Has any one used FreeCad?

markba633csi

Mark Silva
H-M Supporter Gold Member
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Pros? Cons?
I have LibreCad for Linux but it's only 2D
Mark
 
I've learned just enough of Freecad to make some parts to print on my 3D printer. There are lots of good video tutorials to learn from on Youtube and a Freecad forum member in Germany really went out of his way to help me with a problem I ran into. I've been using AutoCad for decades and more recently Draftsight for my 2D drawings but The 3D printing stuff required me to delve into Freecad. Most people jump into Fusion360 but I don't think it will be long until they start forcing everyone to pay to play as they are starting to do with Draftsight after many years of free use. Freecad is open source and revised regularly and will do everything the other programs can do.
 
Thanks it looks like a pretty full featured program- I made my first thing yesterday after playing for just a few minutes
simpleshape1a.jpeg
 
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I loaded the program onto my desktop computer then opened the youtube tutorials (1-10) on my laptop and followed along step-by-step. That allowed me to pause the video so I had time to locate the buttons because they move a little from version to version of the software. I did some of them a couple of times to figure out what I missed while looking for buttons.
I didn't use it after the first go around because I didn't have a 3d printer. When I finally got one 6 months later I had to do the first tutorial again to remember the setup info. Here's the first one:
 
Cool, will have to check that out
one of the reasons I got into linux, all these great apps, free for the asking
 
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yes, i have been using freecad for a while. the developers are active and helpful. with a recent version, fea analysis is possible

posts 18, 19 and 20 have some related content. enjoy!

 
Yep, works good and the price is right.

Open source software rules :chunky:
 
I know the thread is a bit old, but I just came across it.
FreeCAD has been left behind by itself, in the form of FreeCAD-Daily, which has continuous contributions, well .. daily. Pretty much any feature that any CAD package offers is aspired to by someone, somewhere in the user community, so gets developed. Real bugs are found and fixed in hours or days.

All the learning information is out there, but not on the end of a phone. Not actually easy to go up the learning curve, until the concepts stick, but once they do, it becomes a handy thing that is, after all free.
3CX1500A Linear TX Amp.png

The picture is of a 3CX1500A linear transmitter layout for a ham radio enthusiast friend. Being able to move stuff around, and get to fit, done in computer-land, was handy. We did not model it to the complete finish - just enough to be able to avoid high voltage flash-overs, and decide where all the bits go. There are circuit boards and stuff in the lower pressurized enclosure which need to be screened from the stuff above.

Mostly I use it to display and get measurements of real kit from manufacturer CAD files. Sometimes they need some file format translation, but it works! markba633csi is right. Unless you are a CAD-savvy young whizz-kid, you need the hours to play with it!
 
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