I've used the free version, but at $500 for the pro version, I'm not sure it has what I don't have in my other packages (TurboCad and some others). It has a big following, though, and an incredible free library of models.
You should try the free version if you haven't looked at it yet. Most of the main features are supported, but it won't do some important imports and exports, and the rendering is limited. But it should give you a good notion of whether you want or need the full package.
BTW, Sketchup is no longer a Google product. They sold it, though the new outfit has kept much of it the same.
I have used both the pro and free, its OK but the interface was buggy when I used
If you Only need to make a model to * show * how some thing looks then I recomend Bryce from DAZ3D .
Its under 100 USD and can do more for less .... and its X Platform .
Peter, just as a note, the latest version of Bryce is only $20. Cross-platform compatibility seems to be slipping, through.
Lest anyone think the low price means it's low-value, DAZ's business model is a razor blade/razor sort of thing. They make the vast bulk of their money on their meshes.
Actually, I should have stated the "Free" version. I am looking for either a free or inexpensive 3D CAD program. It is for my personal use and only to create drawings for my robots and associated parts. It does not need to be anything fancy but it does need to be fairly easy to use. I am getting too old to have to learn a whole new trade!!!!
Edit: Some time ago I purchased Vector Engineer Pro Tools but it is only 2D and is difficult to use, IMO. For one, after I have created a part and try to move it, it moves a duplicate part therby messing up the whole part.
Yea I saw the 19 USD sale . I just wanted to quote the going rate that is not on there everlasting low price offers ,
the OSX thing I hope is just a setback * We too here with our IDE SW have also dealt with the apple wrath .
Yea Its cheap and its for its * intended * use kinda bare for the budding artist but for a por mans CAD or way to at the very least make a easy to use 3D render prgram Its hard to beat Bryce .
with the basic shapes you can do quite a lot for our kinda work .
I've been using it since 2007, doing some wooden furniture and civil engineering modeling for a +150 sqm beach house expansion.
I tend to agree with Gordon about its feature set, as for the free versions I've used so far.
But since I had the chance to realy build the things I designed, and get documented, using it, led me to the conclusion that it suffices as is.
Even the most intrincate rebar setup, for stairs, slab x column x beam and foundations were a breeze to design, once I'd got its interface mastered.
It was also funny to teach its howtos for the masons to learn and preview next week tasks, as the work was progressing.
The worst part at all, was keeping salt water, sand, mud and concrete, far away from my notebook.
A last time statement: I'm a 57 years old, half blooded genuine brazilian cannibal.
Then, in Yano Canni words: If me can learn something, every pale face, or not, can it too!
The free version of sketchup does not allow you to print true sized images. I tried to create templates for mounting Pings, LCDs etc and while the proportions are accurate, you can't print it so that the printed image is exactly the same as design dimemsions.
I created a fairly accurate sketch of my whole house and individual pieces of furniture, etc
Not free but cheap is TurboCad 18 Deluxe. Amazon sells it for $17. This is a low-end entry-level version. I'm not sure if there's a demo on the IMSI site for a trial, but you could look. They usually have a limited free version to try, and then through Amazon and others sell some of their older versions at a discount.
All 3D engineering programs have odd interfaces and are not easy to learn (Sketchup is a little better, though at least for the free version I find its tools fairly limiting). I've used pro versions of TurboCad for more than 10 years and it still irritates me, but it's capable.
Does SketchUp Pro support NURBs surfaces a la Rhino? The reason I ask is that the local HS is looking for an instructional 3D CAD system on par with SolidWorks ($$$) or Rhino ($$). The state school system has a blanket license for SketchUp Pro in the classroom, but it would not be worth considering if it lacks capability.
In case it wasn't mentioned the "Free" version has a time limit on use. I think it is so many days. I didn't see that limitation mentioned when I downloaded it, but as soon as I ran it, it said how many days of use I had left and I immediately uninstalled it.
I use Sketchup Pro 2013 on a daily basis. I hardly make use of the extra features that are in the pro version, I could get by just fine with the free version and some plugins.
The free version of Sketchup is not time limited, you can download a trial of Sketchup Pro that will expire.
