Hi all:
I'm running ubuntu 10 and have a fresh copy of FreeCad 0.9 installed - I have a series of vintage outboard boat designs I'd like to model in 3d and I'm having the darndest time figuring out FreeCAD. I haven't used cad to speak of before, but I have a strong paper/pencil drafting background (from some 25 years ago.) I'm hoping to plot these boats from the xyz points from center which I have, but am wondering if FreeCAD is maybe too complex for a CAD beginner? Is there something that may be better suited, or do I just need to slog through and get over the learning curve of it?
Any tutorials? Just getting a basic drawing done is non-intuitive.
Thanks,
Dan in Texas
Is FreeCAD right for me?
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Re: Is FreeCAD right for me?
Hi Dan,
I googled "vintage outboard boat" and the first search result was your website. Cool work!
To be honest, I'm not sure FreeCAD is the best tool for what you need to do. First, it's still in development, a work-in-progress. It is already fine for some uses. Its focus at the moment is on prismatic shapes: through the Gui you can create primitives (box, cylinder...) and also draw profiles and extrude or revolve them. You can fillet or chamfer edges. So, for machined parts design it's already got everything needed.
Your project however requires advanced surfacic tools. They are included in the Open CASCADE kernel, and an API has been programmed to access it in FreeCAD, but have not been implemented in the Gui. To access these tools, you'll have to use Python scripting. A programming background is best, but anyone willing can learn (Python is an easy programming language to learn). It's just that not everything is documented. There are just two guys, Juergen and Werner, working on FreeCAD's core, and then there's Yorik who works on the 2D draft module, and some others who help from time to time. But they are very helpful and monitor the forum closely, although at the moment they're spending most of their time on polishing the upcoming v0.11 release.
Just so you know, even with commercial CAD packages, modeling projects like yours are not easy or intuitive.
If you don't mind my asking, what is your intent with creating a 3D model? For presentation purpose, or do you aim to "flatten" the surfaces to facilitate your building? There's an open source boat design app, Free!Ship, it might be interesting to check out, but it's using subdivision surfaces, so it's not "real" CAD.
Maybe the others will have a different output than me.
Good luck!
Norm in Québec, Canada
Edit: scratch Free!Ship, it doesn't seem to be available on Linux, only on Windows. Plus it's 5 years old...
I googled "vintage outboard boat" and the first search result was your website. Cool work!
To be honest, I'm not sure FreeCAD is the best tool for what you need to do. First, it's still in development, a work-in-progress. It is already fine for some uses. Its focus at the moment is on prismatic shapes: through the Gui you can create primitives (box, cylinder...) and also draw profiles and extrude or revolve them. You can fillet or chamfer edges. So, for machined parts design it's already got everything needed.
Your project however requires advanced surfacic tools. They are included in the Open CASCADE kernel, and an API has been programmed to access it in FreeCAD, but have not been implemented in the Gui. To access these tools, you'll have to use Python scripting. A programming background is best, but anyone willing can learn (Python is an easy programming language to learn). It's just that not everything is documented. There are just two guys, Juergen and Werner, working on FreeCAD's core, and then there's Yorik who works on the 2D draft module, and some others who help from time to time. But they are very helpful and monitor the forum closely, although at the moment they're spending most of their time on polishing the upcoming v0.11 release.
Just so you know, even with commercial CAD packages, modeling projects like yours are not easy or intuitive.
If you don't mind my asking, what is your intent with creating a 3D model? For presentation purpose, or do you aim to "flatten" the surfaces to facilitate your building? There's an open source boat design app, Free!Ship, it might be interesting to check out, but it's using subdivision surfaces, so it's not "real" CAD.
Maybe the others will have a different output than me.
Good luck!
Norm in Québec, Canada
Edit: scratch Free!Ship, it doesn't seem to be available on Linux, only on Windows. Plus it's 5 years old...
Re: Is FreeCAD right for me?
Thanks for the frank reply. It sounds like FreeCAD may not be my best choice, and maybe I should stick with 2D to start with - I checked your link and it carries to a Delftship.com site which does have a free hull modelling package I may try. It appears to be windows, but I have a VM in my machine for such "emergencies". I may try out python yet, I have a programming background from COBOL, and Progress which may be dated, but the analytics should still function. 
UPDATE: Deltship free appears to run under WINE (linux WIndows emulator) - stay tuned....
UPDATE: Deltship free appears to run under WINE (linux WIndows emulator) - stay tuned....