WORKSHOP INFORMATION
When I first started to get into 3D printing, I learned very quickly that CAD skills are extremely powerful. Unfortunately, I also learned very quickly that if you want to learn CAD, you may have many hurdles to climb before you can even begin. The CAD community can sometimes be like a walled garden.
The now-too-common model of selling software as a service means that you might have to pay a huge sum of money every year, even as a hobbyist! On top of that, finding drawings to practice your skills can be tedious and time-consuming, especially on a budget.
Your money is valuable, and times are hard. You’re just a hobbyist, and you’re wanting to practice your skills so you can get better at making 3D printed parts. Or, maybe you’re wanting to train your CAD skills at home in hopes of landing your dream job. Either way, you’re in the right place.
Practice your CAD skills by modeling the parts on the main workshop page.
To check your work, have your software calculate the parts’ mass, and compare it to the answer listed below the drawing.
HOW DO I USE THIS SITE?
A tutorial video will be coming soon.
Add a material to your CAD software with a density of 1020 kg/m³.
Use this material when you design models on this site, otherwise, your mass calculation won’t be correct!
(Too Tall Toby’s ABS is a perfect match. For simplicity’s sake, all parts on this page are modeled in that material.)Find a part which interests you on the main workshop page.
(They are in no particular order.)Model the part in your CAD software.
(Be careful! Some parts are in millimeters/grams, some are in inches/pounds! Some drawings make it hard to find the information you need, others give you information overload!)Check your work by telling your CAD software to calculate the mass of the part. Check your answer against the answer listed below the drawing.