3D Printing Best Modeling / Creation Software?

[ninj]

Are you suggesting I jump ship…

You can if you fancy a new challenge, but I find Openscad is quicker to use in many respects. Freecad makes it easier to add fillets and chamfers, and creating irregular shapes. It also uses a more 'conventional' approach to design with less mental gymnastics.

I've just designed a part in Freecad that needed to have holes precisely positioned over a circuit board. I photographed the board, imported it into Freecad, scaled the image by entering the distance between two points, then created a sketch on top of it.

 

[The Hat]

Thank you for that @ninj, but Freecad won’t run on Win 8.1… ?

 

[ninj]

According to their website it runs on Windows 7 and above: https://www.freecadweb.org/downloads.php

 

[The Hat]

According to their website it runs on Windows 7

I went and downloaded it today and it is still won’t Feckin install.. HELP please. .

 

[ninj]

Sorry, I'm not too hot on Windows (I'm a Linux user). Maybe not a bad idea that you can't use it yet because you really need to watch several videos before you even touch it, or you'll give up before you start such are its wealth of features. (Tip: stick with just the Part Design and Sketch workbenches and ignore the others.)

Try this playlist for starters:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7eiW2bt21YU6QEbly78kUgQCNEiDUwSH

 

[stratman]

I went and downloaded it today and it is still won’t Feckin install

Any error messages? What specifically happens when you try to install it?

If you are sure you properly downloaded the file then - ie it is not corrupt or incomplete - then let's move onto step #2...

There are TWO versions of the Windows installation file: a 32 bit and a 64 bit installer. You should download the proper "bit" version that matches the "bit" of your Windows OS.

If you have the 32-bit version of Windows then the 64-bit version of the software will NOT install or work properly.

Try the 32-bit version as it will install on either version of Windows.

Step #3... make sure you have enough unused space on the hard drive. Delete files if more space needed.

Step 4... Ask your computer expert (son) if he can help.

 

[stratman]

you really need to watch several videos before you even touch it, or you'll give up before you start

@The Hat 's more of a 'dive right in the deep end' kind of guy. Having to watch "several" may kill the adventure before it starts.

 

[The Hat]

There are TWO versions of the Windows installation file: a 32 bit and a 64 bit installer. You should download the proper "bit" version that matches the "bit" of your Windows OS.

I’m not that Feckin stupid.. Yet..

Step 4... Ask your computer expert (son) if he can help.

That's the next step..

@The Hat 's more of a 'dive right in the deep end' kind of guy. Having to watch "several" may kill the adventure before it starts.

Believe it or not I did watch ten minutes of the first video and the bits that I seen interested me quite a lot, because there are the same bits I’m struggling with in OPENSCAD.. @ninj knows how to reel me in..

 

[stratman]

I’m not that Feckin stupid..

For Pete's sake. Didn't mean it that way.

 

[The Hat]

For Pete's sake. Didn't mean it that way.

I can’t blame you, because having to watch the video was stupid, but that’s the only way I’ll learn.. And don’t put all the blame on Pete…

OK I got the Feckin thing to install, the reason for the problem ! I didn’t have the complete file downloaded properly, but now that I can access and use it, it looks interest but still outside my remit for now, so how can I add an object as a template to get started or will it have to be a PNG as before...

The only expert I know in this thing that can help is @ninj..