Do I *need* to learn a 3D modeling software? - eviltoast

So, I’m trying to print some older models from thingiverse and I have discovered that basically all the files I want to print have glaring flaws in them.

Internal free floating structures, connector pieces and holes that are the exact same size… So on and so forth…

Do I need to learn a software like CAD or Blender to fix these? I seem to be able to do some basic stuff in Orca Slicer but it honestly seems like as much of a pain to modify the parts there as it would be to use a real software.

Is there one that’s easier? I think I messed around with SketchUp once upon a time.

I am worried this feels like opening a can of worms just so that I can make a thing that already exists in a dozen forms better.

  • KyuubiNoKitsune@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
    21·
    4 days ago

    May not be a popular opinion, but if you just want to fix shit like that, you can use Microsoft 3D Builder, it’s super simple and pretty powerful.

    Modifying existing meshes is difficult, especially more complex ones, I find that this makes it much easier to fix dumb shit or make simple modifications.

    • Krauerking@lemy.lolOPEnglish
      3·
      4 days ago

      Is that like their replacement for 3D paint? I used that once to add a hole to a model?

      It’s insane that I feel like I can understand the rules of 3D printing just fine but need to potentially put hundreds of hours learning software to fix other models so I can do it past the easier fidget toys that seem to be designed by the modeling geniuses.

      • KyuubiNoKitsune@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
        2·
        4 days ago

        No, it’s adjacent to 3D Paint. I never really liked 3D Paint actually.

        For parametric modelling, that’s super easy and you can get into it pretty quickly, but organic modelling is a whole different story and is what takes the hundreds of hours.

        While I’ve messed around in Maya and 3DS Max, its so much more difficult than parametric and Modifying high poly models requires tons of ram and a beefy PC. I spent a month trying to bake a bump map onto a model so that I could 3D print it and 90% of the time the applications crashed, Maya, 3DS and Blender all crashed when trying to do it, and none of them could do it right either. I pretty much gave up on that.

        • Krauerking@lemy.lolOPEnglish
          2·
          4 days ago

          Thanks that seems about right for my experiences but that seems like the info I need.

    • Krauerking@lemy.lolOPEnglish
      2·
      3 days ago

      Oh my God the bastards at Microsoft killed the app!

      I had used that before to fix files. It was great.

      I can’t seem to redownload it without jumping through hoops but know this was the right answer for none coder fixes. Sigh.