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Thread: LibreCAD

  1. #1
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    Default LibreCAD

    Is anyone on here using LibreCAD, specifically on a Mac?

  2. #2
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    Default

    I tried it on my Mac iirc not that long ago but settled on Blender instead for making boxes/threaded parts/etc.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by J.C. View Post
    I tried it on my Mac iirc not that long ago but settled on Blender instead for making boxes/threaded parts/etc.
    I went with this one because it was developed in 2D for mechanical parts designing.
    I might go for a 3D in the future if need be. How do you find Blender?

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by ptrott View Post
    I went with this one because it was developed in 2D for mechanical parts designing.
    I might go for a 3D in the future if need be. How do you find Blender?
    It's clearly not designed to look like a CAD program but it works remarkably well and easily designs parts with tolerances as fine as the printer can make them (50 microns or so). Definitely a learning curve but once you get over that everything gets much quicker.

    It's not going to neatly print out a top down view of what you're doing with measurements on it or anything like that, though. I purely use it to design 3D objects and have no need to output a schematic etc.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by J.C. View Post
    It's clearly not designed to look like a CAD program but it works remarkably well and easily designs parts with tolerances as fine as the printer can make them (50 microns or so). Definitely a learning curve but once you get over that everything gets much quicker.

    It's not going to neatly print out a top down view of what you're doing with measurements on it or anything like that, though. I purely use it to design 3D objects and have no need to output a schematic etc.

    It's not going to neatly print out a top down view of what you're doing with measurements on it or anything like that, though. I purely use it to design 3D objects and have no need to output a schematic etc.[/QUOTE]

    So I take it that it would not be able to output something like this?

    Attachment 384697

  6. #6
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    I get a message saying invalid attachment for that attachment!

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by J.C. View Post
    I get a message saying invalid attachment for that attachment!

    Screen Shot 2020-02-13 at 11.23.34 am.jpg

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by ptrott View Post
    Is anyone on here using LibreCAD, specifically on a Mac?
    I am Mac user and I settled on FreeCAD for my 3D-design work. Short learning curve and it's made for 3D design.
    The latest version is not totally bug free but it's workable.

    It is genuine freeware, not crippleware; and you can store design YOUR files on YOUR computer (not like Fusion360).

    When using FreeCAD I connect a standard Microsoft mouse, the Apple mouse is far too responsive for zooming.

    If you need to generate 2D drawings with dimensions from your 3D models then FreeCAD is not such a good option, but for 3D printing it is more than adequate.

  9. #9
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    LibreCAD is also totally free open source software, undergoing development at all times. It is also local on your machine only.
    I have found it pretty easy to learn from scratch, and more than inadequate for my needs to date.
    Maybe in the future 3D might become of interest as 3D printing is getting more affordable.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by ptrott View Post
    There are plugins for that sort of thing but not straight out of the box easily. I think what you have is probably a better fit if that's the kind of thing you are after.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by ptrott View Post
    LibreCAD is also totally free open source software.....
    Thanks ptrott,
    have downloaded LibreCAD, looks good, could become my new/preferred 2D package.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheApprentice View Post
    Thanks ptrott,
    have downloaded LibreCAD, looks good, could become my new/preferred 2D package.
    Hope you get some use out of it,...there is a TON of support, both video and a full instruction manual in pdf, but I doubt you will need it given you are experienced with 3D.

  13. #13
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    Thumbs up 2D Cad !

    Hi Guys,

    I use Qcad. Which is also free with a small limitation of all features run for the first 15 minutes, which isn't a problem because you can just restart the program and carry on. I bought a full License because I use it continuously. At £30 for a perpetual licence, it is very good value for money. For the CNC people there is also a version that outputs Gcode. I've not used that version though !

    The Qcad program that I use can be downloaded from

    https://www.ribbonsoft.com/en/

    Go to the downloads page and get the correct version for your machine.

    Just as a point of interest that drawing that Phill posted would take less than half an hour to do, and could be outputted in PDF, DXF or as a JPG file. All the drawings that I post have been done with Qcad.
    Best Regards:
    Baron J.

  14. #14
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    Default

    I've recently started using CAD after a number of brief failed attempts over the last 20 years.
    I'm a novice QCad user (only a few months) but even more recently started using FreeCAD as I needed to model some parts for 3D printing.

    Although its primarily a 3D package I just drew this up with Freecad in about 10 minutes including Googling how to use the 2D drawing functions since I'd never used them before.

    Circles.pdf

    The thing I'm really liking about FreeCAD is the ability to constrain the objects.
    As an example, if you need a few 10mm circles, its as simple as adding some circles, setting the diameter of the first one, then clicking on the others and constraining them to the same size as the first one.
    If you then realise that you actually need them to be 10.5mm, you just change the diameter on the first one and the others automatically adjust.

    Steve

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheApprentice View Post
    ... and you can store design YOUR files on YOUR computer (not like Fusion360).
    You can actually save data locally in Fusion360, you simply export it out as a Fusion360 archive file.

    Speaking of Fusion360 ... I have been a long time AutoCAD user (30 years???) and did a fair bit of 3D stuff in ACAD, however since going to F360 (less than 6 months ago) I would NEVER again do anything 3D in ACAD (and probably wouldn't do most 2D stuff in it either).

    There is a little bit of a learning curve, but once you get the hang of parametric design, it's an absolute dream to use.
    Plus it is free for non-commercial use.

    I also use the CAM facilities with F360 to generate tool paths for CNC machining ... you change the design slightly and the tool paths regenerate to accommodate the changes you have made.

    I don't often say this, but I love using that bit of software (and no, I don't work for the company, or own shares )
    Cheers.

    Vernon.
    __________________________________________________
    Bite off more than you can chew and then chew like crazy.

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