Easy 3D Modeling

[Gattaca]

Lately I've been tinkering around with a free online 3D program called Tinkercad (https://tinkercad.com/). I got into it only a few weeks ago because my work recently bought a Makerbot 2 and I needed to learn to use it. Tinkercad is quite easy to learn and you use and modify various shapes like cubes and spheres etc. It's free and online so any objects you make are stored on the internet and the files convert easily to STL files to use with a 3D printer. So this past weekend I got ambitious and built an Eagle from Space 1999. I used my Dinky toys Eagle I got for Christmas back in the mid '70's for reference, so maybe not super accurate, but it looks like an Eagle to me. I built the model in about 20 components, my intention is to print it. So for anyone wanting to try this type of modelling, I recommend Tinkercad.

 

[jedimaster]

Cool thanks..... Will give it a try. Could be good for a cad noob like me.

 

[cosmic_x]

will check it out too, nice work on the Eagle

 

[saleem]

So you basicly end up using the programme like lego and manipulating the blocks the way you want by dragging vertices?

 

[Gattaca]

So you basicly end up using the programme like lego and manipulating the blocks the way you want by dragging vertices?

Kind of like that ya! You make you're own lego pieces and place them where you want. You can also use the shapes to make holes or to cut parts off of other shapes. If you've ever made stuff in Little Big Planet, it's kind of the same idea. There is also cut and paste, duplicate and a ruler, mirror and alignment tools. The frame work on my Eagle model is just lots of skinny cylinders of varoius lengths. I made one side, then copied and pasted it to the other side. You can morph the shapes just by draging their sides or corners, or by placing the ruler tool and entering the variable, so a sphere can be an egg, a cube can be a flat sheet etc. I have no experience or training in any kind of CAD drawing or anything like it, I've been using Tinkercad for less than a month and just in my spare time.

 

[Gattaca]

Here's the printed product, it was done on a Makerbot Replicator 2, standard resolution. I printed just the top support frame 60% larger (original length is 5.5 inches, +60% is 9 inches) and the detail is way better. The MakerBot has trouble doing small stuff.

 

[tek2graphics]

Wow, that's nice! If you don't mind me asking... how much did it cost you to print it out?

 

[Gattaca]

Wow, that's nice! If you don't mind me asking... how much did it cost you to print it out?

Well I used the printer at work, it costs about $2700, the filament costs about $50 for a 1kg roll, so 5 cents per gram, the model weighs 88 grams so $4.40 cents. The makerbot prints the object mostly hollow, filling the inner space with a honeycomb structure, so you don't use too much material.

 

[RKS]

It's free and online [/ATTACH]

It's only free for a trial period so it's only free temporarily. Too bad because it seems interesting. I want to make a better version of the fusion engine casing of the Moebius Space Pod but Blender has proven to be too difficult for me. Tinkercad could be a good start but when there's a time limit, it means that I have to rush it.

 

[Gattaca]

Thanks RKS, I stand corrected, I assumed it was free as I saw no price or request for credit info. Well, I hope they will provide an affordable or alternate version to this program as I quite enjoy using it. I did find some info here Free Alternatives to Tinkercad | MAKE that seems to offer some alternative programs. I have used Sketch-up, but none of the others.

 

[skiffy]

Hey, Gattaca - nice model!

I've been using Blender for 3d for a number of years now, and I'd recommend you try it. It's open source, so totally free - and will spit out ready-to-go stl files.

The college I teach at has just acquired three small filament based 3d printers, so I'll be experimenting myself soon.

 

[Joosh]

It's only free for a trial period so it's only free temporarily. Too bad because it seems interesting. I want to make a better version of the fusion engine casing of the Moebius Space Pod but Blender has proven to be too difficult for me. Tinkercad could be a good start but when there's a time limit, it means that I have to rush it.

Blender is odd in plenty of it's functions, but good. I've been doing 3d for a little over a year now. I work mostly in 3ds max (not a cheap license, but I think it'll pay for itself eventually), but I love Blender's Cycles Render- it is amazing. I've been struggling with Blender myself, but am getting better and I'm determined to get good with it solely because of the cycles render. Talking to people that have used it for a long time it gets easier. It comes down to repetitions.

