FreeCad - really just getting started

woodchucker said:
I'm also using 19.. I would love to do freecad or solidworks, but I think the price is keeping me away. Not enough use to justify it. I was hoping freecad would work for me. It could if some of the little quirky things were fixed. Some are down right annoying. I started mostly so I can get a drawing. I did find it nice working off a real drawing.. but when the dimensions started showing up as corrupted, it mad the drawing useless. I have been really hampered by that. Like all I use it for is to get the drawing and they can't hold on to the reference!!!!!!!!!! I realize many use it for 3d printing, but I need that drawing, so I can just go and machine..... I keep it as simple as I can so I can progress. And I just get so annoyed when it appears to be working, then all of a sudden it drops an area I am not working in... or it says corrupted, or redundant constraints... who cares if they are redundant, it should help to lock something in... but instead it balks like crazy.
Click to expand...
I know that this is a FreeCad thread, but what about Fusion 360 (free version) for you? It seems like you have enough knowledge already that it would be a good solution for you.

I pay $99/yr for Solidworks Education and it does absolutely everything I could ever want, and more.
 
7milesup said:
I know that this is a FreeCad thread, but what about Fusion 360 (free version) for you? It seems like you have enough knowledge already that it would be a good solution for you.

I pay $99/yr for Solidworks Education and it does absolutely everything I could ever want, and more.
Click to expand...
free version? I didn't know it was free. I thought it was $99 for a hobbyist. Did it change?
 
7milesup said:
It is free. 3 year "subscription" but that is somewhat of a misnomer.

Fusion 360 for Personal Use | Fusion 360 | Autodesk

Download Fusion 360 for personal, non-commercial use. Get access to free CAD, CAM, CAE and PCB software for qualifying individuals here.
www.autodesk.com www.autodesk.com
Click to expand...
It's free until it isn't. Autodesk has a long history of that. Seems to be a pattern with them. Hook you, than charge for it. But if it works for you, great.

@woodchucker, I think you are about 1 minute away from cracking this nut in FreeCAD. Don't give up, think we are getting close to a working solution for you. If after you solve it, you want to migrate to Fusion that's ok, but don't let this FreeCAD issue beat you.
 
WobblyHand said:
Ok. Think I just got a clue. By any chance are you making a model, then using TechDraw, then changing the model again? This typically breaks the 2d drawing. The reason is what is called the topological naming problem. 0.19 does not have a good solution for the TNP, but there are some workarounds. Can you post one of your models, perhaps a simpler one, that has issues? HM allows posting of FreeCAD models.

You should not overconstrain the models. You should only put in enough to satisfy FreeCAD, really. Once the sketch is constrained, it should be done. Over constraining messes up the solver and usually isn't necessary, if you constrained the drawing properly. This is something that seems like you need to review. If you have particular questions, post up the model in question.

For the non-professional use that I have, I just can't justify spending big money on 3D CAD. It makes no sense. If I were a business, that would be different, then it's a tool. I'm retired and don't want to pay for CAD, especially if it isn't income producing.
Click to expand...
that's me too, although I got a very very expensive suite of programs for nothing, I feel no guilt as I do not use them for profit

I spend 10 hrs a day modeling boats, which keeps me sane as since my stroke I can only work a few hours on physical stuff
but CAD is a real struggle in some programs
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top