Need Low Cost Autocad Replacement

I have been looking for a 3D modeling program to do drawings for manual and CNC that I could afford. I have TurboCad, but not the high dollar version that would interface completely with CAM. Sketchup was promising, but the learning curve was daunting and, again, only the pay version really was an all round CAD. I downloaded Fussion 360. and I am enjoying it. It has decent tutorials that are available through the help menu. I have not gotten beyond drawing yet, but it is supposed to do CAM without having to sell your kids to use it. It does dimensions in the sketch unit of the program and can export to STL and DXF. I have worked myself through the sketch and create features and have managed to produce a mostly complete model of the base casting of a mini mill. There are some holes missing, the mounting tabs, and some of the webs on the underside.
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I am looking forward to being able to apply my planned modification to the model before committing to metal.
 
Im looking at a 3d modelling program to replace inventor? I use a work computer to play around with to learn but I just dont get how the programs thinks? Nothing is intuitive to me? I get that frustrated with the way it flips things around when you go from 3d to sketch.

I have turbocad and it just cant do what I want in 3d. I find 2d stuff fairly easy on any of them, im probably doing it wrong as I have had no training but I can get what i need out of it. But when it comes to 3d im stumped. Have been told solidworks is more intuitive than inventor but i can not afford that.
Any suggestions.

I am an ex-autocad user turned Turbo Cad user. I've been using Turbo Cad Platinum for quite awhile, but haven't upgraded since V18 (2 or 3 versions old). I use it daily for both 2D and 3D drawings for my CNC Mill. Turbo Cad Platinum will do anything I can dream up in 2D or 3D. I think the basic (and maybe pro) versions are a lot more restrictive. However, I see the new version of platinum is around $1,600 - which is the reason I'm still with an older version.
 
As a further suggestion you might not have heard of I'll throw out CorelCAD. I'm a pencil and t square guy and as far as digital goes am a CorelDraw user. When I upgraded my CorelDraw it offered me CorelCAD for cheap and went for it. It installs and works great on Win7 but I've not had a reason to really dig into it as I don't have any CNC machines. It seems to compare well to AutoCad in basics and I've read where several AutoCad folks went to it because you could actually own it.
 
Another perk of the Fusion 360 that I discovered on the weekend is that is includes a basic stress analysis add-on. I am blown away that Autodesk lets people download this for free for hobby use. Even the yearly commercial subscription isn't very expensive.
My theory is that they are still developing it and it can be buggy and unstable at times. They want to get people hooked on it while they iron out the kinks then eventually will charge what it is worth.
 
My theory is that they are still developing it and it can be buggy and unstable at times. They want to get people hooked on it while they iron out the kinks then eventually will charge what it is worth.
I think you are probably right. I'm looking at going back to my old version of TurboCad and VisualMill.
 
I use an old '95 version of AutoCad LT running windows xt on an old desk top in my shop that is dedicated to drafting. I'm old enough to think in 2D. 3D just confuses me. As you can tell, I don't worry much about updating. I bought it second hand from the A place for $30 a few years ago.
 
I use an old '95 version of AutoCad LT running windows xt

Dang, you beat me. :) LT '98 is my home CAD. Started using AutoCad when it was just AutoCad with no numbers or release years attached to the name.

By the way, be careful of the next Windows upgrade to anything. My LT '98 quit working when I went away from XP (even when I selected backwards capability options). Upgraded because IE was too far out of date to keep working on current internet. SO.....no AutoCad was not an option. Forced me to try Linux Mint. Things are fine now and Mr. Gates will never get another red cent from me.
 
AutoCAD was my work software starting when they took the K&E drafting arm off my desk around 1990. When I bought my retirement machine with Windows 10 at the end of last year, I wasn't going to learn another. I bought an AutoCAD 2007 license off EBay. That was the last year they sold it outright rather than as a yearly license. I also bought software called a Longbow Convertor which to my way of thinking is some sort of pulley that does a 2 for 1 conversion of 32 bit software into a 64 bit operating system. I'm sure that is hopelessly naïve.
Anyhow, the convertor ran for almost an hour, and suddenly AutoCAD appeared on my screen. It has worked flawlessly right from the start. Total cost was under $300.00 for permanent AutoCAD. Before I retired, I did have to use my work machine to convert my newer personal drawings back to 2007 format.
I just use 2D CAD. The 3D is there, but I haven't tried it. The product design guys I worked with all went to SolidWorks when they went 3D. My work was code compliance, and all the P.E.s I worked with used 2D programs, so I stayed with that.
 
AutoCAD was my work software starting when they took the K&E drafting arm off my desk around 1990. When I bought my retirement machine with Windows 10 at the end of last year, I wasn't going to learn another. I bought an AutoCAD 2007 license off EBay. That was the last year they sold it outright rather than as a yearly license. I also bought software called a Longbow Convertor which to my way of thinking is some sort of pulley that does a 2 for 1 conversion of 32 bit software into a 64 bit operating system. I'm sure that is hopelessly naïve.
Anyhow, the convertor ran for almost an hour, and suddenly AutoCAD appeared on my screen. It has worked flawlessly right from the start. Total cost was under $300.00 for permanent AutoCAD. Before I retired, I did have to use my work machine to convert my newer personal drawings back to 2007 format.
I just use 2D CAD. The 3D is there, but I haven't tried it. The product design guys I worked with all went to SolidWorks when they went 3D. My work was code compliance, and all the P.E.s I worked with used 2D programs, so I stayed with that.

ACAD LT is a decent option for about $380/year as a subscription, it has all the latest bells and whistles. Solidworks student edition is available for free with a membership with the Experimental Aircraft Association.
 
I use Draftsight, but I really don't have enough experience to know if it's good or bad.
 
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