I personally find quite a bit of it opposite of what you expect- especially the right click to select. I also find myself watching tutorials or reading discussions and going "I didn't know it could do that."

There's been a very interesting discussion going on various websites about a series of video's produced by a blender user talking about Blender being broken and in need of change. From my stand point he makes some very valid points and quite a few people seem to be at least partly in line with him, although you read a number of posts from die hards that insist it is perfect and there's no reason to "dumb it down". I personally think it is need of a serious overhaul for the sake of usability, but maybe I'm just dumb.

I can tell you this. Start slow with blender. Take it in small pieces and make sure you're comfortable with the basics before tackling anything. Get used to the right click, although you can change it in the user preferences- I haven't because every tutorial I've watched uses the right click.

 

[acesh007]

Thanks for putting this up!!! I've been trying to find a program to use. My 3D modeling skills seemed to have disappeared over the years.

 

[Gattaca]

I just made the files for my Space 1999 eagle model Public.

About Gattaca - Thingiverse

 

[Artshot]

Been playing with Sketchup, and when i say playing, i mean pulling hair out, swearing a lot and headbutting my monitor.............might give Tinkercad a try to see if it's any easier to understand.

Thanks for the heads up.

 

[NormanF]

If you follow the link posted by Gattaca it appears that free Tinkercad dies in April and if you paid for it then it dies at the end of the year.

 

[batguy]

Blender is odd in plenty of it's functions, but good. I've been doing 3d for a little over a year now. I work mostly in 3ds max (not a cheap license, but I think it'll pay for itself eventually), but I love Blender's Cycles Render- it is amazing. I've been struggling with Blender myself, but am getting better and I'm determined to get good with it solely because of the cycles render. Talking to people that have used it for a long time it gets easier. It comes down to repetitions.

I personally find quite a bit of it opposite of what you expect- especially the right click to select. I also find myself watching tutorials or reading discussions and going "I didn't know it could do that."

There's been a very interesting discussion going on various websites about a series of video's produced by a blender user talking about Blender being broken and in need of change. From my stand point he makes some very valid points and quite a few people seem to be at least partly in line with him, although you read a number of posts from die hards that insist it is perfect and there's no reason to "dumb it down". I personally think it is need of a serious overhaul for the sake of usability, but maybe I'm just dumb.

I can tell you this. Start slow with blender. Take it in small pieces and make sure you're comfortable with the basics before tackling anything. Get used to the right click, although you can change it in the user preferences- I haven't because every tutorial I've watched uses the right click.

"There's nothing wrong with Blender's UI, people are just too lazy to learn something that works right."

This is all you will ever hear from diehard Blender world. No matter what. They would still be saying it if Blender's UI required you to cut your dick off.

 

[highorder1]

Been playing with Sketchup, and when i say playing, i mean pulling hair out, swearing a lot and headbutting my monitor..

This.
I've also tried blender, synfig studio, and a looong time ago, something like quickcad. I usually pick stuff up superquick, but 3d modelling and illustrator have both eluded me. Too bad what you've suggested wound up costing money...

 

[Gattaca]

I'm not sure where NormanF learned that tinkercad will be gone in April, I tried to find that somewhere to learn more, but couldn't. Maybe he can post a link to that info for me. In the mean time, if you're having trouble with Sketchup, as I did, give Tinkercad a try before it's gone. What I like about it is it lets me build stuff they way I would build it in real life, not with lines, but with shapes. If I need a 30 degree cut off a block, I would run it through the table saw, or cut a 30 degree slice off a virtual block, if it's not quite right, undo and try again. I found it real easy. And if Tinkercad does goes away, then at least you got some experience out of it. If you're proud of what you've made, upload it to Thingiverse, maybe it will survive Tinkercads demise and live on. Or 'print screen' and save some images at least. Or get it to a 3D printer like you're supposed to.
Oh and it hasn't cost me money, not one cent.

 

[BrundelFly]

Anyone tried MODO ?