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Thread: Software

  1. #1

    Software

    <p>
    I finally found Sketchup after all the years of having to sketch projects.......They now ruined it......I am wondering if anyone else uses programs like this and if so what?........ I wouldn&#39;t even mind paying a small amount for a quality program that would be funtional and easy to learn.....</p>

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
    Posts
    65,638
    SketchUp has become pretty ubiquitous with many woodworkers for anything from simple conceptualization to detailed drawings that feed to other places, such as for cut lists and into CAM systems. It's nice that one can use it effectively in it's free version and if their use (and the license) dictates, move up to the professional version.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  3. #3
    I've been using OpenSCAD and METAPOST, but that's more programming than design --- I do the actual design work in Macromedia Freehand / Inkscape) --- trying to work up a standard library of routines which will let me do joinery and so forth pretty much automatically, and make the designs parametric and changeable just by updating a text file.

    There's a list of pretty much all the free 3D CAD software on the Shapeoko wiki (w/ some commentary which I'll omit here):

    - http://www.k-3d.org/
    - http://brlcad.org/
    - http://www.artofillusion.org/
    - http://meshlab.sourceforge.net/
    - https://www.freecadweb.org/
    - http://www.openscad.org/
    - http://www.implicitcad.org/
    - http://narocad.com/
    - http://www.blender3d.org/
    - http://www.wings3d.com/
    - http://shapesmith.net/
    - http://solvespace.com/
    - http://www.povray.org/
    - http://lignumcad.sourceforge.net/doc/en/HTML/index.html
    - http://www.salome-platform.org/
    - http://download.cnet.com/TrueSpace/3...-10187286.html
    - http://www.rs-online.com/designspark...age/mechanical
    - http://www.formz.com/products/formzfree.html
    - http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en...f-29590d5781f2
    - http://pixologic.com/sculptris/
    - http://www.mattkeeter.com/projects/antimony/3/
    - http://abau.org/dilay/
    - http://www.publishyourdesign.com/modeler
    - http://www.doodle3d.com/

    I got a Japanese program free with a saw a while back, but found it very odd / confusing (as I do most of the ones above --- the one which I have hopes of actually learning are solvespace, and I keep coming back to the idea of trying and learning and buying / licensing Moment of Inspiration which was designed for use with tablet computers and is supposed to be quite good).
    Last edited by William Adams; 01-09-2018 at 11:34 AM.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Hugo, MN
    Posts
    117
    Check out Onshape. It is free and has lots of training material available. If you have ever used a CAD program it will be very easy to use. It is quite similar to Solid Works.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    E TN, near Knoxville
    Posts
    12,298
    Quote Originally Posted by Jenny Trice View Post
    Check out Onshape. It is free and has lots of training material available. If you have ever used a CAD program it will be very easy to use. It is quite similar to Solid Works.
    I looked briefly at the Onshape info. I didn't find hard info quickly but from hints that it can be used on any computer and mobile device, from a screen shot, and from "never have to manage files" it looks like this might be a web-based application. Is that true or can it be installed and used with full functionality on a local computer not connected to the internet?

    JKJ

  6. #6
    Autodesk Fusion 360 is not a bad program. It is free to students and hobbiests.

  7. #7
    Autodesk Fusion 360 can do lots more than Sketchup. BUT, at least for me, I found the learning curve MUCH steeper than for Sketchup. So much so that I have gone back to using Sketchup.

  8. I'm still working with Autodesk Fusion 360. It's free and the functionality is good enough.

  9. #9
    ..They now ruined it..
    Could you elaborate? What is ruined?

    jeff

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
    Posts
    65,638
    Quote Originally Posted by Jeff Roltgen View Post
    Could you elaborate? What is ruined?

    jeff
    The OP has not been here since 2018...
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  11. #11
    LOL - missed that!

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