AUTOCAD and joysticks?

[The Pastor]

any cad monkeys on here had any experiance with cad and joysticks?

im getting really sore arms and fingers from cadding it up (im on a tiny shit $5 mouse) ive asked the company to get me a propper cad mouse, they said ok, but the rate things get done around here it will be chirstmas (next year) before it gets done.

Ive heard of people using joysticks for cad.

Do you need a speical cad joystick? I have a cheapish gaming one sitting at home, will it work?

are joysticks better than a mouse to use?

cheers for your help!

fyi, if you can think of an insane amount of mouse clicks in one day, double it and you wont even come close to the ammount that i do. And only half of them are for kb!

[Cajun]

make them get you a good mouse, mouses are dirt cheap, start saying something about OSH hazards, and RSI or simla

[Ocean1]

Top end: http://www.vrlogic.de/html/3dconnexion/space_ball.html Just make sure the right drivers are available for your particular flavour of acad.

Budget: http://www.gpstore.co.nz/Hardware/1539068.html Which is generally plug&play using common drivers.

Learn to use your keyboard more also, acad help gives you a list of hotkeys.

Edit: had a sumographics tablet around here somewhere but I can't find it. Good option for production 2D stuff though.

[The Pastor]

will any joystick work, or are the ones you linked like a mouse that has a big stick on them?

are joysticks better than mouces?

im making them get it, but they have soo much red tape bs to go through.

[bungbung]

What about a wacom pen tablet? cheaper than the bigger tablets. Don't need the pressure sensitive part though.

[Ocean1]

will any joystick work, or are the ones you linked like a mouse that has a big stick on them?

are joysticks better than mouces?

im making them get it, but they have soo much red tape bs to go through.

Read the spec's dude.

The spaceball has been around for ages, in fact they seem to be seen as redundant nowadays because the app's themselves are simply less clicky, better interface. Still the ultimate tool for 3D work imho, multiple inputs tunable for as many commands as you can remember, and the ball navigation is excellent, but they take a bit of setting up and learning to drive.

The 3M item is exactly what you suggest, a good quality optical mouse with a stick on and a rocker thimb switch instead of buttons. They do work however, they don't require the "incorrect" rotation of the wrist a normal mouse does, and that's what causes most RSI issues. They do take a bit of getting used to but 3M suggest that if you don't like it after the first day you can get a refund. Not that $90 odd is a huge investment compared to the consequences of a few weeks off work...

[Reckless]

make them get you a good mouse, mouses are dirt cheap, start saying something about OSH hazards, and RSI or simla

What he said! but don't buy dirt cheap and a good gel mouse pad for wrist support!

Cad Monkeys?? We are 3D cad Design professionals Well I'm not sure what your using but I've worked in 3d since day one.

I'm using a wireless MS laser mouse 5000 with a fellowes gel wrist support and it has quite a big mouse pad. Also learn your keyboard shortcuts/macros by heart so you use the other hand a lot more, this helps quite a bit. I laminated mine and stuck them on the desk in front of me. Like in the pic attached.

Never heard of Joystick to draw but have heard a few guys like track balls and a few use writing tablets with a pen device. Have tried both but found the mouse faster. I liked the tablet the best for something different.

Shit this is a good Bike subject??? Doesn't your CAD program have a web site forum or user group?? I still learn heaps from my user group even after 10 years.

[Colapop]

I had exactly the same problem as a CAD operator. I got big mitts and was getting sore from gripping the shitty little mouse I had. Tried out as many as I could (the best way). I have now a 3M ergonomic (upright) mouse. Looks like a joystick but isn't. Works a treat for me. Just like resting your arm on the desk in a natural position. The grey switch at the top is a rocker swicth (left and right click) and the large pad below taked the place of your wheel. It takes a little getting used to but now that I am used to it - I wouldn't go back. Try one, they're readily available. 3M link

[Fub@r]

I use a high quality gaming mouse and it suits me. The shape of a gaming mouse is contoured to a more natural resting position of your hand rather than the top down cheapo mouse.

[The Pastor]

ok looks like i'll get that joystick looking mouse, ive seen them around the office, but the red tape is so bs, i have to have a workstation assessment to see if i actually need one.

[The Pastor]

I should add that I type 90% of my commands.

Only ones I click are open and very rarely on save. oh and print, because we have a bazillion printers.

I just do a hell of alot of line work, and text edditing (triple click on items) Yeah i think its mainly the text that pwns me.

[Indiana_Jones]

Get a Contour mouse, they're really good

-Indy

[The Pastor]

I think a joystick mouse thing will be better, as long as i dont have to use my finger to click,

[Street Gerbil]

I tried using joystick with autocad a decade ago and absolutely hated it. Tried Wacom 4x6 (or something like that) with SolidWorks and found it unintuitive (although absolutely love to use it with corel draw).
IMHO for CADs nothing beats a comfortable mouse (MS gaming mouse is absolutely sick but overpriced). I use an el-cheapo Compaq optical mouse which I bought in the US analog of a $2 store and I think it is the most comfortable mouse I ever had.
Just my $0.02

[Grub]

I've used a mouse for years and then tried a tablet. If you are doing this for work, then insist on a tablet. The cost's not huge, a serous one starts at 129.00