This is one of the most practical FreeCAD tutorials I’ve ever seen, for an operation that I think a lot of new users want and get tripped up by. You’ve got a great method of explaining and demonstrating common pitfalls, as well as showing useful examples and alternative strategies.
Excellent tutorial! I've always been frustrated by freely available models not being in FreeCAD format - but now I won't have to worry. Thanks for all the info. Liked and subscribed 👍👍
Since I have seen that STP files are supported directly by the slicer, I only use STP for export. However, when I upload my files somewhere, I always upload the FreeCAD file as well. I wish more users would share their FCStd files as well, besides the step files. Btw, nice Tutorial.
Thanks for this timely video. I have just run across a case where the STL file I found need tweaking. As an aside... your first model of a Multigrade filter drawer takes me way back to my days as a B/W darkroom instructor in the days before, and after the introduction of affordable digital camera.
thank you. perfect video. life saver features of freecad hidden in plain sight. I hate the UI and it was not so stable when I tried it. Now I will install freecad alongside solidworks which lacks features to work with stl. liked and subscribed. thanks again
Great tutorial, thanks. I've been giving it a lot of tries and ended up with Blender for quick mesh modifications. Parametric CADs are not really good for working with meshes. So I use both Blender and FreeCAD now.
Agreed, problem is historically most 3D models made in parametric CAD and shared are in mesh format. That makes it harder to modify than it has to. Hope STEP gets more adoption and becomes standard.
@RoadSideMaker ideally it should be combination of 3mf and step in single format, hope at some point we will get file format like that. technically 3mf is an archive, so we just replace mesh with step and done
It would be helpful, however 3mf is mesh by design. Improved precision mesh, but still a mesh. I don't believe you can just replace step, unfortunately
Thank you. You should determine where you want to place the origin. Than use measure tool to determine necessary offset. Then use Transform tool to set the necessary location
Thank you so much! I had no idea about the defeture button. That is very helpful. It would be great to see how you convert the STEP to a standard Part Design part. Great video!
Great video. 3d files should always be exchanged as STEP/STP whenever possible, since it is a very clean format with infinite definition. It's like STLnis a JPEG file with finite definition, whereas STP is like a vector file with infinite definition. Not a big fan of exchanging files as 3MF - it's like sharing photos with your friends packaged as PDF - it makes a lot of sense in certain situations, but the vast majority of times you'd just share JPG. By the way, STEP/STP is not a parametric 3d file format. But it is far more precise and editable than mesh/STL.
Thanks! In the sense that STEP files do not contain parameters - yes, they are not parametric. In the sense that they can be used in parametric CAD software as is with no modifications while edges, faces and vertices are valid geometry - lets say they are parametric cad compatible.
Thank you! In the new FreeCAD 1.0 RC2 it is build in. Just go to Edit>Preferences>Workbenches and in the bottom there is an option called Workbench selector type and select "TabBar"
Hey, I designed that part with center to be on origin. It retains that relationship to coordinates. Otherwise you would need to measure your part and figure out center on your own to put it on origin
Hey, it is not the greatest design. As mentioned, I would redesign it first and then I will publish it. Take a look on Printables, there are several holders available.
@@cnz-u5x It is a focusing screen spring for 4x5 camera. You can find similar design here (back side, brown color) www.printables.com/model/250649-4x5-large-format-camera
Great tutorial, One thing I am having an issue with, I have a Star Wars scout trooper helmet I currently am working on and the face part of the helmet around the eyes area is suppose to got into the visor part at the top of the face portion, but whoever modeled it modeled that part seperated from the visor, the part does not connect to the visor, and its a curved feature, how do I edit curved from a STL file, with no other file format to work from. So that I can merge that part of the face into the visor part of the helmet. Is there a way to make the curves like what is in the step file with no individual faces around the curve.
Thank you. You have two options - if using CAD, then use the ST as a reference and trace sketches around it rebuilding the part. Second option is to take mesh modification software like Meshmixer (it is free) or Blender. The helmet was created, most likely, not in CAD as it contains many organic forms.
