Looking for a free drawing program

[curtis rosche]

Im looking for a free drawing program that I can import an image, trace it, and then save as a dfx.file so it can be waterjet cut.

Ive found free dfx files of the basic shape, but I dont have a program that will edit them to make it exactly what I want. I have Autodesk, but its an education free version and the waterjet program wont accept it.

[Chris Padilla]

Sketch-up might work for you...just google it.

[William Adams]

Inkscape will import / export .dxf files

[Grant Wilkinson]

It might be a bit convoluted, but you could take a screen cap of the dxf image, the open it in any number of free graphics programs as a .jpg. Once you've made your changes, you can use a free jpg to dxf converter to change it back. (I did say it was convoluted, remember.)

You can work with dxf files in Sketchup, but I don't believe there is a trace function.

[Lornie McCullough]

QCAD might do what you want.....

I have used it for drafting, and I know it saves in dxf format, but I know nothing about waterjet machines.

Lornie

[curtis rosche]

I downloaded Inkscape, interesting program, and worked pretty well. thank you

['Jacques Malan']

I use Draftsight (http://www.3ds.com/products/draftsight/overview/features/) on occasion. My primary CAD program isn't free, but draftsight has multiple "save as" functions, including all the variations of dxf.