Working backward looking for 3d software

[Dabrowski]

I'm looking to get some 3d software to do some basic boxes and circles. I'd like to create pieces for furniture assembly (nothing too complicated), but I don't want to have to use a plain image program to manually add sides and depth to objects. I would like to be able to create, say, a graphic of a board (like a 1x4) with some notches and export it as a png or jpg and import it into Fireworks to add numbers and other details for the final graphic.

Getting ahead of myself, I downloaded Blender, and I'm not sure if it's what I'm looking for. It pops up a funny DOS-type window, and that always tells me I'm probably out of my league. Any ideas?

[Croc Hunter]

You said the D word!.. It was him mjp!.. Dabrowski did it!!.. lol.

Ignore the "Dos" type prompt for now. That is for scripting. You just need to play with the basic shapes and lighting. Download a few example models to experiment with. The Blender interface is difficult to learn. Just one to many buttons there, but it can quickly make visually stunning projects once you do learn it.

I would point you towards CyberMotion 3D. Not free, but cheap, and is much easier to learn.

Old 3D thread: http://forum.powweb.com/showthread.php?t=38885