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Looking around here, there's not a lot of FreeCAD fans I guess :) I use FreeCAD to create custom parts for my 3D printer. I also strongly prefer Open Source so
by Steltek 5y ago
Looking around here, there's not a lot of FreeCAD fans I guess :)
I use FreeCAD to create custom parts for my 3D printer. I also strongly prefer Open Source solutions. They won't change terms, add spyware, or compromise the design because of business needs. A quick find|grep of my CAD directory says I've made a couple hundred designs.
FreeCAD is definitely rough around the edges with bugs and stability. But for my needs, it works really well. I can take measurements and transpose a design in my head to a design on a computer. It's not AutoCAD or Fusion360 but I don't need it to be. It's an open tool that's helped me solve a lot of problems.
- fartcannon 5y agoI also use FreeCAD for my 3D prints. It works fantastic for that. I was officially trained to use SolidWorks in university and FreeCAD reminds me a lot of that. Two quality of life tips: 1) don't make sketches on faces, instead create a plane at the faces height/angle. I don't know why but this single handedly stopped my models getting corrupted. 2) Do fillets at the end. After you saved a backup. Then it works great. Can't be happier, really and looking forward to it's future.
- etskinner 5y agoIt's pretty clear why your sketch plane trick works: It makes it so that you never depend on previous geometry. Instead, all of your bodies are defined as floating somewhere in space, not "attached" to anything else
- Steltek 5y agoI can do you one better, create a master sketch: a sketch that you don't pad/revolve/etc to form a 3D object. All your future sketches should attach to references on the master sketch. Make the existing object/shape invisible so it's easier to work only with the master sketch. This mostly fixes the topo problem and as a bonus, it helps organize your thoughts into one sketch up front.