**Transition from TinkerCad to FreeCad, first steps**

Read it on my blog, it has a nicer image/text layout (than on fedi).

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.

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.

There are 3 things that bother me in TinkerCad:

1. Poly-look of round objects, for example spheres and cylinders. Even if I set number of edges to 128, polygons are visible when printed.

2. Fillets and chamfers. 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):

3. Parametric design. 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.

Nevertheless, I decided to learn to use FreeCad better.

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.

That’s good, I don’t need to learn new navigation style, I can reuse my muscle memory.

Then I (re)learned very basic things I need to design my kind of 3D objects:

• how to make 3d object
• how to move it around
• how to add and subtract 3D objects
• how to make a hole
• how to make a fillet and chamfer
• how to make 3D object from 2D shape

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:

Firstly, I added Part design/Create Body to a new file.

Then I added (2D) Sketch to a new body:

Then I rotated 2D shape around Z axis (Revolution tool), selected the upper surface and then used a Hole tool.

(Note: TinkerCad allows only extrusion to make 3D objects from 2D shapes).

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.

Then I selected the outer hole edge and used Chamfer tool:

Great to fit a screw head.

Lastly, I selected outer top washer edge and used Fillet tool:

Done.

I could design very similar object in TinkerCad, but that’s not the point.

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.

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.

Will I ditch TinkerCad for FreeCad?

When I have enough mental energy, I will use and learn FreeCad.

But when I’m impatient and I need a ‘good enough’ design for quick 3D print, then no (at least for now).

https://blog.rozman.info/transition-from-tinkercad-to-freecad-first-steps/