Tomi<p>**<b>Transition from TinkerCad to FreeCad, first steps</b>**</p><p>For the last 2 years (since I bought 3D printer) I was using TinkerCad to design everday objects. Only one time (2 years ago) I used FreeCad. Forgot almost all of it.</p><p>I’m using 3D printer mostly as a tool to fix things around the house: hose connectors, filter frames, handles, adapters, small drawers, tools etc. TinkerCad is easy to use and somehow almost enough for this type of designs. I would say that it satisfies 90% of my needs. Most importantly, I can design simple 3D object very quickly. </p><p>There are 3 things that bother me somehow:</p><p><strong>1. Poly-look of round objects</strong>, for example spheres and cylinders. Even if I set number of edges to 128, polygons are visible when printed. </p><p><strong>2. Fillets and chamfers</strong>. I learned how to design something similar to fillets in TinkerCad (using subtraction), but only on straight edges. On complex edges it’s more difficult or impossible to make a fillet. Here’s approximation of inner fillet (not perfect though):</p><ol></ol><p><strong>3. Parametric design</strong>. While I love TinkerCad philosophy ‘do everything with a mouse’, sometimes I miss a parametric design (e. g. to move things around for exact number of units). Snapping helps, but that’s not it.</p><ol></ol><p>Nevertheless, I decided to learn to use FreeCad better.</p><p>After installing it (on Linux/Mint), the first thing I set is the navigation style. Luckily there is an option to set mouse navigation to ‘TinkerCad’ style. Last time I used it there was no such option.</p><p>That’s good, I don’t need to learn new navigation style, I can reuse my muscle memory.</p><p>Then I (re)learned very basic things I need to design my kind of 3D objects:</p><ul><li>how to make 3d object</li><li>how to move it around</li><li>how to add and subtract 3D objects</li><li>how to make a hole</li><li>how to make a fillet and chamfer</li><li>how to make 3D object from 2D shape</li></ul><p>With these, I can design anything I can design in TinkerCad. Here is an example of a washer, that I created from a 2D shape and rotated it around Z axis, added hole, fillet and chamfer:</p><p>Firstly, I added Part design/Create Body to a new file.</p><p>Then I added (2D) Sketch to a new body:</p><p>Then I rotated 2D shape around Z axis (Revolution tool), selected the upper surface and then used a Hole tool. </p><p>(Note: TinkerCad allows only extrusion to make 3D objects from 2D shapes).</p><p>Now I have a nice washer with a hole for a screw. But I want smooth outer edge and angled hole for a screw head.</p><p>Then I selected the outer hole edge and used Chamfer tool:</p><p>Great to fit a screw head.</p><p>Lastly, I selected outer top washer edge and used Fillet tool:</p><p>Done.</p><p>I could design very similar object in TinkerCad, but that’s not the point. </p><p>Instead of 3 minutes in TinkerCad I spend 3 hours in FreeCad. Crazy? Maybe, for the first time. Next time it will be quicker. And if I forget (I surely will), I will read this post.</p><p>Most importantly, now I ‘own’ the source file. I can move it around, make a copy, send it to someone, archive it, export it to .stl for printing etc. I’m not tied to TinkerCad webapp. </p><p>Will I ditch TinkerCad for FreeCad? </p><p>When I have enough mental energy, I will use and learn FreeCad. </p><p>But when I’m impatient and I need a ‘good enough’ design for quick 3D print, then no (at least for now). </p><p></p><p><a href="https://blog.rozman.info/transition-from-tinkercad-to-freecad-first-steps/" class="" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://blog.rozman.info/transition-from-tinkercad-to-freecad-first-steps/</a></p><p><a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://blog.rozman.info/tag/3dprinting/" target="_blank">#3dprinting</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://blog.rozman.info/tag/freecad/" target="_blank">#freecad</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://blog.rozman.info/tag/tinkercad/" target="_blank">#TinkerCAD</a></p>