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Looking forward to the follow up! I have a question: what CAD software do you use? Would you recommend it to a beginner? I'm desperate in that software space,

Looking forward to the follow up! I have a question: what CAD software do you use? Would you recommend it to a beginner? I'm desperate in that software space, everything seems either clunky, too complex (as a beginner) or overly expensive...

gcds 6y ago
Writing follow up from home depo store. The CAD I use is Autodekst Invetor I got license from family company as I sometimes help with some CAD designs so its basically free for me, but if looking for cheaper/free alternative is probably Fusion 360 is really limited compared to normal Inventor but its pretty good for beginner
- ragebol 6y ago
  I'm really liking Onshape, which works in the browser.
sirn 6y ago
As a beginner (have been learning CAD since a week ago), I tried OpenSCAD then FreeCAD and found FreeCAD to be simple enough to get started. I followed the tutorial in FreeCAD Wiki[1], particularly the Toothbrush Head Stand[2] one (since my primary use was 3D printing) and could get comfortable with the software within a day or two. [1]: https://wiki.freecadweb.org/Tutorials https://wiki.freecadweb.org/Tutorials [2]: https://wiki.freecadweb.org/Toothbrush_Head_Stand https://wiki.freecadweb.org/Toothbrush_Head_Stand
- jstanley 6y ago
  For anyone else reading this: The key thing to know in FreeCAD is that you almost always want to use the "Part Design" workbench. Then the workflow for creating a part starts with creating a "Body". The "Body" represents a single solid. The major features of your part are created with 2-dimensional sketches (either on the base planes, or on flat surfaces of the part, or on datum planes that you can define). The sketches are then "Padded" up to form a solid bit or "Pocketed" down to form holes in the solid bits (although there are other operations as well - Pad and Pocket are the most important). Knowing that much should be enough to help you mentally plan your part, and then looking at the tutorials should be enough to learn how to use the UI. If you are reading this and are having trouble with FreeCAD please feel free to email me (address in bio) and I will try to help you. I love FreeCAD and I wish it was the "default" hobbyist CAD instead of Fusion360.
  - hanniabu 6y ago
    That's the difference between freecad, sketch, and blender? I often see these names thrown around but not sure if each is used for a different purpose or if they're all the same but different people just prefer different software.
    - jstanley 6y ago
      FreeCAD is a parametric CAD program. A Sketch is a type of thing within FreeCAD. Sketches are defined using constraints and dimensions, not free-hand drawing. Blender is polygon-based 3D modelling with (pretty much) free-hand drawing and no constraints or dimensions. FreeCAD and Blender can both export to many of the same formats (notably STL, for 3d printing), but their internal data representation, and supported workflow, is completely different. FreeCAD is more appropriate when you want mechanical parts, and Blender is more appropriate when you want something artistic like a figurine.
    - sirn 6y ago
      CAD is operated based on constraint, e.g. make a square box and say "I want this to be 30mm x 45mm with this point, add a fillet (rounded corner) then make it coincident with this point" and let the software figure out how to shape/position the object. While Blender is more of a free-hand drawing, e.g. make a square box, make it certain size, make a corner rounded, then move it to the a certain point. Blender has ability to do simple constraint, but it's not its primary uses. FreeCAD can also be used the Blender way but the software will warn about being under-constraint. Both FreeCAD and Blender can export to STL file (used by CAD softwares), but Blender's STL usually need to be scaled to real world measurements. In case of 3D printing, this STL file can be imported into a slicer software such as PrusaSlicer, which outputs GCode to control the printer (e.g. X, Y, Z coordinates, extrusion temperature, etc.)
  - xcambar 6y ago
    I didn't put your recommendations under test, but that sounds like solid advice. Thanks for sharing!
  - crusso 6y ago
chrisdalke 6y ago
Fusion 360 is free but has a certain clunkiness that is hard to get past if you’ve used other CAD products. There are many sneaky ways that people get expensive CAD licenses (I use Solidworks) - many organizations offer an educational license if you are a member. For example, check out the Experimental Aircraft Association.
defterGoose 6y ago
Do you like command line interfaces? If so I'd highly recommend Rhino. Any CAD suite is going to have a learning curve to it, but Rhino is as intuitive as any you'll find, while being incredibly powerful in it's features. It has a demo version (with limited save capability) so you can dip your toes in. There's something great about having the names for things be their commands: you want a line? Just type "line".

