Thanks for the links Mike. The price is already coming down then. I'm very interested in the prospects of having diy 3d printers but the RapRep project seems still quite rudimentary The fabbers seem to be a bit further on. I've downloaded a free version of Pepakura, a free "model unfolder". Interesting. http://www.tamasoft.co.jp/pepakura-en/

Thanks Edson. I will look this over carefully.

Hi, I've learnt to say no. Some time back a friend asked if I would rebuild some picture frames that they had bought cheap. The mitres were poor. You were looking at a couple of days work. I asked if their husband would replay the favour by doing some work on my computer. 'Oh I dont think he will have time to do that' Sorry, I dont have the time. We still do small jobs for one another, but not ones that days to complete. Alan

Thanks a lot Tinanne. This is a really helpfull information.

lapx This is really interesting and very appropriate for me. I work for a company that builds and markets software for the construction of garages, decks, and post frame buildings and coming soon houses. Our Design Tools product allows you to build, print drawings for stamping and as well take off professional estimates. We build in local sku numbers and as well the designs are engineered to local codes. There is quite a lot of data gathering required when ever we enter a new market anywhere in the world. Although I haven't looked closely yet as you can understand this application that you have pointed out could be a very large help to us in the data gathering process and a quick method of checking the designs that our render engine creates. Thanks very much..this is an eye opener.

I did have a go with the free version of Alibre, didn't look too bad. But events overtook me in the form of Autodesk's Inventor! However, I think all these programmes work in much the same way and I think Alibre has progressed since I tried it. If your'e interested in the more "mainstrean" 3D modelling I'd go.

Thanks for the heads up Eric. Jackson HP dv8000, Centrino Duo T2400 1.83GHz, 1.5Gb RAM, nVidia GeForce Go7400 SU, AutoCAD, Progecad, MicroGDS, Vue, Maxwell, VRay, Photoshop, Dreamweaver

@jean lemire said: Hi folks. Watch you head when going in or out of the back seat, the roof drops quite sharply at the back. Just ideas. You are probably right Jean but again I'd like to the in the front (driver) seat

At least it's been sunny and nice, warm here for the last couple of days, too. Thanks for the pics so far!

Bye the way I noticed your studio forum. My cousin by marriage is building a studio in New York right now so I sent the link to my wife so she can get it to him. He taught himself SU so he could design the concept.Thought it was interesting.

Thanks, Eric. I will pass that on to Toby, I think he works with the office tea boy (whatever that is).

Wow, two big birthdays. Hope you both have good ones, and keep us in the loop ypnos.

Bozilla, You might have some luck at this site, http://www.3dcadbrowser.com/preview.aspx?ModelCode=1172 I notice that some of the aircraft models have interiors. Mike

Happy Birthday. Make this one count.

i think this is wheres apples success lies, they make good stuff that people like to use at a price that is above average but still affordable. i think people have latched onto the fact that it's well designed and so are willign to fork out a bit extra. wether this market will extend to other things is hard to say, of course.

this video along with some more are available now at, http://es.youtube.com/etereaestudios

It's laughing all the way to the bank with someones $90,000 USD.

Kris, you are perfectly right about the 10% increase in constructions costs. Its the Chinese and Indian economies putting up all those new buildings. Maybe better to get out of buildings and into Commodities Investment Rolling Eyes Mike

Jim, as Coen informed us somewhere (I forget where I read), the new email server had a spam filter that blocked the notifications. He got this filter disabled now so from now on everything should be OK. Sorry for the inconvenience again.