Fusin 360 - CAD - Free 1 year license (might be renewable)

[barrysumpter]

Fusion 360
Startup/Enthusiasts - Free 1 year license (might be renewable)

Autodesk Fusion 360 Overview
https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/overview

How-to-activate-start-up(/Enthusiasts)-or-educational-licensing-for-Fusion-360
https://help.autodesk.com/view/fusio...usion-360.html

[elanjacobs]

It is renewable

[barrysumpter]

Just started with Fusion 360.
Wondering if I might be wasting my time.

Any experienced SketchUp users recommend Fusion 360?

[burraboy]

Just started with Fusion 360.
Wondering if I might be wasting my time.

I'm wondering the same thing. Not easy is it/

[elanjacobs]

I've been using full AutoCAD for a few years and I found Fusion to have a pretty steep initial learning curve. But it could be that I'm so used to the other system. I think it's overpowered for the home user working with wood, sketchup seems to be a bit easier to use for furniture

[bueller]

Feel the same way elan, I find Sketchup easily meets my needs. Funnily enough I used to be an Autocad 123d Design user but then they killed that (they hate giving stuff away for free) so I moved to Sketchup. Used that for a while, liked it so I bought the pro version.

[KBs PensNmore]

I'm finding it hard to get around 360 also, so used to the Autocad that I have.
There is a CNC machine shop in town that will be doing training on it, only one small problem, they're asking $1,000 for the 5 day course, but that also includes use of the CNC equipment to make your project??
Kryn

[ian]

$200 per day is perhaps a little steep, but to my mind not unreasonable.
a local (well Calgary) wood retailer runs single and multi day courses that work out at around a similar cost per day.

[barrysumpter]

Thanks to all who replied.

I'm getting that winter mind thirst and hand ache to get active by learning and buildiung something new.

My learning and progress in sketchup seemed to come quickly in hindsight. May be a clouded view since I use it for every project now.

Wanted to find a YouTube video like "Fusion 360 Absolute Beginner Basics for Woodworkers who already know Sketchup" kinda topic.
For easier transition.

I started here yesterday:
Fusion 360 for Woodworking – Pencil Box Series (Part 1 of 4)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JZKSDSyP6g
The Author - DN Handcrafted has some really nice looking projects.

To me the procedures seemed really close to Sketchup until the subject matter turned to cutting overlapping components for fitting the top and bottom of the pencil box. A shortcut technique I think for more advanced users of Fusion 360.

Where in sketchup, as a beginner, I'd go a different route as if I were making it by hand kinda thing.
One piece at a time and copy and build from there.

Also,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGsAAB9S_g0&t=8s
Fusion 360 for Woodworkers 01: Intro & Sketch Basics

Mentioned using primitives like a box similar to sketchup
or using sketches

And
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikrk...0mQgOkYfAsqpWZ
Fusion 360: Modeling Outside the Box - 10 ways to build a cube

Shows the versatility of Fusion 360 and how creative and complex it can be.

[barrysumpter]

This one was a lot closer to where I wanted to start:
A Simple Wooden Box & Some Parameters — Fusion 360 Tutorial — #LarsLive 129
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdI86Q3ukFc

Then this series:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZ2y...towRml7wAHNFrK
Fusion 360 Tutorial - How to Model an Assembly Drawer with Dovetails from Start to Finish Part 1

Same Guy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5bc9c3S12g&t=55s
Fusion 360 Tutorial for Absolute Beginners— Part 1

Fusion 360 — Beginner! How To Pan, Zoom, Rotate & Navigate —Your Comments & Questions — #LarsLive 52
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCPy..._OfVel9aDkNkZ6

[barrysumpter]

Fusion 360 for Beginners Webinar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...&v=gu7Nm0ygaow

Another from Lars I found very informative
Fusion 360 Tutorial — 5 Things Beginners Want to Know about Fusion 360
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ah_SXfcZus&t=1534s

[damian]

Hilarious! Their first claim about the first package to manage the whole product lifecycle, their description is virtually word for word NX (then unigraphics) from 20 years ago.

I remember when I was working we looked at transitioning to another modeling package and inventor was one of the options. Like autocad it was an absolute pos. Slow, clunky, buggy. The sales people had done a good number on our bosses but we stopped them in their tracks when we pointed out our productivity would go down about 20% and we'd lose a bunch of functionality.

Looks like they have rebranded inventor as fusion 360. I probably don't have time to play with it properly but if it's good it's a first for autodesk...

Still if it's free it might be worth trying...

[barrysumpter]

LOL. So its taken them 20 years to catch up to their claims? LOL
And offering it for free to hobbyists?
Penitence.

[barrysumpter]

Just wondering if any active Fusion 360 uses leave their
Show Constraints
option turned on?

I find the constraint icons are a bit blurry and faded and bulky.
Coming from sketchup I find turning Show Constraints off easier to use.

And still looking for a YouTube vid like:
"Absolute beginners guide to Fusion 360 for experienced Sketchup Woodworkers."

[KBs PensNmore]

Learning online is OK if you have 2 computers availablem, one with 360 on it and another to read the desructions from.
Unfortunately my mind is like a sieve, by the time I go from one screen to the other, I've forgotten the details, that's why I like books, instructions in front of me, glance across and I'm then right.

Found this on EBay https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Autodesk...IAAOSwPqRavfB2

Going frm Sketch or whatever to 360, basically forget everything you knew and start afresh, a bit like having to learn to walk again. DAMHIKT.
Kryn