idiot proof CAD - any suggestions?

[yorkee2010]

Evenin all...
Have been trolling the net in search of CAD software and am frankly bewildered by the stuff out there, im basically looking for entry level CAD that:-

A) isnt goint to require a re-mortgage, and

B) wont entail me taking a PHD in rocket science to use.....

Im initially planning to use it to draw some mild steel bases, truss plates, gussets etc for a timber framed building.
Any suggestions would be appreciated...
Thanks in advance....

 

[overload]

Siemens Solid Edge 2D is good and also free once you've registered your details.

 

[Llama]

Sketchup is pretty good for beginners, there are plenty of ad-ins for engineering type work.

 

[rtbcomp]

CAD STD LIte is free and very easy to use

 

[bs2236]

I use draftsight every day for work, prefer it to AutoCAD now. Best of all its free to download & install: -



http://www.draftsight.com/download-windows64

 

[BrokenBiker]

I could never get on with draftsight.

I found totalCAD 2d-3d to be quite handy in 2D mode. 3D mode is a bit complicated though and the rendering is a bit crap