[DaQue]

As I understand it there was a version that you could use for free for home use without a time limit. Its not up on Geomagic's site. Is there a site or way to still get it or another CAD program I could download a free version of to see if I can get the hang of CAD and do a few dimensioned drawings that could be used to mill a part? I have windows 8 64 bit box and a MacBook pro with a Windows 7 bootcamp partition along with Lion.

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[awerby]

I don't think there ever was a free and time-unlimited version of Alibre, but there certainly isn't one now that it's changed ownership and become Geomagic Design. There is a time-limited demo version of their inexpensive Cubify product, though, which you can download here: Cubify - Express Yourself in 3D That gives you 14 days to figure out which of your computers it works best on, and go through some tutorials (available on YouTube) to see if you can get the hang of it. I've got more information about it on my site.

[DaQue]

Tanks! I stand corrected on Alibre. I also found links on here for freecad.org and libreweb.org. Both are available for Mac and PC and the look free if anyone else is looking. The freecad looks pretty complete and I am grabbing it for sure and maybe the other ones too.

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[awerby]

Freecad.org is an ad site; they don't have any content of their own, just links to other sites which may or may not have what you're looking for. Libreweb.org doesn't seem to work at all. If you look on my computersculpture site, under Links/CAD CAM and Graphic Software , I have some free CAD programs listed, like SolidEdge (2D) and Hexagon (3d). But the most important thing is finding a program you can get along with. Even if you have to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars for a program that really does what you need, that becomes insignificant when you consider the hundreds or thousands of hours you'll end up investing in it, if you are to truly master it.

[ger21]

I think the free version of Alibre was called Alibre Express? But that was over 5 years ago.

[DaQue]

I think the free version of Alibre was called Alibre Express? But that was over 5 years ago.

That sounds like what I remember from a YouTube video, Keith Rucker's , I think, put up a while back about making a backplate for a lathe chuck. I got the program from freecadweb.org and watched some YouTube tutorials and I think I will try it for awhile. Assemblies are still a work in progress but its an open source project which I like. If I can't swing getting a mill at least I can learn how to design stuff until I get to a point I could. I first just wanted a Sheirline mill, now I dream bigger but still don't have any hardware.

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