@@RoadSideMaker Ya I was afraid of that, I did take it into blender, I'm just not patient enough or skilled enough to go thru all of the thousands of individual faces and points and edges it would take to repair just that section.
@@RoadSideMaker I tried but the only pushes the two different faces into each other and wont merge them. I guess I'm just gonna have to go thru and merge the points and faces individually to get to what I want. I'm really a noob when it comes to this kind of stuff.
At the beginning with STL and 3mf you operate a conversion from shape to object. I could see a definition of shapes in FreeCAD, but not of objects, what are they ?
Not sure what object you are referring to. When converting STL it goes through folowing classes - Mesh > Shape > Shape (refined) > Solid. Can you point a timecode maybe?
And there are a few explanations in FreeCAD wiki about the principles of solids construction actually. It is surely hard to find fine answers, looking for irrelevant questions😅
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Let me know if you would like to see me redesign the filter holder featured in video for 3D printing
Yes please
This is one of the most practical FreeCAD tutorials I’ve ever seen, for an operation that I think a lot of new users want and get tripped up by. You’ve got a great method of explaining and demonstrating common pitfalls, as well as showing useful examples and alternative strategies.
Thank you very much!
I just learned more about FreeCAD in 13 minutes than in the last 3 months of trying to use it. Thank you.
Thank you!
Excellent tutorial! I've always been frustrated by freely available models not being in FreeCAD format - but now I won't have to worry. Thanks for all the info. Liked and subscribed 👍👍
Thank you!
Excellent tutorial. FreeCAD is often not very intuitive, but it does have some pretty powerful tools.
Thank you and you are welcome!
Talking about not only what are you doing, but also why, is what makes the difference here. Thanks for the video.
Thank you for watching!
Since I have seen that STP files are supported directly by the slicer, I only use STP for export.
However, when I upload my files somewhere, I always upload the FreeCAD file as well. I wish more users would share their FCStd files as well, besides the step files.
Btw, nice Tutorial.
Thank you!
Thanks for this timely video. I have just run across a case where the STL file I found need tweaking. As an aside... your first model of a Multigrade filter drawer takes me way back to my days as a B/W darkroom instructor in the days before, and after the introduction of affordable digital camera.
You are welcome, image appearing under red light is always like a magic to me :)
Thank you, that is really useful information. I just started with 3D printing and FreeCAD.
Glad it was helpful!
thank you. perfect video. life saver features of freecad hidden in plain sight. I hate the UI and it was not so stable when I tried it. Now I will install freecad alongside solidworks which lacks features to work with stl. liked and subscribed. thanks again
Thank you!
Thank you very much! I'm new in the Free Cad and your tutorials are so great ! You got new subscriber here.
Glad you like it!
Great tutorial, thanks. I've been giving it a lot of tries and ended up with Blender for quick mesh modifications. Parametric CADs are not really good for working with meshes. So I use both Blender and FreeCAD now.
Agreed, problem is historically most 3D models made in parametric CAD and shared are in mesh format. That makes it harder to modify than it has to. Hope STEP gets more adoption and becomes standard.
@RoadSideMaker ideally it should be combination of 3mf and step in single format, hope at some point we will get file format like that. technically 3mf is an archive, so we just replace mesh with step and done
It would be helpful, however 3mf is mesh by design. Improved precision mesh, but still a mesh. I don't believe you can just replace step, unfortunately
Waw, that tutorial Is really nice and useful! Thank you !
You are welcome!
Thanks for your videos, very helpful and great for learning freecad. i would love more videos on designing workflows
Thank you!
Very nice and concise video, thank you! I used to go into the mesh workbench and it seemed like a lot of screwing around compared to this.
Thank you and you are welcome!
Thanks a great video, very useful. One question though how do you centre the stl file if it comes in offset from the origin?
Thank you. You should determine where you want to place the origin. Than use measure tool to determine necessary offset. Then use Transform tool to set the necessary location
Thank you so much! I had no idea about the defeture button. That is very helpful. It would be great to see how you convert the STEP to a standard Part Design part. Great video!
