RMweb Premium MJI Posted April 16, 2022 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 16, 2022 Currently struggling with FreeCAD but it is not very good. My PC is old but pretty grunty I runs multiple boots, with Windows 7 and Linux Mint, I find Windows 8 and on painful to use (8.1 was really horrific), I really struggle with the lack of 3D objects in the UI. So not downgrading this PC on the Windows boot, apart from that I reckon it will go subscription soon. Fusion 360 looks good but no Linux version. Are there any non annoying Linux CAD packages people can recommend? Thanks Martin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulaDoesTrains Posted April 16, 2022 Share Posted April 16, 2022 In what way is FreeCAD not very good? I find its modelling abilities to be excellent. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MJI Posted April 16, 2022 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 16, 2022 2 hours ago, PaulaDoesTrains said: In what way is FreeCAD not very good? I find its modelling abilities to be excellent. Just seems to be illogical, I am currently drawing up a gas cabinet and it won't do the latches, yet the operation should just work. Did some searching and people recommend trying other software. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulaDoesTrains Posted April 16, 2022 Share Posted April 16, 2022 21 minutes ago, MJI said: Just seems to be illogical, I am currently drawing up a gas cabinet and it won't do the latches, yet the operation should just work. Did some searching and people recommend trying other software. Which workbench are you using? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MJI Posted April 16, 2022 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 16, 2022 I am going to start again then let you know. May be 1 hour Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MJI Posted April 16, 2022 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 16, 2022 I have copied and now editing my battery box and that appears to be working Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MJI Posted April 16, 2022 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 16, 2022 About 50% there. Still no idea why V1 broke Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MJI Posted April 16, 2022 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 16, 2022 39 minutes ago, PaulaDoesTrains said: Which workbench are you using? Part Design and Sketch mainly 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MJI Posted April 16, 2022 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 16, 2022 Phew done it 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
apemberton Posted April 16, 2022 Share Posted April 16, 2022 My Tuppence worth:- I do my designs using Openscad which is available for Linux and Windows. Indeed I use either Win7 or Debian as desired, using a common repository on my network. Openscad is not very graphic which perhaps is not for the more artistic among us. I guess it is more of a programming script language. I find I can take prototype general arrangement drawings (preferably with dimensions - I use a digital caliper against a diagram if no dimensions) and scale them to my N-scale using a 1/160 dividing factor. Output for me are .stl files which I then use a normal slicer for PLA or PETG printing. I havn't yet mastered working with resin and I havn't yet acquired a laser cutter or CNC machine. An example of my work is at Thingiverse which the Openscad source code is published. Tony Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MJI Posted April 17, 2022 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 17, 2022 In silhouette studio I tend to type every dimension in. But I do get the impression it is not native SI Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NScaleNotes Posted April 17, 2022 Share Posted April 17, 2022 FreeCAD has it's quirks like any program. First thing to check is that you have the latest version, it's changed a lot in recent years. Not sure exactly what your issue is, you'd need to provide a bit more info but I've always found FreeCAD has had some issues with sketches mapped to faces, particularly if you go back and edit the underlying parts, as part C ends up using part B as a base and part B uses part A as a base etc. If you change A it can often then break part B and C, when I started out many version ago I'd often end up wrecking hours of work and there didn't seem to be a way to unpick the problem as things got so messed up and flipped around. For this reason I learnt to, as much as possible, to create parts with independent geometries/bases. So instead of mapping new sketches to the face of an existing part, I position the new sketch for things like hinges on your box using their own X,Y,Z co-ordinates. Works much better. Perhaps things have improved in newer versions of FreeCAD but I've learnt to do it this way now. Fillets and chamfers always caused problems, these are best left to the very end of any creation process. What is the very small rectangle on the top of your box? Seems odd. Is that the base/top of the small protrusion on the top of the door? Perhaps there's an issue there, like I say hard to tell for sure without more info. I think FreeCAD is the king (in terms of features) of the free CAD software on Linux, least it was last time I looked, keep working at it, it's a very powerful package but like any software, particularly free software, you've got to learn to work around a few issues. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MJI Posted April 18, 2022 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 18, 2022 The rectangle was the last part of another design I changed completely to produce the gas csbinet Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NScaleNotes Posted April 19, 2022 Share Posted April 19, 2022 20 hours ago, MJI said: The rectangle was the last part of another design I changed completely to produce the gas csbinet That could be your problem, I've found its often best to start fresh. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MJI Posted April 19, 2022 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 19, 2022 4 hours ago, NScaleNotes said: That could be your problem, I've found its often best to start fresh. failed for me but editing did work Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MJI Posted May 7, 2022 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted May 7, 2022 I will be doing two types of vacuum cylinders next, and after that DMU engines are an idea. Vac tanks are cylinders with straps and clamping bits, one has domed ends. I hope it all goes OK! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MJI Posted May 7, 2022 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted May 7, 2022 Top top one has 4 of my gas cabinets and 2 of my battery boxes, picture reminds me I need a Dart MJT order for roof vents and bogie frames These are the two unmotored cars in a mid 1950s Swindon InterCity set as used to run Snow Hill - Wales. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MJI Posted May 7, 2022 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted May 7, 2022 Now following this chaps techniques https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnxMaGMCrWAQgwF61ISRpGw 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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