gcds 6y ago

Writing follow up from home depo store. The CAD I use is Autodekst Invetor I got license from family company as I sometimes help with some CAD designs so its basically free for me, but if looking for cheaper/free alternative is probably Fusion 360 is really limited compared to normal Inventor but its pretty good for beginner

ragebol 6y ago
I'm really liking Onshape, which works in the browser.

sirn 6y ago

As a beginner (have been learning CAD since a week ago), I tried OpenSCAD then FreeCAD and found FreeCAD to be simple enough to get started. I followed the tutorial in FreeCAD Wiki[1], particularly the Toothbrush Head Stand[2] one (since my primary use was 3D printing) and could get comfortable with the software within a day or two. [1]: https://wiki.freecadweb.org/Tutorials https://wiki.freecadweb.org/Tutorials [2]: https://wiki.freecadweb.org/Toothbrush_Head_Stand https://wiki.freecadweb.org/Toothbrush_Head_Stand

jstanley 6y ago
For anyone else reading this: The key thing to know in FreeCAD is that you almost always want to use the "Part Design" workbench. Then the workflow for creating a part starts with creating a "Body". The "Body" represents a single solid. The major features of your part are created with 2-dimensional sketches (either on the base planes, or on flat surfaces of the part, or on datum planes that you can define). The sketches are then "Padded" up to form a solid bit or "Pocketed" down to form holes in the solid bits (although there are other operations as well - Pad and Pocket are the most important). Knowing that much should be enough to help you mentally plan your part, and then looking at the tutorials should be enough to learn how to use the UI. If you are reading this and are having trouble with FreeCAD please feel free to email me (address in bio) and I will try to help you. I love FreeCAD and I wish it was the "default" hobbyist CAD instead of Fusion360.
- hanniabu 6y ago
  That's the difference between freecad, sketch, and blender? I often see these names thrown around but not sure if each is used for a different purpose or if they're all the same but different people just prefer different software.
  - jstanley 6y ago
    FreeCAD is a parametric CAD program. A Sketch is a type of thing within FreeCAD. Sketches are defined using constraints and dimensions, not free-hand drawing. Blender is polygon-based 3D modelling with (pretty much) free-hand drawing and no constraints or dimensions. FreeCAD and Blender can both export to many of the same formats (notably STL, for 3d printing), but their internal data representation, and supported workflow, is completely different. FreeCAD is more appropriate when you want mechanical parts, and Blender is more appropriate when you want something artistic like a figurine.
  - sirn 6y ago
    CAD is operated based on constraint, e.g. make a square box and say "I want this to be 30mm x 45mm with this point, add a fillet (rounded corner) then make it coincident with this point" and let the software figure out how to shape/position the object. While Blender is more of a free-hand drawing, e.g. make a square box, make it certain size, make a corner rounded, then move it to the a certain point. Blender has ability to do simple constraint, but it's not its primary uses. FreeCAD can also be used the Blender way but the software will warn about being under-constraint. Both FreeCAD and Blender can export to STL file (used by CAD softwares), but Blender's STL usually need to be scaled to real world measurements. In case of 3D printing, this STL file can be imported into a slicer software such as PrusaSlicer, which outputs GCode to control the printer (e.g. X, Y, Z coordinates, extrusion temperature, etc.)
- xcambar 6y ago
  I didn't put your recommendations under test, but that sounds like solid advice. Thanks for sharing!
- crusso 6y ago

chrisdalke 6y ago

Fusion 360 is free but has a certain clunkiness that is hard to get past if you’ve used other CAD products. There are many sneaky ways that people get expensive CAD licenses (I use Solidworks) - many organizations offer an educational license if you are a member. For example, check out the Experimental Aircraft Association.

defterGoose 6y ago

Do you like command line interfaces? If so I'd highly recommend Rhino. Any CAD suite is going to have a learning curve to it, but Rhino is as intuitive as any you'll find, while being incredibly powerful in it's features. It has a demo version (with limited save capability) so you can dip your toes in. There's something great about having the names for things be their commands: you want a line? Just type "line".