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One month ago, I didn't really know what 3D printing was. Yesterday, I designed in FreeCAD my first model and printed it. What an amazing experience. (lemmy.world)
submitted 2 years ago* by to c/3dprinting@lemmy.world
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I still have no idea what I'm doing really. Just too determined to give up I guess, and it's been such fun. Anyway I made a guitar pedal light switch cover. Still a lot of work to do, and every time I look at FreeCAD the wrong way, the model breaks, but it's been a fun experience nonetheless.

On a side note, anybody have any idea why the face of the model is rough textured, while the foot switch on the lower half is flawless?

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[–] 2 points 2 years ago (4 children)

FreeCad is a nice foss entry, but it tends to get arcane the further you dive. If you find fc stops doing what you need then try fusion 360. F360 is closed source and makes you save files in the cloud so it's a birch that way, but about 10x easier to use.

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  • [–] 9 points 2 years ago (4 children)

    F360 personal is limited to 10 saved designs, and I don't know how expensive but a lot. I mean I use it but I wish I didn't

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  • [–] 7 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    10 saves that you can actively work on. You can toggle them between “editable” and “read only” at any time, so it’s a stupid nuisance but not really more than that.

    At least it doesn’t force you to publish designs online like onshape does

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  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    I actually asked OnShape a question and have yet to hear from them. Due to what seems like very poor legal drafting, as best I can tell, they force the creators to agree to non-commercial usage, but then they just give EVERYONE ELSE a license to use the designs commercially. I think that either the public thing was a late addition to their business model, or they were just too lazy to distinguish between what THEY could do with other people's designs and what random Joe Etsy could do. The email address listed on the Terms of Use to accept questions bounces back external emails, though. Nice.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago

    I suspect that it’s a recent change- probably an attempt to build up a repository like thingiverse… only they figured, why bother with attracting content when you could just force it.

    Basically, it’s now their models in the cloud. Their IP. Your work, your, uh “intellect”… their tool, and it’s now theirs.

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago (1 child)

    True. Tbf. I like that I can easily share my things with my friends but dislike the forced online.

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  • [–] 3 points 2 years ago* (1 child)

    criticism of F360 is definitely fair game. i don't like the forced online, and I don't like they only support windows (cuz linux is scawry), and I the cut-down version has some fairly deep cuts in the utility. (I use FC for setting up the open foam problems and FEM studies. it actually works well for that.)

    the 10 active files things is a stupid, stupid restriction to impose, though. like, i'm not even sure why they did. restricting access to FEM studies or generative design etc, yeah, that makes sense. (though I'd love it if they let me do local things, too... my computer can handle it...)

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  • [–] 4 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    I used to recommend F360 for beginner but now I think Onshape is a better option.

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  • [–] 1 point 2 years ago

    Onshape is indeed quite easy to get the hang of. Only downside is that it doesn't work that well with a shitty internet connection. So trying to finish a model between classes was definitely easier when I was still using f360.

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  • [–] 3 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    Avoid cloud based software. All of your work disappears when it gets shut down or if they just feel like deleting your files or closing your account for any reason they choose.

    There are other open source CAD programs like SolveSpace, which many people consider to be easier than FreeCAD.
    There is BRL-CAD which is quite capable if you don't mind the 1980's style GUI. There is also OpenSCAD if you like scripting instead of a point and click interface.

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