Hobbies

My favorite 3D modeling software in 2024

Posted by Mel on

Tl;dr: Don’t know where to start with 3D modeling tools? Check with my faves!

I tried to cover a lot of ground in my 3D modeling practice in 2024! I worked on my CAD skills, looked for new software to grow into and worked on my mobile devices more. And that’s a good thing because…People often ask me what is my favorite 3D modeling software!

So, here’s the criteria for the modeling tools at the top of my stack these days:

  • it has to be good
  • it has to be great value, and affordable
  • it has to be at least useable for 3D printing (laser and CNC cutting a plus)

With that in mind let’s take a look at my selection together! We’re going to check out Fusion 360, Blender with CAD Sketcher and Nomad Sculpt.

Autodesk Fusion 360

A screenshot of the 3D model of bearings with a cross-section, designed in Fusion 360.
I’ve been having a 3D printed bearings phase, don’t judge

I’ve been using Fusion 360 for work and professional projects for close to 9 years. A Sketchup refugee, I first got into Fusion 360 in 2016. We fired it up, looked at the screen, looked at each other, looked at the screen again…And turned it off. It would be several months before we gave it another shot. It has become a staple in my workflow since then!

My favorite feature in Fusion 360 is the ability quickly change any parameters in a design. One design can solve problems for a variety of situations, and that’s where Fusion’s parametric design features shine. Fusion 360’s offering is great for anybody designing for 3D printers or laser cutters, even at the free level. The software and the learning curve have both gotten better since my first experience. I always recommend Fusion 360 when people ask me what they should use once they’re ready to graduate from Tinkercad!

A screenshot of the Fusion 360 website displays the Maker license fees.
Hobby users can use Fusion 360 for free with reasonable limitations.

You can download Fusion 360 here and find out more about the terms of their license for personal use here. For Fusion 360 tutorials, check this playlist from the Learn It! channel.

Blender (with CAD Sketcher)

A screen capture of the Blender modeling program showing a steampunk and futuristic restaurant on tank treads.
You can build some seriously cool stuff with Blender!

Sometimes it feels like Blender has been around forever. I had friend making their first renders on it all the way back in 1996! It lets you sculpt, animate, do simple or complex visual effects from your computer for $0. In spite of all that I never seriously got into it until the last couple year. Blender’s things just haven’t been my thing!

The Blender learning curve has always been and might always be…An experience. But the serious revamp in recent versions does make things somewhat more approachable, and that’s no small feat! You see, Blender was never made for CAD. The built-in tools and workspaces mostly focus on full-on artistic projects. That’s where CAD Sketcher comes in! This pay-what-you-want add-on tries to complete the picture with all the features we expect from a contemporary CAD package. Features like chamfers and fillets are not fully integrated into Blender, but it’s a very encouraging work in progress. Makers, you should keep an eye on this one! It’s always good to have options. Proprietary software like Fusion 360 can always change their terms of service into something that doesn’t work for you!

A screen capture of the CAD Sketcher website.
The CAD Sketcher website has all you need to get you started.

You can download Blender here. For an overall look at what Blender can do these days, I usually recommend Grant Abbit’s tutorials on YouTube or Udemy. To install CAD Sketcher and get the lay of the land, start here!

NomadSculpt

A screen capture of Nomad Sculpt with the Spirit of Ecstasy sculpture molded onto a Onewheel fender.
My attempt at sprucing up Onewheel fenders in Nomad Sculpt using 3D scans

Remember when I said that sculpting etc. was not my thing? Nomad Sculpt is my kinda sorta desperate attempt at getting better at that. I recently got an iPad to work on my projects without a laptop and found out about Nomad Sculpt on vacation. I’m still looking! But I grabbed Nomad Sculpt along the way and I’m super happy for it.

The bad news: Nomad Sculpt needs a stylus to work. The good news: off-brand models like Targus active stylus seem to work too! Once you buy Nomad Sculpt (a one-time feel no subscription) and set up your stylus, you’re off to the races. Much like Tinkercad, you will start your Nomad Sculpt projects with primitive shapes to refine later. Much like Blender, you will use tools to manipulate “digital clay” before sending your projects out to your 3D printer. You can also work on materials and lighting in Nomad Sculpt, Blender or other modeling programs!

A screen capture of the Nomad Sculpt website detailing the toolset available: Clay, Crease, Trim, Smooth, Stroke customization, Matcap rendering and vertex painting.
The Nomad Sculpt website features example sculpts in different styles.

Artistic sculpting is very different from CAD. CAD designers, you will have to work to wrap your mind around it at first! But Nomad Sculpt does its best to bring down the barrier between you and its powerful tools at great value. If you have an iPad (even not a low-end one!) and want to up your sculpting game, check their website! As for tutorials, I recommend Dave Reed’s YouTube channel. His videos cover both artistic renderings and 3D printing. And he’s got such a chill vibe 🙂