An "old" NEW member

[Gazelder]

I am old according to my adult sons.
I've been doing model railroading since the late 1950s. I've also tinkered with larger mechanical beasts.
In 2004 I had access to Autodesk Inventor. I designed (successfully after a lot of blood sweat and tears) a few model projects.
Retirement took my access to Inventor. My wife did NOT think buying my own license was a good use of our saving.

Until COVID changed the landscape I was a mentor (translation un-paid help) at a school. It had an Inventor license <G> They've dropped it.

So now (as a consumate masochist) I am trying to learn and use FreeCad... I've used different versions... I might have learned a little... mostly "colorful language" when something goes wrong.

Now with the current 22dev version I was hopeful there might be light at the end of the tunnel. (It is an oncoming train!)

I'm totally confused, befuddled, and aggitated by the "assembly workbench" . The little documentation I've discovered was written by escapees from Babel.. I wish they had perished. The few videos seem to taunt with a complex "project" speeding mouse pointers and too often voice overs that confuses. I've even wasted money on books!

So a friend suggested this forum. I decided to join rather than slosh down a few pints.

Hopefully other members are light years ahead of my understanding and knowledge and help me "see the light".

gazelder (non de plume)

 

[ChazzC]

I feel for you and can identify: I am (and always have been) Macintosh-based, so am used to intuitive software. My first CAD package was ClarisCAD from the days when Apple had a software company: it made sense, used all of the built-in tools the Mac included and was like an extension of my drafting board.

When Claris stopped supporting their CAD, they made a deal with Ashlar to allow ClarisCAD users to get Vellum at a rock bottom price (Vellum was what Apple used for designing their products and was used by the folks that make roller coasters and other complex structures). I used Vellum, upgrading at low rates until I stopped consulting 20+ years ago and couldn’t justify a CAD package.

I’ve tried various free packages, but as most of them are based on AutoCAD they weren’t intuitive, and not intended for anyone not using them on a regular basis and most collegiate engineering schools now have courses in how to use AutoDesk software. (I used to tell the IT Manager where I most recently worked that while Microsoft had network specialist certification programs, Apple didn’t because you just plugged a cable in and it worked.)

I now use MacDraft (purchased, but not a subscription) and am reasonably happy, just wish they had 3D.


Oh, and Welcome to the Forum!

 

[GreenTwin]

One trend I have seen in the hobby is to use Alibre.
Powerful program for a fraction of what the main platforms cost.

Good luck in your learning endeavors.
I had to go through that learning 3D.
It was no fun, but I finally got it.

I am a certified old guy; started out learning FORTRAN with punch cards and a line printer.
No such thing as computer screens, mice, etc.
We had a keyboard that punched each individual card, and a card reader.
I know FORTRAN pretty well, and actually have a compiler somewhere.
Now days, I use LibreOffice, which is a free open-source version very similar to MSOffice (tm).

.

 

[awake]

Welcome to the forum! I have been using FreeCAD for many years, currently using 21.2, not the dev version. Though I have been greatly tempted by the many new features of 22dev / 1.0, I have generally had a better experience waiting until the dev version becomes the release version, so I'm following that path again.

On the Assembly Workbench, I'm afraid I may not be much help. Up to now, there has not been an official Assembly Workbench; rather there have been two or three competing Assembly Workbenches available through the Add-On Manager, each of worked quite differently from one another. It may be that some of the confusion you have experienced with tutorials / videos has to do with different tutorials focusing on different ones of these - ? FWIW, I have not made much use of any of these, but find the A2plus version to be the most intuitive.

Since I have not yet dipped a toe into 22dev, I don't know what the status is, but your post makes me think that perhaps they have made the decision to consolidate on one of the competitors, to make it the official Assembly Workbench. If that is the case, I hope it is something akin to the A2plus variant ... if/when I get a chance - which won't be for a couple of weeks at best, since we are entering the start of the semester - I will try to take a look at 22dev and see what they have done.

 

[Gazelder]

One trend I have seen in the hobby is to use Alibre.
Powerful program for a fraction of what the main platforms cost.

Good luck in your learning endeavors.
I had to go through that learning 3D.
It was no fun, but I finally got it.

