[ddmckee54]

Rhodeislander:

In some ways not being a CAD expert is an advantage, you don't have old habits to un-learn. I got my first 3D printer about 6 years ago with much the same idea as you, to print designs made by somebody else. I got the idea of 3D printing the parts I needed from the RCTractorGuy.

At that time I'd been using 2D AutoCAD for more than 25 years but I'd never done 3D CAD before. I soon found that most of the designs that I found on the web weren't QUITE what I wanted, or I could see ways that they could be improved, if I knew 3D CAD. So about a year later I bit the bullet and decided to learn 3D CAD. I didn't want to spend any money on software that I didn't like so I stuck to free software, of at least software with a free trial period. I tried Fusion 360, FreeCad, and others - I also tried DesignSpark3D.

Most of them just made my head hurt trying to understand what I was supposed to be doing, DesignSpark3D I could sort of wrap my head around. How much of that problem was based on the 25 years of 2D CAD I don't know, but I suspect it at least contributed to the problem. About a year ago I came across an article that explained why I had problems with some software. Most 3D CAD packages are based on either parametric modeling, where parameters help to define the 3D model, or direct modeling where you are directly manipulating the 3D model. Everybody's brain is wired a little differently and some people are better suited for using parametric modeling, and some people (Like ME) are more comfortable with direct modeling.

Fusion 360 and FreeCad are both based on parametric modeling, while DesignSpark3D is direct modeling based. There are other 3D packages out there TinkerCAD and Sketch-Up come to mind, and since they are rather simple packages I believe that they are direct modeling based.

3D CAD can have a steep learning curve, but YouTube is filled with tutorials - whatever CAD package you pick, so don't be afraid to try it. You might like it Mikey!

Don