I found FreeCAD extremely easy to use and intuitive. I watched a couple videos and followed-along with the tutorials, then started on my own item. It's a relatively simple 3-part component. I took measurements with digital calipers, and in a few hours was printing the first prototype.
A couple prototypes later (small measurement adjustments to account for plastic shrinkage, etc), I had the final model. Replaced all of the magnet holders since they were sure to go soon, too.
I had fun, and finally used my 3D printer for something "real". Pretty cool.
it's still tough to turn it into something i can then keep fiddling with in freecad though
put on "tron: legacy" in the background to fully appreciate the model designing something that will be 3d-printed :)
But once I saw their “philosophy” as it were, everything became so much easier.
Wasn't just printing other people's designs.
Great feeling to measure and design something then have it fit perfectly.
Previously I'd get my calipers first and try to model using the direct measurements. The key point imo of the video was to take photos and model based on the photos, and then correct the measurements with your recorded measurements second.
Most importantly: I've got a 11 y/o and I think it's cool for the kid to see how it works.
Already watch a few vids. Doesn't look too hard for simple things.
Maybe this isn't anything new to experience CAD users. I don't know if other CAD tools do this as I started using FreeCAD after playing with 3D printing.
A B
width 2mm
length 3mm
EasyAlias macro maybe?
I think that's much easier as you don't have to go back and forth with a spreadsheet.
This space lacks good opensource solution.
I have tried creating my parts, tried tinkercad (which is simple but limited)
Tried fusion. And pretty much other things don't support mac.
I've a hunch lots of vibe coders are going to come and launch stuff like freecad and Gimp (which I never liked, can't even get simple tasks done in gimp)
Future is bright for opensource powered by LLM coding on steroids.
Release Notes: https://wiki.freecad.org/Release_notes_1.1
DeltaHedra, another great YouTube channel, also released a good video that shows the previous and this version next to each other: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYdobpjTypg
I wish they settled on a nicer UX with less visual clutter. I use Blender and it is a _massively_ more complex application in every regard, yet its right-aligned panel and progressive exposure of toolbars feels infinitely more polished than FreeCad's clunky panel (which is often rendered with huge, oversized fields and buttons) and their legendary five-stacked toolbars.
Feels like that satirical Gillette ad, and is much harder to use and navigate, especially since quite a few UX options need to be turned on in Preferences to be usable...