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Recommended alternatives to SketchUp? (reddthat.com)

submitted 2 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

12 comments fedilink hide all child comments

cross-posted from: https://reddthat.com/post/24214265

So, a couple years ago, somebody published the 2017 free desktop client of SketchUp on the chocolatey repos, and I managed to snag it before it got taken down. I use it primarily to make woodworking plans.

I'm wrapping up my transition plan to Linux, but I'm not really up to date on SketchUp alternatives. The only ones I know of are Blender (afaik more for animation and 3D printing) and FreeCAD (CAD seems like overkill, since I'm just doing simple cuts and joinery).

Are there good Linux/FOSS alternatives to SketchUp that have similar features, or is the web client the only reasonable option?

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 months ago

FreeCAD maybe?

[–] [email protected] 13 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Maybe SolveSpace?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago

I wish they'd add lofting. That would make it more versatile than it is now. Otherwise I really like how it is made.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 months ago

simple cuts and joinery

is it woodwork? then there's a decent workbench https://github.com/dprojects/Woodworking

check out other workbenches, too https://wiki.freecad.org/External_workbenches

[–] [email protected] 21 points 2 months ago (1 children)

+1 for FreeCAD.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago (2 children)

I'm willing to learn it, so I'll see if maybe I've just misconstrued the over-complexity for my needs.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago

Learn ondsel (which is basically a freecad fork) first and then transfer to FreeCAD later. It's easier to learn at first but for true woodworking FreeCAD is better - but only after you know the basics.

Sadly neither of them is remotely efficient at all when it comes to woodworking. But if you don't care for the time it takes too much it is something to work with.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

I’ll see if maybe I’ve just misconstrued the over-complexity for my needs.

It depends how you are defining "over-complexity". FreeCAD is a very capable CAD application, so, by extension, it has a vast array of features which means that a single task could potentially be tackled multiple ways. That being said, it is not a difficult application to use, imo. The UI feels well designed, and it's responsive. Like many things, the level of ease of use, and productivity when using it depends a lot on one's familiarity with the application.