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I started using blender again recently and the UI has major improvements, but mostly learning the shortcuts pays off big time (i.e. rx for rotate x, sy for scal

I started using blender again recently and the UI has major improvements, but mostly learning the shortcuts pays off big time (i.e. rx for rotate x, sy for scale y, gx for move x : in global space, gxx will move x in local space and so on). Changing space key in the settings to pop up a search toolbar, etc. My point being, each software has its own mechanics and takes a while to become productive at it. Blender has a lot of content online from users, with tips and tutorials, so it’s currently a good space to be, learning wise. CAD support is lacking though. Glad linking CAD Sketcher here found more users willing to try it out. Hopefully it gets feedback/support, helping to its development. Thanks

ezst 4y ago
Not disagreeing with any of that, I was just thinking that very little of what's generally useful in blender for making art transposes well into something useful or convenient for CAD. The whole mindset is different: you generally don't scale anything when designing a mechanical part, you specify or parametrize dimensions (because catalogue items like fasteners won't care that it looks awesome at 123.6%), and similarly, you don't move things by arbitrary offsets in arbitrary directions, you add assembly constraints so the kinematics make sense. I'm sure CAD Sketcher will grow a ton of convenient shortcuts too, I don't think they'll have much in common with the rest of blender.
Matumio 4y ago
I've been using Blender a few times for 3D printing. Functional parts with playful/artistic touch. I can recommend it for that. I tried FreeCAD recently but it feels, well, constrained. FreeCAD is like entering values into a form, while Blender is like playing around with the model interactively. You can drag anything around, tear it apart, fix it again. It's possible to keep things editable, almost parametric, but this requires more planning and knowledge. For getting started you definitely want to follow tutorials. One for basic mesh modelling, and one with focus on CAD. (How on earth are you supposed to figure out that you want a "subdivision surface" modifier. It's the first thing I add in every project.) But I'm thinking now FreeCAD may be just as hard to learn as Blender (unless you already know CAD). (But now that I know the basics of CAD workflows, CAD Sketcher looks interesting. Before that, I wouldn't have seen the point.)
- phkahler 4y ago
  >> FreeCAD is like entering values into a form, while Blender is like playing around with the model interactively. You should try solvespace, it has that fun feel but let's you apply constraints directly on the sketch.

ezst 4y ago

Not disagreeing with any of that, I was just thinking that very little of what's generally useful in blender for making art transposes well into something useful or convenient for CAD. The whole mindset is different: you generally don't scale anything when designing a mechanical part, you specify or parametrize dimensions (because catalogue items like fasteners won't care that it looks awesome at 123.6%), and similarly, you don't move things by arbitrary offsets in arbitrary directions, you add assembly constraints so the kinematics make sense. I'm sure CAD Sketcher will grow a ton of convenient shortcuts too, I don't think they'll have much in common with the rest of blender.

Matumio 4y ago

I've been using Blender a few times for 3D printing. Functional parts with playful/artistic touch. I can recommend it for that. I tried FreeCAD recently but it feels, well, constrained. FreeCAD is like entering values into a form, while Blender is like playing around with the model interactively. You can drag anything around, tear it apart, fix it again. It's possible to keep things editable, almost parametric, but this requires more planning and knowledge. For getting started you definitely want to follow tutorials. One for basic mesh modelling, and one with focus on CAD. (How on earth are you supposed to figure out that you want a "subdivision surface" modifier. It's the first thing I add in every project.) But I'm thinking now FreeCAD may be just as hard to learn as Blender (unless you already know CAD). (But now that I know the basics of CAD workflows, CAD Sketcher looks interesting. Before that, I wouldn't have seen the point.)

phkahler 4y ago
>> FreeCAD is like entering values into a form, while Blender is like playing around with the model interactively. You should try solvespace, it has that fun feel but let's you apply constraints directly on the sketch.