Free software Like SketchUp and software that will work with 3D Printers.

Jackal46

Jackal46

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I would like something I can use to design furniture as the crap we buy is not strong at all.

I also want to 3D print stuff but don't own a 3D printer. So any suggestions on something good.

Is it better to buy a 3D printer or use 3D printing services?

I want to rebuild the main bedroom from the ground up. The furniture we had is falling apart and the stuff that I can buy is overpriced scrap.

So yea, if you know of any good software please link them bellow.
 
You can use Blender to make the 3D models.

You can use Cura to slice them and print them. I don't know if Cura is any good, I don't 3D print. It came up on Google.

Check the price of filament and calculate your costs. a 3D printer + filament may not be any cheaper. 3D printed objects are also fairly fragile, I'm not sure furniture is really the right application.
 
Fusion360, register as hobbyist if that is still available

Import STL into Microsoft 3D builder and let it fix the model.

Send to Cura or preferred software.

Can also use Autodesk Mesh Mixer to add in supports etc.

Alternatively I have also used Blender and installed the STL plugin. Blender has a steeper learning curve but can do a lot with it.

3D printer will work out cheaper in the long run. It's a hobby. It doesn't make you money.

Get an enclosed 3D printer from the start if you can. Creality has cheap printers. Also check Flashforge.

Bambu Labs if you lots of cash lying around.

Building "furniture" with a 3d printer will be hell expensive and a painful adventure.
Look at doing woodwork.
 
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Also....


3d Printers South Africa

Hi Guys Im looking for a 3d printer in SA Preferably with a bigger print bed Any recommendations? Don't have that big a budget for the Makerbot Replicator 1 (R38000) thanks
mybroadband.co.za
 
Jackal46 said:
I would like something I can use to design furniture as the crap we buy is not strong at all.

I also want to 3D print stuff but don't own a 3D printer. So any suggestions on something good.

Is it better to buy a 3D printer or use 3D printing services?

I want to rebuild the main bedroom from the ground up. The furniture we had is falling apart and the stuff that I can buy is overpriced scrap.

So yea, if you know of any good software please link them bellow.
Click to expand...

Not really a suitable application for 3D printing
 
RedViking said:
Fusion360, register as hobbyist if that is still available

Import STL into Microsoft 3D builder and let it fix the model.

Send to Cura or preferred software.

Can also use Autodesk Mesh Mixer to add in supports etc.

Alternatively I have also used Blender and installed the STL plugin. Blender has a steeper learning curve but can do a lot with it.

3D printer will work out cheaper in the long run. It's a hobby. It doesn't make you money.

Get an enclosed 3D printer from the start if you can. Creality has cheap printers. Also check Flashforge.

Bambu Labs if you lots of cash lying around.

Building "furniture" with a 3d printer will be hell expensive and a painful adventure.
Look at doing woodwork.
Click to expand...
I don't want to 3D print furniture just some basic stuff for cable management some basic stuff nothing strong. Everything else will be wood working and 3D print combo stuff. But never just 3D printing it will not last.
 
Jackal46 said:
I don't want to 3D print furniture just some basic stuff for cable management some basic stuff nothing strong. Everything else will be wood working and 3D print combo stuff. But never just 3D printing it will not last.
Click to expand...

Cool.

What’s your budget?

You can get a decent printer for under 8K that will do exactly what you want (Ender 3 S1)

For design purposes I’ve found that the web based Tinkercad has been more than sufficient for my needs (clicks with the way my brain works). Edit: the likes of Fusion360 has too much of a learning curve when I factor in how occasionally I need to design something from scratch - the amount of designs available on Thang3d and Thingiverse is staggering.

Cura is the ‘slicing’ software ie translates your design into code that the printer uses to print your model.

Would also recommend a RPi with Octoprint or Klipper to make the process even smoother.
 
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I use fusion360, it's free for non commercial use
 
Right now no real budget yet. I will be making calls tomorrow see what 3D printing services charge and figure it out.
 
Jackal46 said:
Right now no real budget yet. I will be making calls tomorrow see what 3D printing services charge and figure it out.
Click to expand...

