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I just ordered a Replicator 2x and have no experience with CAD or 3d printing. By the time it gets here I'd like to have a good grasp on how to use it. What are the best modeling programs. I'll take the classes and cram for the 8 weeks it takes to get here. Rhino is a little pricey.
Suggesting the best 3D software is sort of like asking "what's the best car" because it's not that easy to answer. However, they can be expensive so I'd imagine that if you start small and then find you need more you can always upgrade.
3DS Max, Maya, Softimage and Cinema 4D are all the top programs but will set you back several thousand bucks. Rhino3D is very powerful but a somewhat different type of modeling based on NURBS. Don't worry about what that is right yet. I'd suggest you try Blender (http://www.blender.org/). It's open-source and free at the moment. It's powerful and I think about all you'd need for your 3D printer models. It will have a bit of a learning curve though because it is so powerful. There are a lot of tutorials available on the web to get you started.
You might also want to check this link out. It has some suggestions for software. http://www.shapeways.com/creator/tools
Autodesk 3ds Max
SketchUp
Massive
Autodesk Maya
Blender
Modo
For free software I'd have a look at Design Spark Mechanical.
It's a stripped feature Spaceclaim which is meant for designing circuit boards and doesn't let you save as solid geometry. It is perfect for 3D printing however, as you can export as a mesh.