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Futzing around with CAD is the worst. Every time I fire up SketchUp, I can't help but think how much faster it would be to just draw what I need to draw by hand

Futzing around with CAD is the worst. Every time I fire up SketchUp, I can't help but think how much faster it would be to just draw what I need to draw by hand. I keep doing it because there's definitely value in being able to send drawings around electronically, and eventually, I'll probably need to send something out to be CNC cut. I've also used both AutoCAD and ProE, neither enough to become truly proficient, but this isn't my first rodeo either.

justinclift 8y ago
> ... I'll probably need to send something out to be CNC cut. As a general thought, SketchUp probably won't be suitable for that. It doesn't seem to export to any format commonly used by CAM tools. eg STEP/IGES are the general ones. JT is common in some places too. Saying that after looking at it a couple of months ago, when someone mentioned using it for an online CAD course. Seems like a terrible choice for any instructor to be telling students to use. :(
- mauvehaus 8y ago
  I'm told Fusion 360 is a much preferable tool for that reason, among others, but SketchUp is free for me for now. I'm hoping enough of what I learn is transferable. Actually, I'm hoping whatever I switch to when I'm using it commercially is a little less magical. SketchUp's inference system is neat. When it works. I'm also not interested in renting software. I'd like to own it, thank you very much. Fusion 360 is only available on a subscription model.
  - justinclift 8y ago
    > I'm also not interested in renting software. I'd like to own it, thank you very much. Fusion 360 is only available on a subscription model. Fully agreed. :) If you're ok with trying out OSS software, FreeCAD has become pretty decent with the 0.17 release (not long ago) and can also generate the needed CAM drive cutting tools as well. It's interface is a bit clunky, however it's really powerful too. It does output useful 3D model formats as well, in case you need to send stuff to an outside place for doing stuff with. :)

justinclift 8y ago

> ... I'll probably need to send something out to be CNC cut. As a general thought, SketchUp probably won't be suitable for that. It doesn't seem to export to any format commonly used by CAM tools. eg STEP/IGES are the general ones. JT is common in some places too. Saying that after looking at it a couple of months ago, when someone mentioned using it for an online CAD course. Seems like a terrible choice for any instructor to be telling students to use. :(

mauvehaus 8y ago
I'm told Fusion 360 is a much preferable tool for that reason, among others, but SketchUp is free for me for now. I'm hoping enough of what I learn is transferable. Actually, I'm hoping whatever I switch to when I'm using it commercially is a little less magical. SketchUp's inference system is neat. When it works. I'm also not interested in renting software. I'd like to own it, thank you very much. Fusion 360 is only available on a subscription model.
- justinclift 8y ago
  > I'm also not interested in renting software. I'd like to own it, thank you very much. Fusion 360 is only available on a subscription model. Fully agreed. :) If you're ok with trying out OSS software, FreeCAD has become pretty decent with the 0.17 release (not long ago) and can also generate the needed CAM drive cutting tools as well. It's interface is a bit clunky, however it's really powerful too. It does output useful 3D model formats as well, in case you need to send stuff to an outside place for doing stuff with. :)