Another thing I find to like fusion 360 over sketchup is that you can drop a sketch to any existing flat surface or even out in the air. This makes it (at least for me) much easier to make some truly complex shapes.
1 Like
Ya, organic complexity is one of those areas that is best done with plugins on the SketchUp side, so I could see that. Look forward to seeing what else you cook up. The project you showed in your video is stunning, must have been a crazy amount of work.
Awesome video.
I have been using coreldraw to design most of what I do on my laser. After watching the video, I see potential in learning to design in Fusion 360 for other projects.
I homeschool my son and in Oklahoma it is a legal accepted alternative to an “accredited” institution, therefore we are eligible for their educaters license. Im going to teach my son to use Fusion360 and in doing so, learn myself 
Then I’ll get the normal licensing if I think I can use it for my business designing in the future.
2 Likes
Fusion 360 is free for hobbyists and businesses that derive less than something like $100,000 of income from the use of Fusion 360. I’m sure others on this forum can confirm that dollar amount.
1 Like
I didnt see that anywhere…ok thats cool too then. Is that a full version?? I noticed the educational program has lesson plans though so either way, I’m covered. 
It’s my understanding that it is the full version. I have installed it but I have only dabbled with it a little. Here’s another post with clarification on the license.
2 Likes
Just to be clear, I didn’t make that awesome project or video, just participating in the thread. The one significant thing I have done though would have been much harder in sketchup.
1 Like
I have not explored Fusion 360 as much as I want to, yet. I have never found myself being limited in what I wanted to create in SketchUp. It’s really a question of re-use of designs that is making me switch.
I’m sure, as my skill level with Fusion 360 expands, I will find new features that I really like. But I’m not there yet.
1 Like
I’ve been using the “free” full version, since I make less than $100,000 off my hobby.
Let me know if you find the lesson plans in the educational program useful. We are also homeschoolers here in Canada (for 4 kids). I’m thinking of staring a “3D design” club/course for some of the other kids in our homeschooling community. My kids are asking me to show them how to use 3D design software, and I’m sure a few other kids in our group would enjoy it too. If there’s a lesson plan I can use, it would make my life easier.
Thanks.
3 Likes
Oh I have no doubt that you always find a way in sketchup, the smart and creative always find a way to push software beyond what it was originally meant to do. To me, the mark of a drawing/cad program is what it does with us less creative types.
Perhaps it is the way I learned as well, I think in three views and then integrate them into 3d and this is exactly how fusion 360 works.
1 Like
I find the “joining” part of Fusion 360 to be frustrating. Perhaps I need to watch a few tutorial videos.
I’m talking about making several components, and wanting them to line up based on a side of each component.
For example, I’ll make 4 sides of a box as separate components. Then I want them to line up as a box would. I should be able to click on the side lines of 2 components and say “these 2 parts line up based on these lines”. If I use the joint command, I can kind of make it do that. I make 3 out of the 4 sides join with each other how I want. But when I try and join the 4th side, it won’t let me.
2 Likes
Try out the assemble tools - they work exactly as you described. I use that after setting up the tenons on one piece, and then use that piece as the tool to cut out the mortises on the other one after assembly.
2 Likes
The assemble tab can be very frustrating… If I don’t need something to slide or rotate I will just highlight everything after manualy positioning and make it a “rigid group” that never fails for me.
But even the “manual positioning” can be tedious, if you’re working at angles. I just want one component to line up next to another component. I want to be able to click on 2 faces and say “these line up”, either centered with each other, or with one face at one end of the other face.
Everything is tedious when you are not good at it, I know this all too well. I could throw hevy things at my monitor when the pros make it look easy and go way to fast for me so I have to keep backing up the video.
But the thing is, joints are not hard to those that are good at them and the only way to be good is to practice and learn which I’ll continue to do.
One thing that works for me is to make things in place as basic shapes and then add the joinery. There is no positioning to do when you do it like that. This works very well in Sketchup and Fusion 360.
It is times like this I wish I knew how to screen cast…I’m not good but maybe I could show you this one thing…
1 Like
Happy to get on a web session with you tomorrow or Friday to run through joints if you would like.
3 Likes
So cool to have you here. I personally like to figure out or find stuff myself when I can but it is good to know we have someone in case I ever hit a wall and need the cheat code.
Here is a link to a webinar around joints that might help as you get up to speed on them.
Here is also a joint tutorial that is worth going through when you have some time.
http://fusion360.autodesk.com/learning/learning.html?guid=GUID-DE65A081-8233-456E-A930-F0D5FEB94277
13 Likes
Thanks @garin_gardiner. I’ll take a look at those ressources, and if I still have questions, I may take you up on your offer for a web session later this week.
You’re awesome!
4 Likes
OK, I must be missing something on how to get Fusion360 for free. I see a free trial, and free for students and educators, but I don’t see anything for startups or enthusiasts.
Also as a second question, is this browser based? Can I open my projects from anywhere without having to download the software to that computer?