[Closed] Easy program to DESIGN my own stuff for Beginner  

Re: Easy program to DESIGN my own stuff for Beginner

Try Tinkercad. Run through a few of the lessons first.

https://www.tinkercad.com

Re: Easy program to DESIGN my own stuff for Beginner

If you think like a programmer, try OpenSCAD. It is very powerful, has good tutorials, and can make very good parts. (Prusa uses it to make the parts for the printers).

If you are more interested in organic shapes, try one of the mesh modelers like Blender or Meshmixer or ...

Re: Easy program to DESIGN my own stuff for Beginner

I'd suggest Fusion 360. It's free for hobbyists and businesses making less than $100,000 per year. A bit of a learning curve, but not too difficult to learn and its quite powerful.

Re: Easy program to DESIGN my own stuff for Beginner

I can also recommend Fusion360. It might look a bit difficult but it is actually quite easy. There are a lot of really great guys on YouTube that have made good videos on how to solve things.

I also use Tinkercad to modify downloaded STL's when needed.

Re: Easy program to DESIGN my own stuff for Beginner

FreeCAD is a good one. Learning curve can be steep but it worths a try.
I would suggest starting with version 0.16 until 0.17 is out.
Don't try to jump in without doing a few tutorials...It helps (own experience)

Re: Easy program to DESIGN my own stuff for Beginner

The question is similar to asking which religion is best 😉

I can recommend Fusion360 as well, but every has other piorities

Re: Easy program to DESIGN my own stuff for Beginner

Yep, it's the classic "it depends" answer, which often is no help at all. That said, here is my opinion:

TinkerCAD is just too limited, can't create anything serious, but ok for tinkering around with useless experiments (you can learn a few things from it). I personally never got into it because I felt I would learn bad habits or crutches that don't translate well as I graduated to more official apps.

123D is a step up from TinkerCAD, still simple, but you can create useful and even somewhat complex/functional things. (see here, live video start to finish of a crossbow in 123D):

Fusion360 is a step up from 123D. I spend my time here because it just works the way my brain does *

OnShape - super awesome, super easy, more powerful (and easier to use) than Fusion360, really works well with the way my mind works (very intuitive), BUT... it's browser-based, all your projects are public unless you have a paid account, which is not cheap last I checked. Also cannot use designs commercially without a paid account (non-issue if that is not important in ones case).

For those recommending OpenSCAD, you must be software developer type of people, very technical. Hardly an interface, you define things in code. It helps you see how things fundamentally get constructed, and is powerful, but dang... I'd rather go write and then try and debug 10,000 lines of javascript (a popular but loathsome language).

All of these seem to have reasonable community traction, videos, and/or forums to learn basics and tips from.

* The biggest problem with anyone recommending anything is that some things are better for one brain type than another, regardless of feature set. I mean, I find Fusion360 easier than 123D, but it surely isn't that way for someone else who's mind is geared more like the way 123D was designed. Same is true for software programming languages - I don't use what is "best", I use what works for me based on how I'm wired. Humans are interesting.

So the answer is: try 3, 4 or more of these out and see which one you gravitate towards.

Re: Easy program to DESIGN my own stuff for Beginner

+1 for Fusion360
Lars is doing a great job to help beginners dive into it. It helped me a lot to bypass the entry scariness

In my opinion there is no easy way to design 3D stuff. You have to train your brain think the same way, the program is designed for. But once you understand how it works, you want to have mighty tools and improve your designs.

Re: Easy program to DESIGN my own stuff for Beginner

I find it funny that no matter how much you automate, computerize, and attempt to make something "universal" it all still comes down to the INDIVIDUAL human element.

Maybe there is hope for us yet,

Neal

Re: Easy program to DESIGN my own stuff for Beginner

Fusion360 - check YouTube for tutorials on using it, it can be a little difficult if you are not familiar with using CAD/drafting software. It is very frustrating if you are not familiar with its operation, very easy to be in the wrong menu or palette option and not know why it isn't doing what you think it should be

Re: Easy program to DESIGN my own stuff for Beginner

I'd like freecad and there are a lot of videos in youtube for learn about it.

Re: Easy program to DESIGN my own stuff for Beginner

If you want easy I would suggest NOT bothering with F360. While they have attempted to cram every feature under sun into the package they forgot a lot about basic functionality and have created numerous irritating bugs.

Also, something which has annoyed many, is the fact it is very cloud centric.

All my opinions naturally 🙂

Re: Easy program to DESIGN my own stuff for Beginner

If you want easy I would suggest NOT bothering with F360. While they have attempted to cram every feature under sun into the package they forgot a lot about basic functionality and have created numerous irritating bugs.

Also, something which has annoyed many, is the fact it is very cloud centric.

All my opinions naturally 🙂

Can you suggest something different instead? What's your preferred 3D program?

Re: Easy program to DESIGN my own stuff for Beginner

If you want easy I would suggest NOT bothering with F360. While they have attempted to cram every feature under sun into the package they forgot a lot about basic functionality and have created numerous irritating bugs.

Also, something which has annoyed many, is the fact it is very cloud centric.

All my opinions naturally 🙂

I don't like F-360 either for the same reason. I just don't know what else is good to use.

Re: Easy program to DESIGN my own stuff for Beginner

If you want easy I would suggest NOT bothering with F360. While they have attempted to cram every feature under sun into the package they forgot a lot about basic functionality and have created numerous irritating bugs.

Also, something which has annoyed many, is the fact it is very cloud centric.

All my opinions naturally 🙂

Can you suggest something different instead? What's your preferred 3D program?

Sorry, I don't have experience in anything else, yet. Best to try what others have already recommended, except Fusion.

Re: Easy program to DESIGN my own stuff for Beginner

Have a look at Creo Elements/Direct Modelling Express 6.0 - available from PTC. It's free - just needs internet connection to keep the licence validated.

Re: Easy program to DESIGN my own stuff for Beginner

Have a look at Creo Elements/Direct Modelling Express 6.0 - available from PTC. It's free - just needs internet connection to keep the licence validated.

This is what concerns me is everything is connected to the CLOUD? Is there a program that you can get that's not cloud based once you purchase it?

Re: Easy program to DESIGN my own stuff for Beginner

Have a look at Creo Elements/Direct Modelling Express 6.0 - available from PTC. It's free - just needs internet connection to keep the licence validated.

This is what concerns me is everything is connected to the CLOUD? Is there a program that you can get that's not cloud based once you purchase it?

The paid version does not need any connection - but it is professional CAD/CAM software so it is expensive. Do you qualify for an educational licence - that is also standalone.

Cheers,

Re: Easy program to DESIGN my own stuff for Beginner

Actually I like the cloud service in Fusion 360. Me and my wife can modify same objects. They don't have to be public (private by default)
And the program is always up-to-date. It's perfect for our private needs.

I think if you need to keep your objects secure because of your business, you will need to go for AutoCAD, Solidworks with separate license server inside your network. But this is a completely different price zone.