Thread: Prototype software and a gearing question

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Ok, I have two questions that are related to each other. First up, does anybody know of a decent, free piece of software to prototype a mechanical system? I'd like to draw all of the gears/bars/etc that will run a gag and test it out before spending the money on the parts.

The gag I'm building (and my second question) is a large drawer that slides itself in and out using a small electric motor. I'll be building a mausoleum wall (similar to the one seen here using plywood, and would like to be able to have one of the "body drawers" slowly slide out, and then back in. My idea is to have a motor driving a gear with an arm attached to the back of the drawer, so that when the arm is on the half of the gear closest to the back of the drawer it is closing/closed, and when it is on the half farthest from the back it is opening/open. I hope that makes sense, it's tough to explain, but a simple system... If anyone has any better ideas of how to make a drawer slide in and out, I would be happy to hear them, I'm just making blind guesses right now!

Google sketchup is fairly good for the software.

For the drawer I think that I would use a wiper motor and adjust the length of the crank arm or you could use an air cylinder with the drawer mounted on drawer slides to reduce the friction.