I am a certified old guy; started out learning FORTRAN with punch cards and a line printer.
No such thing as computer screens, mice, etc.
We had a keyboard that punched each individual card, and a card reader.
I know FORTRAN pretty well, and actually have a compiler somewhere.
Now days, I use Libre, which is a free open-source version of Office (tm).

.

Ahhh... FORTRAN ... I remember it vaguely... punch cards.. punch cards that I didn't punch correctly.
I'm beginning to think Alibre might be a better choice.
I'll be considrting "kicking the tires" as seasons change.
Are you also paying for updates?

 

[GreenTwin]

I purchased Solidworks in 2012, perpetual license, for one-time lump sum fee, with no yearly fees.
I use it work work as well as hobby, and so that is how I justified the $4k cost.

JasonB uses the much less expensive Alibre, and more than meet or exceed what I can do with Solidworks (as far as engine work).

I think Alibre may have a nominal annual fee.
And I seem to recall JasonB saying you can download Alibre and try it before you purchase, which I highly recommend.
3D modeling is parametric, and is radically different from 2D drafting, so the initial learning curve is steep if you are not familiar with how 3D modeling works.

.

 

[Jasonb]

I actually use the Professional version of Alibre and pay a yearly update fee.

However Alibre Atom3D is 90% of what you get with pro but costs a lot less. You can pay a one off or also pay for maintenance (updates). Store it all on your own machine not the cloud.

1month free trial is available, link at bottom of page
https://www.alibre.com/atom3d/

 

[Richard Hed]

Ahhh... FORTRAN ... I remember it vaguely... punch cards.. punch cards that I didn't punch correctly.
I'm beginning to think Alibre might be a better choice.
I'll be considrting "kicking the tires" as seasons change.
Are you also paying for updates?

I have had Alibre for a couple years now. I recommend it. However it has a strange learning curve. since I used AutoCAD almost exclusively, which is, truthfully, far more powerful, but also more difficult to use. Had I a choice for non-professional work? : Alibre.

 

[The Ignoble Troll]

I am old according to my adult sons.
I've been doing model railroading since the late 1950s. I've also tinkered with larger mechanical beasts.
In 2004 I had access to Autodesk Inventor. I designed (successfully after a lot of blood sweat and tears) a few model projects.
Retirement took my access to Inventor. My wife did NOT think buying my own license was a good use of our saving.

Until COVID changed the landscape I was a mentor (translation un-paid help) at a school. It had an Inventor license <G> They've dropped it.

So now (as a consumate masochist) I am trying to learn and use FreeCad... I've used different versions... I might have learned a little... mostly "colorful language" when something goes wrong.

Now with the current 22dev version I was hopeful there might be light at the end of the tunnel. (It is an oncoming train!)

I'm totally confused, befuddled, and aggitated by the "assembly workbench" . The little documentation I've discovered was written by escapees from Babel.. I wish they had perished. The few videos seem to taunt with a complex "project" speeding mouse pointers and too often voice overs that confuses. I've even wasted money on books!

So a friend suggested this forum. I decided to join rather than slosh down a few pints.

Hopefully other members are light years ahead of my understanding and knowledge and help me "see the light".

gazelder (non de plume)

Have you tried Fusion360?

 

[Gazelder]

Have you tried Fusion360?

In recent "dark ages" I taught it at a school (as a mentor) until licensing etc. got in the way. At that time I think Fusion360 users were"unpaid" bug finders...

Was not impressed back then. I had access to Inventor... at thre school... we were teaching Fusion because students could do "homework" at home... (well, that was the hope<G>)

g

 

[The Ignoble Troll]

In recent "dark ages" I taught it at a school (as a mentor) until licensing etc. got in the way. At that time I think Fusion360 users were"unpaid" bug finders...

Was not impressed back then. I had access to Inventor... at thre school... we were teaching Fusion because students could do "homework" at home... (well, that was the hope<G>)

g

I find it usable albeit a steep learning curve. It's stable and still free for personal use with minimal restrictions vs a paid license.

Since you have some experience with it, maybe it would be a little easier?

 

[Jasonb]

I use F360 (free) mostly for the CAM but do alter my imported Alibre files and create the odd new part and get on OK with it. Some features are better than Alibre.