FreeCad - really just getting started

[devils4ever]

Could you post your Freecad file?

 

[WobblyHand]

@devils4ever Sure, we can do that now

 

[devils4ever]

I took a look at it and I don't see anything wrong. All looks correct to me. I created a TechDraw for it and it shows the angled holes correctly.

 

[WobblyHand]

@devils4ever thanks for looking at it. Appreciate it very much. I'll look at the Tech drawing. Haven't learned how to do that yet.

Edit: Just viewed this. Very nice. Is the Tech drawing slaved to the Model? If I change the Model are the Tech drawings automatically updated?

 

[devils4ever]

@devils4ever
Edit: Just viewed this. Very nice. Is the Tech drawing slaved to the Model? If I change the Model are the Tech drawings automatically updated?

Yes. It should automatically update. If not, hit the refresh button.

 

[WobblyHand]

Trying to get to the point where I can think about making an assembly. Of course I haven't gotten to that point in the videos. Kind of forging ahead with my little design. What is a decent strategy for making the parts? I brute forced the location of a crude diamond tool point to be through the hole in the part. I'm thinking of doing a screw assembly, which is more complicated and can't see doing it the same way. Haven't even figured out a good way to make that part yet in CAD. At the moment (for me) this is some difficult mental gymnastics.

Do I just make parts and bodies and then translate and rotate them on their datum planes? Or something else? Gee, not even sure if I'm asking a sensible question. Please point me in the right direction, if someone would be so kind. Is it better to make lots of separate files, or all in one file?

 

[devils4ever]

I create each part separately. Each has a body and is in its own file.

Then, I use A2plus (you may need to add this workbench to FreeCAD if you don't have it). You add each part and constrain them as with a sketch.

You should be able to find YT videos on A2plus.

 

[WobblyHand]

I create each part separately. Each has a body and is in its own file.

Then, I use A2plus (you may need to add this workbench to FreeCAD if you don't have it). You add each part and constrain them as with a sketch.

You should be able to find YT videos on A2plus.

Thanks. That sounds better than putting all one's eggs in one basket (file)! Just added A2plus. Guess I'll redraw the tool bit in a different drawing. The tool bit was really trivial, so I'll make a new one that's a little higher fidelity.

 

[WobblyHand]

Minor diversion to draw some tee-nuts, wanted to see if I could make the threads using the subtractive helix. I set the point of the triangle to be on the nominal major radius of the 3/8-16 screw. Started the thread at pitch/2 outside of the part and went in for 12.6 mm.

Made a drawing for myself to make 6 tee-nuts including the kerf of the saw. Used the internal spreadsheet so that I could keep track of things. Have the number of holes, the spacing, the saw kerf, the tee dimensions, the pitch. It computes the total length, and thread offset. In my sketches, the dimensions use references to the spreadsheet. It's set up so that you fill in the parameters in the spreadsheet and everything redraws. Yeah, I like love this. Of course, won't do the subtractive helix again, since the threads made this way and linear patterns are a bear to compute. But it gave me a giggle just to try it. Next drawing, won't ask it to cut threads.

Speaking of which, the computation seems to use a single core, is there a way to get it to use more than one core, or a GPU?

Made an attempt at a Tech Drawing. It's not very good, but not awful, and good enough for me to machine from. If I could turn off the vertices it would look better. Maybe I ought to read the instructions, or get back to the videos. Kind of hard to, this is getting more fun. Is there an option to change the default page size? Didn't see an option in Preferences. Found it. Have change the template. Don't like the letter landscape template, but hey, eventually I'll customize it.

 

[devils4ever]

For threads, I rarely make them correctly using a helix. The computations are really intense and FreeCAD slows down. Since I don't have a 3D printer, they don't need to be helixes.

I make them circular (round) and use the linear function to make as many threads as I need. They "look" correct, but really aren't.