On ease of use, it is very easy to get started. There are many video tutorials available that help to learn how to use the various tools effectively. The first thing I tell people learning to use Sketchup is to make groups out of every part. Group everything! Then turn it into a component if there are going to be duplicates. If you don't group things you will become frustrated quickly.
I selected for personal projects and hit download the installed program gave me a xx day time limit on use. Is this not where you get the free version?
I haven't actually downloaded the free version for a couple of years. They call it Sketchup Make now. They clearly state that Sketchup Make is free to use, could it be that you downloaded Sketchup Pro?
Yep, that's it. I just downloaded Sketchup Make, the install file you get is for Sketchup Pro. I am sure that when the time runs out it reverts to the free version and you lose the Pro features.
Interesting...well, that was why I deleted it. I wasn't positive that would happen and I didn't want to commit to using something that would eventually stop working. I wonder if that really is the case?
Interesting...well, that was why I deleted it. I wasn't positive that would happen and I didn't want to commit to using something that would eventually stop working. I wonder if that really is the case?
From the Sketchup blog;
SketchUp Make installations give you 8 free hours to try all the features of SketchUp Pro after installation. We are working on some new messaging to clarify this for future downloaders, but fear not- you installed SketchUp Make and are free to use it as long as you like.
Nope. It is a RadioShack Realistic Mach-One 15 inch Speaker from 1984.
They still sound great although the the foam on the woofer disentegrated.
I found a place that sold the foam suspension rings and glued them on cones and frame. Like new!
I created the speaker using SketchUp 6.4.112. It was tedious building the horn tweeter but you can "go inside" the speaker with SketchUp, just like you can "walk through" the house and basement, etc
Interesting...well, that was why I deleted it. I wasn't positive that would happen and I didn't want to commit to using something that would eventually stop working. I wonder if that really is the case?
Exactly Chris, it's the case of your present situation.
In a marketing effort of Trimble to convince you to use Sketchup Pro, they only allow downloading and installing Pro's version, as they has stated on their site.
After 8 hours of use, it reverts to Sketchup Make, that is totaly free.
IMHO it's like serving a full plate of soup, then, after you eat a few spoons, the waiter takes your still fuming and delicious half full plate, back to the kitchen. Unless you fully pays Trimble's price tag.
You sudden reaction of uninstaling it does realy proves the wrongness of their decision, don't lefting to the user, the choice of downloading the version he wants to test drive.
It's a real case of expectancy reversal, way bad from a psychologic standpoint.
I realy prefer the old way; two versions, user choice.
Cause I don't want to use Pro's features, I'll keep with Make version, no need to test drive something that I realy don't want.
I think it is more like being served a dinner with a hot fudge sunday as dessert. They take away the dessert after seeing that you are not going to pay, yet you still don't go hungry and you had a chance to taste the sunday.
Sorry W9GFO, for almost repeating some piece of information of your post.:thumb:
I'm blaming my almost lazy worm's pace written English for the fault.
I have my eyes, brain, fingers an almost every other feature, needed to do it. But I don't have the required skills, to accomplish it in a fast pace.
I think it is more like being served a dinner with a hot fudge sunday as dessert. They take away the dessert after seeing that you are not going to pay, yet you still don't go hungry and you had a chance to taste the sunday.
W9GFO
Holy Grail!
Soup, dinner, hot fudge sunday as dessert!
Mixed with dutch mustard and (ex)catchup, (ex)(tra)googled!
Propellers on the ceiling, still fuming delicatessen on the bench tops.
All of it, copied, pasted, rendered and elsewhere saved.
Mein Gott In Himmel, there goes my diet, way down to nowhere!
So what I ended up doing was purchasing 2 copies of Autocad 2014 Academic. Since I will only be using it for home use and nothing commercial I figured that would be my best option. The 2 license only cost me $16.00 for both so I think it was worth it. I will pick up a book that will help me in getting the basics down and I have use of it for 3 years. By then there will be a 2017 version and if I still need it I can do the same thing.
I used Alibre for a few years before the company finally took the plunge into SolidWorks. They've since been bought out by 3D Systems, and changed the name to GeoMagic. Don't be fooled by the stupid-sounding name, the software is a good bang-for-the-buck package.
