I want the ability to do 3D modeling. As far as I can tell, I have to step-up to:
Carveco Maker+ $600 per year
Aspire $1995
AutoDesk Fusion $680 per year
Is there a more affordable option? I looked at Solidworks cloud and it’s $2,400??? WTF
I can barely believe I would have to pay $600 to do 3D modeling. I hope I’m missing something.
I may have answered my own question.
I see Onefinity offers Maker+ at $390.
I knew I had to be missing something! I’ve never heard of freecad, blender or Rhino3D. Thank you very much all!
@NewsVan for some reason I was thinking the free version of Fusion360 couldn’t do 3D modeling/creation. I’ll check out all 3 of the above then.
I used Shapr3d. $299 for a full year or $34 monthly
Check out https://www.onshape.com
It also has a free version. Is web based so its easy to use on less powerful computers and has a timeline similar to fusion.
I just purchased Plasticity 3D (https://www.plasticity.xyz), a software labeled as “CAD for artists.” It offers a perpetual “Indie” license (buy once, own it) for $149 USD. I also used the “REFUGE10” discount code from the Take Refuge 3D YouTube channel to get 10% off. And, before committing to the purchase, I tested the full-feature trial version for a few days.
For those needing more advanced features, the “Studio” license is available for $299 USD, providing more powerful modeling tools. If you’re someone who is a modeling “expert” or coming from Blender, you might appreciate the additional capabilities. However, after watching various reviews and tutorials, I found that even experienced modelers have used the Indie license without feeling the need for an upgrade.
What is Plasticity 3D Like?
If I had to describe it simply, Plasticity 3D is a blend of full parametric 3D modeling (like Fusion 360 or FreeCAD) but with a click-and-drag approach similar to TinkerCAD.
Why I Bought It
The screenshots below show an example of what convinced me to buy it. I needed to create a double-sided, curved, arch-style shape for CNC machining. Achieving this shape in Vectric Aspire proved difficult, likely due to the undercut operation. Perhaps someone like Kyle at Learn Your CNC could have done this in Aspire, but I started getting frustrated and don’t have Kyle on speed dial.
However, Vectric Aspire allowed me to create the vector shapes (in blue) very easily—something that would have required multiple constraints and sketches in FreeCAD (ain’t nobody got time for that).
I exported the vectors as SVG, and within just a few minutes, I:
Overall, I’m impressed with how intuitive Plasticity 3D is and how quickly I was able to accomplish something that felt tedious in other CAD programs.
If you sign a thing at solidworks maker, I think it is $50 a year, but you have to promise not to make more than $1500 a year.
I purchased Carvco maker+ for a perpetual lic for $999.00
I would Test out for free any software you think you may like, and when you find the one like buy a perpetual lic so it wont go away.
Don’t Be like me, I bought Aspire, Then 2 months later a bought carvco maker + perpetual, Then i turned around and did the titans thing with Mastercam ( $128 a year).
I have been thinking about getting Blender myself for 3d modeling and its free from what I heard.
well, after playing around with freecad and autodesk so far, I’m humbled… I’ve gotten where I’m pretty comfortable with Carveco. This seems totally different!
after readding all these complaints about the cost of software no one seems to have mentioned that vetrics is not a subscription item. You pay for it once, and then you own it. Yes, there are updates, but they are not mandatory, and you decide if you want the new functionality or not. I personally have vcarve pro. Would I like aspire? Yes, but I don’t want it enough to shell out the extra money, and by the way Kyle Elly’s course on vetrics software is outstanding and is also lifetime as well.
I use:
Free version of Fusion for CAD modelling and CAM. (Making games, complex component boxes, milling metals (adaptive paths are good at times)
Blender or Houdini for Organic modelling and outputting OBJs/STL for use in VcarvePro. Blender and Houdini handle DEM heightfield maps well and can exchange data with QGIS, which I use to stitch lidar heightfield maps together before sending them to VcarvePro as Objs. I prefer Houdini heightfields but blender is good as well.
VCarvePro is for inlays and flat, sign-like projects.
Fusion for 4th Axis index milling
VCarvePro for rotary 4th axis milling; spindles / lathe like ops.
There are many software options, and I believe it depends on your thinking. I like the procedural and parameterisation nature of F360 and Houdini. But that comes with a learning curve.
Blender has great support and ecosystem, but I find the UI tricky/quirky. It has a somewhat growing procedural process way of working. The sculpture is good, and it handles SVG/DXF well.
F360 struggles with the large datasets encoutered in 3d terrain carving.
The only software I pay for is VcarvePro.
If you want to dabble with different CNC use cases, like I do, be prepared to move/export/import and convert file types.
Solid Edge is another free one.
There’s a bit of a learning curve, but less so than FreeCad.
Hey Mike,
Solid Edge is not free and open-source software, but shareware.
WOW, I had no idea how many free programs are out there! I’m gonna have to devote some time to trying them all I think.
What I struggled with last night, playing around with Autodesk and FreeCAD, was the lack of tutorials specifically for CNC stuff and terminology.
Naively I imagined myself jumping on one, importing an SVG and making it a 3D object (almost auto-magically). NOT the case…! I could barely even select the object. LOL
Previous to getting the CNC last year and using Carveco, I had ZERO experience with CAD or CAM stuff. Now I’ve gotten a laser and Lightburn hasn’t been a huge learning curve.
All the responses in this post have been a huge help and eye-opening.
thank you to all!
Hey stuckinohio,
this is what is called CAM, computer-aided manufacturing. Adjust your search term and find lots of tutorials in the web.
I cant stand drawing or modeling is Aspire or Carvco, I am so used to drawing and modeling in solid works and mastercam, I have them at home just because i know them like the back of my hand, I would really like to get a 3d modeler, was looking at blender but never downloaded, But I really like the way Plasticity looks, I did the 30 day trial last night.
Has anyone used Blender AND Plasticity?
your thoughts would be helpful.
I will definitely do that. I was trying to search for stuff like " freecad 3D wavy flag" or “freecad curved badge”, etc.
I didn’t even think of adding or using CAM. And I was getting intimidated by the difference in interface too. I have much to learn!
Funny, I was just looking on Mastercam’s website last night. Been thinking about upping my 3D game, since Estlcam is not favorable for 3D work. Did you ever have opportunity to utilize Mastercam on a project?
I can’t decide which CAM program to go with, although I do have full-version user privelidges with Inventor and Fusion since I use them at work. Same with SolidWorks, but I don’t know if they have the same arrangement as Autodesk, where users can install them on their personal computers.
I JUST got this email from OnShape. They apparently have added CAM to their CAD package. I have been using OnShape on and off for a while now and it is amazing. Pretty much same capabilities as Fusion and it is free, baby!
" The wait is over! Onshape’s newly released CAM Studio is here to revolutionize your machining process with seamless CAD integration and unmatched capabilities.
Join our live webinar on Tuesday, February 11th at 11am ET to see CAM Studio and CAM Studio Advanced in action, with real-world demos showcasing:
* Integrated machine, tool, and stock definitions
