.

Pretty much the only reason that I use SolidWorks and Alibre is there are just those things that people want in SW format, or I need to have a drawing set that is parametric and updates and models/assemblies change. If not for that I would be just Moi + Rhino + Tsplines all the way.

(Edit) Forgot to add that both Rhino and Tsplines have trail downloads that allow 25 saves each so you can really get in there and play around with the tool for a couple weeks to see if they are for you or not. Just don't save the work that you do very often, or ever, so you can check out all the possible techniques you might need in your woodwork modeling. http://www.tsplines.com/community/webinars.html