Videos
Im clueless on where to start or if 3d is for me. So ive tried blender but i found it to be too hard for me at the moment even with guides and such, i know its powerful but by chance is there anything more simple to start with while still being free?
Its like i really want to do something with 3d but i feel lost and dazed.
Iโm currently using tinker cad for my 3D printing, however I need something I little more advanced.
Howdy Folks,
So, this list came about from a post in another sub, but I thought since I had already done most of the leg work I post it here.
It seems like there is some confusion about where to get modeling software as a beginner. I know I was a bit lost when I first started, and the sticker prices of some of these CAD software suites made me turn a few shades of green. So here is what I've found:
SketchUp
A lot of folks use Sketchup. You can get a free hobbyist version here. However I don't care for it because it's web based.
Thanks to u/1947_Delta1460 for pointing out that you can still get Sketchup Make 2017 here.
Steve Ramsey does a really good intro to Sketchup here. You can get through it, and start doing most things on your own in an afternoon.
Fusion 360
This is the one that I like. You can get a free hobbyist license of Fusion 360 here. I just create a plan sheet and "print to pdf" to send to my iPad.
The Woodgrafter has a really nice 15 episode guide to Fusion 360 on YouTube here. You can get through it and start designing in a long weekend. He also covers parametric design which is a game changer that allows you to scale your plans to fit just about any dimension in just a couple clicks.
SolidWorks
This one is for the hardcore folks. You can get a deeply discounted full feature version of SolidWorks by becoming a member of the Experimental Aircraft Association here. All together it comes out to about $99.
I never got too deep into SolidWorks because it was just more than I needed. It would be great if you're planning to do some metal working along with wood working.
FreeCAD
Thank you to u/ft5jehe for pointing out this software that can be downloaded here. I have no experience with this software, but it looks capable enough and it's free. YMMV.
I hope this helps, and good luck!
Edit: Added SketchUp Make 2017 with link