Alibre Personal Edition got renamed to Cubify Design-- another stupid name, to be sure, but it was in a move to tie it in to their Cube 3d Printers. It's at $199 US, but it's a full 3d modeler.
I used Alibre for a few years before the company finally took the plunge into SolidWorks. They've since been bought out by 3D Systems, and changed the name to GeoMagic. Don't be fooled by the stupid-sounding name, the software is a good bang-for-the-buck package.
Alibre Personal Edition got renamed to Cubify Design-- another stupid name, to be sure, but it was in a move to tie it in to their Cube 3d Printers. It's at $199 US, but it's a full 3d modeler.
There is a Sherline edition of Cubify that adds a $250 import/export add-on for $50 more than the regular Cubify. http://www.sherline.com/GeoPrice.htm
The regular version of Cubify only exports to STL, The extra $50 is well worth being able to import and export to many different formats. http://www.sherline.com/geofiles.htm
I have a few clients that use SolidWorks. Nice software but way too rich for my blood. Plus, you have to use the Video Cards THEY recommend or risk the software constantly crashing. I have the Autocad on my 64 Bit Windows 7 Pro system and it also runs pretty well on my Asus NetBook. That to me is a huge plus!!!!
Did you check if autodesk inventor is available too? Is it the solidworks equivalent from autodesk, and for sure better fitted for 3D.
Autocad could be acceptable for viewing a 3D, but modeling in autocad is a path to frustration.
If you want free forms check rhino, blender, zbrush.
If you are in 3d mech models go to solidworks, inventor and friends (I had Alibre, but 3DS is changing things, so I don't know how it will evolve).
I don't want to upset anyone but autocad is not the right tool. I have it, I use it daily, but if I need to make a solid model I switch to something best suited (in my case inventor).
I'm sure for normal modeling you can use any PC even with solidworks (maybe with an assembly made of 1000 parts the PC configuration matters).
In case of trouble there always is the wireframe view.
Massimo
NWCCTV
Posts: 3,629
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You should try the free version if you haven't looked at it yet. Most of the main features are supported, but it won't do some important imports and exports, and the rendering is limited. But it should give you a good notion of whether you want or need the full package.
BTW, Sketchup is no longer a Google product. They sold it, though the new outfit has kept much of it the same.
If you Only need to make a model to * show * how some thing looks then I recomend Bryce from DAZ3D .
Its under 100 USD and can do more for less .... and its X Platform .
Lest anyone think the low price means it's low-value, DAZ's business model is a razor blade/razor sort of thing. They make the vast bulk of their money on their meshes.
Edit: Some time ago I purchased Vector Engineer Pro Tools but it is only 2D and is difficult to use, IMO. For one, after I have created a part and try to move it, it moves a duplicate part therby messing up the whole part.
the OSX thing I hope is just a setback * We too here with our IDE SW have also dealt with the apple wrath .
Yea Its cheap and its for its * intended * use kinda bare for the budding artist but for a por mans CAD or way to at the very least make a easy to use 3D render prgram Its hard to beat Bryce .
with the basic shapes you can do quite a lot for our kinda work .
http://www.peterthethinker.com/FORUM/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=49&sid=9d40b370126e0d4d48d814652a10a525 I did most of that render in under a hour of work .
I've been using it since 2007, doing some wooden furniture and civil engineering modeling for a +150 sqm beach house expansion.
I tend to agree with Gordon about its feature set, as for the free versions I've used so far.
But since I had the chance to realy build the things I designed, and get documented, using it, led me to the conclusion that it suffices as is.
Even the most intrincate rebar setup, for stairs, slab x column x beam and foundations were a breeze to design, once I'd got its interface mastered.
It was also funny to teach its howtos for the masons to learn and preview next week tasks, as the work was progressing.
The worst part at all, was keeping salt water, sand, mud and concrete, far away from my notebook.
A last time statement: I'm a 57 years old, half blooded genuine brazilian cannibal.
Then, in Yano Canni words: If me can learn something, every pale face, or not, can it too!
Yanomani
I created a fairly accurate sketch of my whole house and individual pieces of furniture, etc
All 3D engineering programs have odd interfaces and are not easy to learn (Sketchup is a little better, though at least for the free version I find its tools fairly limiting). I've used pro versions of TurboCad for more than 10 years and it still irritates me, but it's capable.