Not worth it imo.

It’s why I bought the Ender- I paid for a few pieces then realised that I would easily recoup my outsource costs by printing my own. Also, you lose the flexibility of minor tweaks to suit your specific use case. You also lose the immediacy which is a major win - need a cable holder - measure, design, bam! a couple of hours later, done
 
This is still pretty relivant:


I use FreeCAD and OpenSCAD but aparently thats not a popular choice.
 
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Jackal46 said:
I don't want to 3D print furniture just some basic stuff for cable management some basic stuff nothing strong. Everything else will be wood working and 3D print combo stuff. But never just 3D printing it will not last.
Click to expand...
Yeah anything structural, like legs and brackets etc you want to be ABS. I have tried PETG and PLA and other variations, but after a while it starts cracking and crumbling. Cosmetic stuff is okay. But definitely get something with an enclosure from the start. Will make life just so much easier. I don't believe in struggling.

But these days you can get almost anything from China for dirt cheap.

It is fun though.
 
RedViking said:
Yeah anything structural, like legs and brackets etc you want to be ABS. I have tried PETG and PLA and other variations, but after a while it starts cracking and crumbling. Cosmetic stuff is okay. But definitely get something with an enclosure from the start. Will make life just so much easier. I don't believe in struggling.

But these days you can get almost anything from China for dirt cheap.

It is fun though.
Click to expand...

This project will not have 3D printing but I would love to work out the dimensions and build something like this for my kids because it will make a small room so much bigger. Building this stuff on the cheap isn't easy so I really just want to plan this thing out.
 
I use OnShape for all my hobby 3D printing.

I have the well-reasoned belief that installing any Autodesk product on my computer will, in fact, give me AIDs.
 
RedViking said:
Fusion360, register as hobbyist if that is still available

Import STL into Microsoft 3D builder and let it fix the model.

Send to Cura or preferred software.

Can also use Autodesk Mesh Mixer to add in supports etc.

Alternatively I have also used Blender and installed the STL plugin. Blender has a steeper learning curve but can do a lot with it.

3D printer will work out cheaper in the long run. It's a hobby. It doesn't make you money.

Get an enclosed 3D printer from the start if you can. Creality has cheap printers. Also check Flashforge.

Bambu Labs if you lots of cash lying around.

Building "furniture" with a 3d printer will be hell expensive and a painful adventure.
Look at doing woodwork.
Click to expand...
Why not both?

Using 3D printed parts with woodworking is what I want to do.
 
UrBaN963 said:
You can use Blender to make the 3D models.

You can use Cura to slice them and print them. I don't know if Cura is any good, I don't 3D print. It came up on Google.

Check the price of filament and calculate your costs. a 3D printer + filament may not be any cheaper. 3D printed objects are also fairly fragile, I'm not sure furniture is really the right application.
Click to expand...
Blender isn't the best tool for the job. Yes you can use it, but it's a mesh modeller and working with meshes to design solid objects isn't intuitive. Blender is also not really parametric (again you can sort of get there with geometry nodes but that's beside the point...) meaning you want to be able to design a shelf and have the height or depth easily adjustable by changing a single numerical value.

Afaik Fusion360 is free for hobbyists.

For someone who just wants to use a printer I'd suggest Bambu - works out the box without all the tinkering to get it working.

(Any design software will work with a 3d printer. From your design software you export an STL file and open that file in your slicer of choice and send to your printer)
 
saor said:
Blender isn't the best tool for the job. Yes you can use it, but it's a mesh modeller and working with meshes to design solid objects isn't intuitive. Blender is also not really parametric (again you can sort of get there with geometry nodes but that's beside the point...) meaning you want to be able to design a shelf and have the height or depth easily adjustable by changing a single numerical value.

Afaik Fusion360 is free for hobbyists.

For someone who just wants to use a printer I'd suggest Bambu - works out the box without all the tinkering to get it working.

(Any design software will work with a 3d printer. From your design software you export an STL file and open that file in your slicer of choice and send to your printer)
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info, definitely more useful than mine.
 
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