Sketchup vs Fusion 360

[cpolubin]

Do a search for Sketchup 2017. That's the free desktop version.

Cliff

[Cian]

Do a search for Sketchup 2017. That's the free desktop version.

Cliff

Timely thread. I've been out of touch w/ CAD apps and have just used pen/paper all of these years, but didn't Google buy Sketchup at one time, but it looks like they are now owned by "Trimble"?

[Juss1]

Just bought a cnc and was debating over fusion and vcarve. Initially I decided to go with fusion because they had a free version. Like others I found The learning curve is pretty steep. Not impossible though. A few dozen hours of yt video and I am ok at it. I use it now primarily with my 3D printer but tbh most of the stuff I still get straight from Thingiverse and only slightly modify to fit my needs. I tried the trial version of vcarve and found it MUCH more intuitive to use especially having used sketchup before. I ended buying aspire but vcarve is prob more than adequate. I suggest trying both. Vcarve has a free trial version that I think has all the functionality except it won’t allow you to export.

[jteneyck]

Just bought a cnc and was debating over fusion and vcarve.  Initially I decided to go with fusion because they had a free version.  Like others I found The learning curve is pretty steep. Not impossible though.  A few dozen hours of yt video and I am ok at it.  I use it now primarily with my 3D printer but tbh most of the stuff I still get straight from Thingiverse and only slightly modify to fit my needs.  I tried the trial version of vcarve and found it MUCH more intuitive to use especially having used sketchup before. I ended buying aspire but vcarve is prob more than adequate.  I suggest trying both.  Vcarve has a free trial version that I think has all the functionality except it won’t allow you to export.

That's correct.  You can download and trial for free all the Vectric products, with no time limit, including importing files from SketchUp, et al. It's fully functional except you can't create G-code.  

Yesterday I was watching the tutorial on nesting templates.  It's available in Aspire, V-Carve, and Cut2D.  If you do any amount of cabinet making with parts that have common details, such as shelf pin holes, hinge holes, dados, and rabbetts, this is something you really want.  By creating a template where each detail is a separate toolpath, you can import the parts for any size cabinet and the software will nest them onto the sheet and automatically create the required toolpaths for each of details as well as cut them out.  Take a look:  Link[url=https://www.vectric.com/support/tutorials/vcarve-pro?playlist=mass-production-tools&video=nested-cabinet-files#][/url]

John

[wjt]

Doug:

The last free version that did not require an Internet connection was Sketchup Make 2017

It is available for download here.

https://help.sketchup.com/en/downloading-older-versions

I prefer software that is not Internet based.

Bill

[jteneyck]

I just bought a new PC so that I can upgrade to a newer version of SketchUp that will allow me to export .dxf files to feed into VCarve, which will make developing separate toolpaths easier.  Anyway, I looked at the new free version of SketchUp and it's awful.  I can't figure out how to get the same tool palette I have in 2016.  If that's not possible it would be worthless to me because there is a pretty good list of tools you need to do be able to create a drawing.  

Doug, I would download the 2017 version from the link above.  I just did so and it looks like my old 2016 version with the large tool palette. 

John

[JDuke]

I am far from proficient with fusion 360, but can do quite a bit with it.
What I have learned , has been from watching YouTube videos on specific things I am trying to do with my hand hovered on the pause button, and pause frequently to pop over and try it on my part.

The real beauty of fusion360, is that in the past, you needed 2 pieces of software to do anything cnc Cad to draw a compatible CAM to generate g code compatible with your machine. Now with fusion360 I can draw something just to get an idea of how it will be dimensioned, then use the same program to make tool paths in integrated CAM and generate G code to send to my cnc router, or my cnc plasma cutter, or even my cnc mill, regardless of what software I’m using to send g code. 

I’m a big enough fan of fusion360 that when they do away with the free version, I’ll probably buy in, just due to the versatility on so many types of machines.

Duke