-Phil
Ron...izzat a Klipsch?
Very intriguing for me as I like programming.
Try it out - its free.
Enjoy!
Mike
Or thinkercad (free, on line only).
Massimo
The free version of Sketchup is not time limited, you can download a trial of Sketchup Pro that will expire.
BTW, it is not Google Sketchup anymore...
On ease of use, it is very easy to get started. There are many video tutorials available that help to learn how to use the various tools effectively. The first thing I tell people learning to use Sketchup is to make groups out of every part. Group everything! Then turn it into a component if there are going to be duplicates. If you don't group things you will become frustrated quickly.
When I went here: http://www.sketchup.com/download
I selected for personal projects and hit download the installed program gave me a xx day time limit on use. Is this not where you get the free version?
Yep, that's it. I just downloaded Sketchup Make, the install file you get is for Sketchup Pro. I am sure that when the time runs out it reverts to the free version and you lose the Pro features.
From the Sketchup blog;
Nope. It is a RadioShack Realistic Mach-One 15 inch Speaker from 1984.
They still sound great although the the foam on the woofer disentegrated.
I found a place that sold the foam suspension rings and glued them on cones and frame. Like new!
I created the speaker using SketchUp 6.4.112. It was tedious building the horn tweeter but you can "go inside" the speaker with SketchUp, just like you can "walk through" the house and basement, etc
Exactly Chris, it's the case of your present situation.
In a marketing effort of Trimble to convince you to use Sketchup Pro, they only allow downloading and installing Pro's version, as they has stated on their site.
After 8 hours of use, it reverts to Sketchup Make, that is totaly free.
IMHO it's like serving a full plate of soup, then, after you eat a few spoons, the waiter takes your still fuming and delicious half full plate, back to the kitchen. Unless you fully pays Trimble's price tag.
You sudden reaction of uninstaling it does realy proves the wrongness of their decision, don't lefting to the user, the choice of downloading the version he wants to test drive.
It's a real case of expectancy reversal, way bad from a psychologic standpoint.
I realy prefer the old way; two versions, user choice.
Cause I don't want to use Pro's features, I'll keep with Make version, no need to test drive something that I realy don't want.
Yanomani
Sorry W9GFO, for almost repeating some piece of information of your post.:thumb:
I'm blaming my almost lazy worm's pace written English for the fault.
I have my eyes, brain, fingers an almost every other feature, needed to do it. But I don't have the required skills, to accomplish it in a fast pace.
Yanomani
W9GFO
Holy Grail!
Soup, dinner, hot fudge sunday as dessert!
Mixed with dutch mustard and (ex)catchup, (ex)(tra)googled!
Propellers on the ceiling, still fuming delicatessen on the bench tops.
All of it, copied, pasted, rendered and elsewhere saved.
Mein Gott In Himmel, there goes my diet, way down to nowhere!
Yanomani
...ah! That's why it looked familiar.
I've a pair of RS Optimus, circa '74, and the surrounds are some sort of impregnated type - still going strong!
A little bit of a learning curve, but you get a real 3d modeler (mechanical oriented).
Massimo
Alibre Personal Edition got renamed to Cubify Design-- another stupid name, to be sure, but it was in a move to tie it in to their Cube 3d Printers. It's at $199 US, but it's a full 3d modeler.
There is a Sherline edition of Cubify that adds a $250 import/export add-on for $50 more than the regular Cubify. http://www.sherline.com/GeoPrice.htm
The regular version of Cubify only exports to STL, The extra $50 is well worth being able to import and export to many different formats. http://www.sherline.com/geofiles.htm
Autocad could be acceptable for viewing a 3D, but modeling in autocad is a path to frustration.
If you want free forms check rhino, blender, zbrush.
If you are in 3d mech models go to solidworks, inventor and friends (I had Alibre, but 3DS is changing things, so I don't know how it will evolve).
I don't want to upset anyone but autocad is not the right tool. I have it, I use it daily, but if I need to make a solid model I switch to something best suited (in my case inventor).
I'm sure for normal modeling you can use any PC even with solidworks (maybe with an assembly made of 1000 parts the PC configuration matters).
In case of trouble there always is the wireframe view.
Massimo