Newbie: Under $1K Powerspec 3D with simplify 3d? Need Training

I have a $1k budget and so based on this forum and reviews I am planning on buying Powerspec 3D with Simplify 3d. I am hoping some of you might know of videos and other resources to help me through the initial learning curve on 3d modeling and printing. I have taken an autodesk class. I am planning on taking more drafting classes, like inventor, at the community college as well but won't do that until the Fall. I think I'm going to pull the trigger on this equipment in the next couple weeks. Any advice is appreciated. I also would appreciate suggestions on cad, as I understand simplify is not used for design.

openscad is my favourite.

It does depend on several things.

1) what do you intend to - mostly - make ?
2) How good are you at drawing ?

I can't draw - period. Even my stick figures are suspect. Whch is why I love openscad, no drawing I just tell it what I want and it draws it for me in a model that's always good to print.

3) buy pla not abs. Pla just works, abs can be a right bastard to get right. Forget anything you've read about pla being brittle or abs being more durable. I've found bugger all difference between them and my pla is definitely less brittle than my abs.

Once you've got a few prints under your belt you can branch out and try different plastics. But for out of the box working without hassle - pla every time.

Thank you for responding! Does openscad have a good user base and forum? Are there a lot of resources online like youtube etc. to learn? Is this the best option or is there a $300 program that would have more support?

www.tinkercad.com is a great, easy modeling website to start messing around in. Useful in many ways, and very simple (even though I'm sure you are good in better programs.)

Unlike aardvarke, I mostly print in ABS, on Kapton tape. You do get a little warping at the bottom, vary's depending on how big what your printing is in my opinion so far. The PLA I have tried has seemed to break a lot easier then anything I've printed in ABS, maybe if I make thicker infill or something. I guess it is a bit easier to print with also. And quicker to get the print going by 5 minutes or so, lower temp's and such. Also I love to acetone vapor bath ABS. Google it.

That being said, Jimc on this forum swears up and down PET is the best way to go. I have not tried it yet, I believe it's a bit more then ABS is. I'm currently only paying $15 for 1KG spool's of ABS or PLA at Microcenter, which is a great price, and great quality so far!

I'm just starting to learn some things about designing part's in Solidwork's, but it seem's to be one of the better part creating program's. Model creating in Zbrush I have been playing around with, and it's very powerful also for all thing's modeling. Youtube a few videos. And Simplify3D is very nice to have, but it was also good to learn Makerware and then Slic3r to just see how other's work in my opinion.

If you're an artist, I can't help you. ;-)

If you're into engineering design, see if you can grab a student license via your college. Bassna mentioned Solidworks, there's also CATIA. They are great. Plus, you can find countless websites of engineering teachers putting their lessons online and that'll get you through the beginning. Once you're past what they can provide, you're entering the semi pro level and you'll need an actual training. My advice : practice.

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Originally Posted by aderb001

Thank you for responding! Does openscad have a good user base and forum? Are there a lot of resources online like youtube etc. to learn? Is this the best option or is there a $300 program that would have more support?

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yes - loads of tutorials, lots of forums with openscad sections. Including this one.
Free programs tend to have more support than commercial ones because there are a lot more people involved in their upkeep and evolution.

It all depends on how your brain works.
If you can visualise what you want to make, and have some basic arithmetic skills then openscad is an absolute doddle.

The way I use it is about as inelegant as it can possibly get. Some of the scripts that get posted are really clean, and small and mathmatically brilliant. And I can't make head nor tail of them.

That's not how I use it lol
I tend to work some things out and then just move others into place by trial and error, and the number of unions and differences in some of my scripts is quite impressive :-)
But te importantr thing is not how you get there but what you actually get. And so far I've managed to make everything I wanted to make without any real problems.

There are a lot of good free gui based cad packages around - really no need to buy anything.

One thing I would recommend is a good book.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Practical-3D...ds=3d+printing
I bought that one long before I had a printer. Read it cover to cover before and after I got a printer.
Brian uses a lot of different ways and free programs to generate 3d print ready models (not all cad packages are good at this - sketchup is crap at it, openscad is brilliant and ONLY produces models ready to print - it literally will not export a model that won't print).

Great book, goes into just the right amount of explanation about most aspects of 3d printing. Although perhaps doesn't emphasise how important good calibration is.

So far I haven't had to resort to any other programs. I've managed by one bodge or another to produce what i wanted just with openscad. But like I say, it just works the way my brain works. I just don't get on with gui based modelling packages. And I tried most of them before I found openscad.

But get the book :-)
You won't regret it.