What 3D design software for Linux do you use ?
I’m using OpenSCAD , that makes very good job when it comes to parametric construction.
What software for more… freehand-like object creation, something on the other end of the scale, able to make complex objects, but mostly using GUI ?
Blender works on Linux. It’s not purely CAD but it has 3D printing toolkits and is very powerful (with a steep learning curve)
Blender is a great choice. Like previous commenter it’s not like using CAD software, but certainly great for “freehand” style AND building complex and to scale geometry such as arch visualization. Perfect for Linux.
Openscad
He’s already using OpenSCAD. Looking for something different.
Thank you - Will re-try Blender, last time I tried, I did not figure out how to get precise measurements of different places of the part.
I also tried FreeCAD - and found the learning curve a bit steep, took me just too long to be able to make something useful with it.
Try FreeCAD forums, it really helps with the learning curve.
FreeCad is the very powerful but is crippled by bad GUI (the plight of so many open-source projects).
I’ve been using the FreeCAD daily builds for modeling exclusively for
months now, and find it much more suitable than any other open-source
alternative. If anything, I’d say that the OpenCASCADE kernel is a bigger
problem than the GUI.
Fusion 360 is free through the end of the year, after that I think it’s only around ~$20/month http://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/overview
Check out “Sardi Pax” 's YouTube vids.
@Shachar_Weis I’m curious, how exactly does its “bad GUI” cripples FreeCAD? Do you have experience with parametric CAD?
Really I’m annoyed at your choice of words. I acknowledge that its GUI is not polished, but it certainly does not “cripple” it. Aaaannnnd add rolling eyes here.
@Andre_Kjellstrup FreeCAD is a history-based parametric CAD software. CAD is already complex, parametrics make the learning curve even steeper. But it’s worth it IMO. And do join the forum and ask questions. We also have a G+ community.
Second on @Normand_Chamberland thoughts. @Shachar_Weis have you tried the daily builds? If you’re looking at anything earlier than 0.13 then you’re missing a lot of major updates. There are other things I think FreeCad lacks but the GUI is not that far off from many proprietary CAD software.
i use blender because i like its interface. but basically, i also could use a console based cad, too because most things i do are just combined basic shapes… still looking for the right one…
isn’t there something similar to povray but with export to gerber files?