3d printing guidance?

[redlightrich]

Hello all. I am trying to make a magazine adapter that will utilize an already available speed loader. This loader is already designed to accept adapters.
My needed adapter is simply not made by them.
The available adapters are already 3d printed, so I know this will work.

My issue is I have no CAD experience. Reading up on this makes me believe it is in the scope of my ability.

Does anyone have any sites they can guide me to, or offer some input?

I have not yet purchased the printer, but expect to as soon as I can understand the full process.

My "project" will ultimately benefit the CZ community ( as well as myself).

I am fully aware that this project will not be a cost effective way to obtain an adapter, but the process itself will have a value to me.

I have already searched, and as I suspected, there is no file published that would speed this up.

Thanks for any help you can provide

Rich

[Ricklin]

Hi Rich,
My 3D printer is on holiday right now....long story.

Download Autocad from their site. Register it as a hobbyist. It is free!!!

When you are done playing and move to the commercial world pay the nice people who wrote this awesome software.

Once you have your STL model built use either Cura or Marlin to slice it and print.

Do pay their subscription once you are no longer playing.

[Aguila Blanca]

Download Autocad from their site. Register it as a hobbyist. It is free!!!

Really? When did Autodesk initiate this policy? I gave up on them when even AutoCAD LT went up to well over $1,000 per copy. Last I knew, the free download was only a 30-day trial version.

[Ricklin]

If you register as a hobbyist the 30 days becomes as long as you are not using it to make money. Currently it's 3 years for free as a hobbyist.
It is running on my PC at this moment, Fusion 360 full version. Have not paid them anything. When I make money with it I will switch to the subscription They do the same for non profits.

I do not know when they started doing this, I have had it for months and learned of the deal in the 3D printer forums I frequent.

It is smart business. I am a busy guy and have to dedicate my time to learning it, sure not going to change software after making that investment of my time.
Not only that, they will give you support, webinars, etc. Great folks!

I do strongly recommend you have decent hardware. I-5 or I-7 lots of ram, 3D video card recommended, not required.
Try it yourself.

[FrankenMauser]

Rather than AutoCAD, I recommend Fusion 360. Pretty much the same thing, but with more tools and it has more integrated support for CNC operations (including 3D printing). ...And nearly anything you want to do, you can find a video tutorial for online.

---

Aguila Blanca -
Nearly all of the major players in the "pro-sumer" CAD world have gone to free use by 'hobbyists' -- some even allowing free use by companies making less than a certain amount of profit per year. And, in most cases, all but the most powerful tools/simulations and add-ons are included.
Competition, the modern world expecting everything for free, and the steep cost of just getting in the door for a single-user, single-PC license forced it.

[xandi]

Fusion 360 is what I have, I like it better then the real autocad I used
Learning is gonna be fun and frustrating, just play with it till you get it

[Evan Thomas]

Mmm'kay... We're a firearms forum, not a software forum, so, closed.