3D Software

[MattS1967]

Any suggestions on 3D plan software for designing planes? Also what software is used to cut the foam patterns on a laser cutter? I am looking to buy a laser cutter to help in scratch building airplanes and stuff and am trying to figure out what software to use to do this. If anyone knows, could you please let me know. Thanks.

 

[Ratcheeroo]

Freecad is a popular free 3d modeling software, with tons of how-to videos on YouTube. I have heard a lot of people say they use Lightburn for laser cutting software

 

[TEAJR66]

Sketchup works great for folded foam designs. It can also be used for designing 3D prints. The version Sketchup Make 2017 is all free and has all you need.

Fusion 360 is also popular, and free. Better for designing 3D prints, but can be used for folded foam or more curvey designs.

As far as preparing files for laser cutting and 3D printing, that will be your CAM software. There are as many flavors of CAM as there are CAD.

 

[Merv]

+1 for the free version of SketchUp.
With the free extensions, I use it to produce STL’s for my slicer or gcode for my needle cutter.

 

[WillL84]

Sketchup works great for folded foam designs. It can also be used for designing 3D prints. The version Sketchup Make 2017 is all free and has all you need.

Fusion 360 is also popular, and free. Better for designing 3D prints, but can be used for folded foam or more curvey designs.

As far as preparing files for laser cutting and 3D printing, that will be your CAM software. There are as many flavors of CAM as there are CAD.

I started my CAD journey with SketchUp. It was pretty meh. Then I started using Inventor and Fusion 360 and WOW SketchUp is a pile of steaming dog crap compared to a proper history based modeling program. The biggest thing with SU was there was NO HISTORY TREE. It was such a huge PITA to change anything.

Don't know if they've changed at all in the last 7-8 years since I quit using them but man I'll never go back lol

 

[Bo123]

+1 on Fusion 360. Its quite advanced but it works really well for designing RC planes. With a personal subscription it is free.

 

[TEAJR66]

I started my CAD journey with SketchUp. It was pretty meh. Then I started using Inventor and Fusion 360 and WOW SketchUp is a pile of steaming dog crap compared to a proper history based modeling program. The biggest thing with SU was there was NO HISTORY TREE. It was such a huge PITA to change anything.

Don't know if they've changed at all in the last 7-8 years since I quit using them but man I'll never go back lol

SU is what it is. And, it does what it was intended to do pretty well. Then people like us came along and forced it to do what we wanted it to do. Kinda like all those folks using MS Excel for data base stuff when it is a spread sheet. While MS Access is a very powerful data manager, but who wants to take the time to learn it.

Anyhow, no history tree is a PITA. Get around it by saving each design revision as a separate version, name components and groups, and you can jump around making and unmaking changes.

There are many other free 3d modeling programs out there. Poke around and find the one that seems intuitive to you. Study the tutorials and and start with basic stuff. Eventually you will find yourself clicking with one of them.

 

[MattS1967]

Thanks for the help guys, I will check them out and see which ones works best for me.

 

[Tench745]

I use Lightburn for my laser engraver and I find it pretty capable and very user friendly.

 

[FlamingRCAirplanes]

I use Lightburn for my laser engraver and I find it pretty capable and very user friendly.

Yeah, LightBurn all the way, even has a nice 30 day trial