New Toy

DocTrucker · 15 May 2019, 06:50

I believe FreeCAD is built on OpenSCAD so the little perculiararities that you may have learned for the latter won't be completely lost of the former.

FreeCAD isn't perfect but it has come along at a huge pace since if first looked at it and especially in the last two years.

Edit: Not used OpenSCAD myself though.

OBELIKS · 15 May 2019, 07:29

FreeCAD is OK for simple shapes. Complex ones can be done, but it takes a lot more time than in a mature CAD (but it is improving!).

As for simplicity of use, from what I used:

Onshape (there are/were some issues regarding the free licence)
Solidworks, Autodesk Inventor (both not free), Fusion360 (one of bigger problems for me is that all files are on cloud, so if they decide to drop free licence for tinkerers, we are f...)
FreeCAD (open source), PTC Creo (this is the dinosaur of the bunch and it shows, also not free)

And keep in mind that if you learn one of them, you will be able to do something in each of these. Maybe not Creo, the quirks this one haves, oh boy.

deckingman · 15 May 2019, 07:39

Taking a step back and looking at this logically, I'm asking myself "why do I need (to learn) a new Computer Aided Design product " when all I want is to produce 2 dimensional drawings of fairly simply things that I want to make on a manual milling machine?

I think I'll just stock up on envelopes so that I can use the backs of them .............

OBELIKS · 15 May 2019, 07:45

Heh, yeah.
If you do, go for FreeCAD, you already use it for some things, and fun fact, it really can handle OpenSCAD files natively.

A Former User · 15 May 2019, 09:19

@danal readung your post it could seem like the designers have intended a sketch to only have a single feature, and once this has been turned to 3d it is hidden to avoid cluttering up the next sketch you want. And if you create your 2nd sketch off the surface of your newly created 3d object it will project the sketch geometry off that surface to your sketch.

I understand you want a different workflow, but if you work with the software instead of against it may prove more efficient.

Having said that my intiial experience was pretty much the same as yours.

fma · 15 May 2019, 09:21

@deckingman, have a look at https://www.tinkercad.com, it may be enough for your needs.

A Former User · 15 May 2019, 09:21

@deckingman said in New Toy:

... all I want is to produce 2 dimensional drawings of fairly simply things that I want to make on a manual milling machine?

I think I'll just stock up on envelopes so that I can use the backs of them .............

Unless you could use the sketches directly (like the screenshot over in the v-slot thread) then fusion is a bit cumbersome to make 2d drawings from the parts. Its very full featured, but I tend not to bother using it, its simply faster to just turn on dimmensions for sketches so they remain when not in sketch mode.

Phaedrux · 15 May 2019, 17:00

I'll probably get tarred and feathered for suggesting this, but I actually still use Sketchup when I'm making a simple drawing for woodworking. Probably because that's just what I was used to using for that task before I learned Fusion.

It has its own quirks for sure and doesn't easily produce nice STLs for 3D printing, but for doing a line sketch with dimensions it's pretty decent.

Now that I'm more familiar with Fusion I'd probably use it for sketching instead, but sketchup has a place.

A Former User · 15 May 2019, 19:24

@phaedrux said in New Toy:

I'll probably get tarred and feathered for suggesting this, but I actually still use Sketchup when I'm making a simple drawing for woodworking. Probably because that's just what I was used to using for that task before I learned Fusion.

lol, hope you'll stay clear of the tar, after all the best tool for the job is the one you're proficient with, and SketchUp was great until google sold it. With SketchUcam it was kinda nice, quirks and all.

Although I'd have to say I find the workflow pretty similar between the two for simple stuff like that, and you could easily repoduce the same images in fusion by enabling "show sketch dimensions" while in the modelling space of fusion. Fusion CAM blows everything else in its price point out of the water which is the sole reason I stick with it.

Danal · 15 May 2019, 20:14

@bearer said in New Toy:

Fusion CAM blows everything else in its price point out of the water which is the sole reason I stick with it.

One of my big reasons, as well.

Danal · 15 May 2019, 20:15

@phaedrux said in New Toy:

I'll probably get tarred and feathered for suggesting this, but I actually still use Sketchup ...

I haven't in a while, but I should. I REALLY liked their inference engine, once I was past the learning curve.

Danal · 15 May 2019, 20:17

@bearer said in New Toy:

if you work with the software instead of against it may prove more efficient.

I'd LOVE to "work with it". Very hard to do when clicking with an arrow changes the color/highlight of a line/face/object, but does not actually select it. That's not a personal pref... that's just flatly a violation of UI de-facto behavior.

A Former User · 15 May 2019, 20:19

It does have its flaws, I just don't see the sketch hiding as one of them after getting used to it.

deckingman · 27 May 2019, 19:12

New toy number 2 has arrived.

I got impatient waiting for the DRO version to be in stock so I bought the non-DRO version version and a separate 2 axis DRO. I'm making brackets on "Toy1" to fit the DRO scales to "Toy2".

There is a 3D printing related purpose to all of this ..........

snoozer · 27 May 2019, 22:07

To have a workshop would be the only ever reason why could think of buying a place...... happy for you to be able to get those machines and run them at home.

Have FuN!
Jan

DocTrucker · 28 May 2019, 07:20

Building a model steam engine yet?

A Former User · 9 Jul 2019, 10:14

@fma said in New Toy:

On the other hand, Fusion360 has more stuffs, like integrated CAM or finite elements computation, which I would love to use. But I'm using Linux...

I didn't know but apparently Autodesk is bringing Fusion to the browser. Presently only the modeling workspace, but they add CAM and the rest that would be quite nice! Just briefly tried the modeling and its smooth, at least for small simple parts like most of my stuff is.

deckingman · 9 Jul 2019, 11:49

Getting back on topic, I've been busy making more parts with my new toys. If anyone is interested I've done some write ups on my blog.

https://somei3deas.wordpress.com/2019/06/18/z-motor-mount-belt-tensioner-upgrade/

https://somei3deas.wordpress.com/2019/07/04/z-axis-aluminium-upgrade/

https://somei3deas.wordpress.com/2019/07/09/6-extruder-carriage-upgrade/

Phaedrux · 9 Jul 2019, 18:47

I'm totally stealing the ideal of using an O ring on the lead screw nuts to give it some self alignment leeway. Glad to see you're getting some good use out of those new ~~toys~~ tools.

deckingman · 9 Jul 2019, 19:11

@phaedrux said in New Toy:

I'm totally stealing the ideal of using an O ring on the lead screw nuts to give it some self alignment leeway. Glad to see you're getting some good use out of those new ~~toys~~ tools.

Feel free to steal - that's why I post all this stuff. I don't really know if it's totally necessary but it seemed like a good idea when I thought of it a few years ago so I've stuck with it. The digital dentist ( @mrehorstdmd ) recently did something similar to allow the bed the "float" but I think his concern was more about thermal expansion (I could be wrong - I didn't read his write up fully). But I have 12mm of insulation between the heated bed and the frame that the mounts attach too, so I'm not concerned about that.

"Toys" or "tools" - they are one and the same