- #Free cad program for hobbyist upgrade
- #Free cad program for hobbyist pro
- #Free cad program for hobbyist software
- #Free cad program for hobbyist free
Thanks Hans, I'll look into your suggestions.Īs a general question, is SolidWorks workflow similar to F360, i.e. Perhaps you would be inclined to journal your experience here.
Your experiences on this journey would make great material of interest to many readers on the FOG. I recommend taking this 2 inch thick volume and having FedEx Office cut the perfect binding off and split it into three physically manageable sections, spiral-bound to stay open or fold back on themselves to save desk space.īetween knowing WHY you are undertaking this, having a fully supported Application and seasoned, useful instructional text you can expect to “get up on the step” as the floatplane pilots say. I warmly recommend arming yourself with a quality technical instruction text from DAY 1:ĮNGINEERING DESIGN WITH SOLIDWORKS 2020by David C Planchard, SDC Publications $ 67.98 Get the text version to match the application you are running on your PC. Do you LIKE it? – if YES, it’s worth a try. See if the user interface appeals to you. The EAA membership gives you access to a growing support network. If your answer is a resounding YES, then I would say give SolidWorks a try. Is that benefit worth the time, effort and frustration to get up on the learning curve? What is the benefit you see yourself enjoying a year down the road? I feel the need to emphasize understanding WHY you want to learn to use any of these tools.
#Free cad program for hobbyist software
To begin with, just about any software has a learning curve and the need to use it with some regularity or the half-life of your newly acquired knowledge takes you back to a frustrating re-start. I mostly model in 3D using OpenSCAD (but starting in BlockSCAD: ) as discussed at: – you ask a very understandable question.
#Free cad program for hobbyist pro
license for the optional Pro mode was just announced:
#Free cad program for hobbyist free
As noted, Autodesk Fusion 360 is quite popular (despite the recent change in licensing), and FreeCAD is the premier opensource option (despite the headstart enjoyed by the venerable BRL-CAD).įolks doing free-form 3D modeling usually use Blender, though Moment of Inspiration is popular (and of course the cool kids with iPad Pros and Apple Pencils use Shapr3D).Ī free option (with a paid version in development) is made by my employer, Carbide Create: and a free 1 yr. Which tool you use depends to a great degree on what sort of work you wish to do and how you wish to approach it.
I've tried to maintain a list of all the free/opensource CAD programs at: I don't mind popping for an updated version from time to time, but can't handle the monthly fee for things that I only use periodically. Sadly, software developers are all going to subscription models, which is hard on hobbiests like us. Sketchup has been updated since then, but the fundamentals are still the same so don't let that bother you. Those DVD's are still available see link. I had some trouble learning sketchup too I bought the Joe Zeh tutorial DVD and worked through those lessons and now I feel pretty comfortable with it.
#Free cad program for hobbyist upgrade
Follow this link, scroll to the bottom and use Sketchup 2017.Įventually, we will have to upgrade but that won't happen for a number of years. You can still get the older non-web-based version of Sketchup I just downloaded it a couple days ago. April Wilkerson on her channel just released a couple of worthwhile ones, for example. Lots of Youtube videos on Sketchup as well. I took the Fusion classes from Udemy and they were very helpful. In either case google 'Sketchup for woodworking' or 'Fusion 360 for woodworking' for available classes. Sketchup does have a pro version with a lot more features, but it will cost you $300/yr. If you desire is for simple 3-D drawings, Sketchup is still a great alternative. If your desire is to eventually get to CNC, I'd jump into Fusion. You can still get the older versions here. I still use Sketchup with an older downloaded version. I use both depending on the project.įusion is definitely a higher learning curve, but it is available for free. It's parametric driven, which is different than Sketchup. Fusion 360 from Autodesk is the standard for a lot of makers.