Thank you! STEP is already parametric part file. 10:50 I am adding the defeatured model into Part Design Body and modifying it afterwards
Great video.
3d files should always be exchanged as STEP/STP whenever possible, since it is a very clean format with infinite definition. It's like STLnis a JPEG file with finite definition, whereas STP is like a vector file with infinite definition.
Not a big fan of exchanging files as 3MF - it's like sharing photos with your friends packaged as PDF - it makes a lot of sense in certain situations, but the vast majority of times you'd just share JPG.
By the way, STEP/STP is not a parametric 3d file format. But it is far more precise and editable than mesh/STL.
Thanks! In the sense that STEP files do not contain parameters - yes, they are not parametric. In the sense that they can be used in parametric CAD software as is with no modifications while edges, faces and vertices are valid geometry - lets say they are parametric cad compatible.
Wow, this was very helpful!
Thank you!
awesome.. thanks
You're welcome!
Amazing!
Thanks!
excellent tutorial. What addon do You use to show workbench as tabs?
Thank you! In the new FreeCAD 1.0 RC2 it is build in. Just go to Edit>Preferences>Workbenches and in the bottom there is an option called Workbench selector type and select "TabBar"
Hi, great video! in 3:40 you create a sketch, how do you place the origin in the centre? Thank you
Hey, I designed that part with center to be on origin. It retains that relationship to coordinates. Otherwise you would need to measure your part and figure out center on your own to put it on origin
Can you please enable the mouse pointer tail?
And enable the click indicator thing?
Than its a lot easier to follow you mouse clicks.
Thank you
Great suggestion, I will look into it
that's great. could you pls share the stl file shown in your tutorial?
Hey, it is not the greatest design. As mentioned, I would redesign it first and then I will publish it. Take a look on Printables, there are several holders available.
@@RoadSideMaker what's the keyword in printable, i just want a similar model to do the practice.
Try "Ilford Multigrade"
@@RoadSideMaker what about the keyword of model shown in 6' of the video
@@cnz-u5x It is a focusing screen spring for 4x5 camera. You can find similar design here (back side, brown color) www.printables.com/model/250649-4x5-large-format-camera
Great tutorial, One thing I am having an issue with, I have a Star Wars scout trooper helmet I currently am working on and the face part of the helmet around the eyes area is suppose to got into the visor part at the top of the face portion, but whoever modeled it modeled that part seperated from the visor, the part does not connect to the visor, and its a curved feature, how do I edit curved from a STL file, with no other file format to work from. So that I can merge that part of the face into the visor part of the helmet. Is there a way to make the curves like what is in the step file with no individual faces around the curve.
Thank you. You have two options - if using CAD, then use the ST as a reference and trace sketches around it rebuilding the part. Second option is to take mesh modification software like Meshmixer (it is free) or Blender. The helmet was created, most likely, not in CAD as it contains many organic forms.
@@RoadSideMaker Ya I was afraid of that, I did take it into blender, I'm just not patient enough or skilled enough to go thru all of the thousands of individual faces and points and edges it would take to repair just that section.
I am sure that there should be tools to move bigger parts of the model, not just individual points and faces. Like brush or something
@@RoadSideMaker I tried but the only pushes the two different faces into each other and wont merge them. I guess I'm just gonna have to go thru and merge the points and faces individually to get to what I want. I'm really a noob when it comes to this kind of stuff.
Sorry couldn't be more of help. You can try Meshmixer, it is free. Maybe you find luck there
At the beginning with STL and 3mf you operate a conversion from shape to object. I could see a definition of shapes in FreeCAD, but not of objects, what are they ?
Not sure what object you are referring to. When converting STL it goes through folowing classes - Mesh > Shape > Shape (refined) > Solid. Can you point a timecode maybe?
Sorry, I was confused, I did not mean obecjt, but solid @@RoadSideMaker
And there are a few explanations in FreeCAD wiki about the principles of solids construction actually. It is surely hard to find fine answers, looking for irrelevant questions😅
You are welcome, glad I could help