Any Turbocad users here?

[Neale]

Used to use it for 2D CAD and it was pretty useful but found it next to impossible to use for 3D. I would work through the examples in the book and not be able to repeat them a day later without getting the book out again. I've seen it demoed at exhibitions and it all looks so easy... It may be that later versions (my copy is around 4-5 years old now) have improved 3D features.

Then I swapped to Fusion 360. You need a bit of brain re-orientation to start getting to grips with it, but there's no way I'm going back to TurboCAD. Much more power and much easier to use. "Free" is good as well. Horses for courses, though, and I'll be interested to see what people think of the latest versions of T-CAD.

[baldwelder]

Glad I read this, I was toying with the idea of buying and becoming the 2nd user, sorry desertboy - you`re still on your billy

[Desertboy]

I've recently been using fusion 360, I can honestly say fusion 360 is easier to use and model.

BUT turbocad is better for 2d cad and the woodworking plugins are very good as are the cam plug ins.

If I wanted to draw another router I would use Fusion 360 if I wanted to draw a house from plans I would use turbocad.

Turbocad is only really any good if you have to pro or platinum version the deluxe version is crap and doesn't support parametric modelling.

I can see within 2 years Fusion 360 will probably be better at both those things and Turbocad will pitter away.

[Neale]

I usedTcad for quite a long while and, as you say, it's fine for 2D. The biggest issue I had was that when you made a mistake, or realised that you needed to go back and change something you did earlier, making corrections could be a nightmare and I found it usually quicker to delete the lot and redraw from scratch. The ability to go back and "change history" in F360 was a revelation. Just remember the principle "never use a dimension when you can use a constraint" and building 3D models is a breeze. But there's a big difference between modeling in F360 and drawing in Tcad. But newer versions of Tcad might be better - I haven't updated mine for a few years.

For woodworking, the Vectric software is pretty good, although not cheap. They have worked hard to include tools that are useful and avoid over-complicating things. The CAM is built-in and is much easier to use for wood. F360 CAM is great for more engineering type things but more complicated to use.

[Desertboy]

I usedTcad for quite a long while and, as you say, it's fine for 2D. The biggest issue I had was that when you made a mistake, or realised that you needed to go back and change something you did earlier, making corrections could be a nightmare and I found it usually quicker to delete the lot and redraw from scratch. The ability to go back and "change history" in F360 was a revelation. Just remember the principle "never use a dimension when you can use a constraint" and building 3D models is a breeze. But there's a big difference between modeling in F360 and drawing in Tcad. But newer versions of Tcad might be better - I haven't updated mine for a few years.

For woodworking, the Vectric software is pretty good, although not cheap. They have worked hard to include tools that are useful and avoid over-complicating things. The CAM is built-in and is much easier to use for wood. F360 CAM is great for more engineering type things but more complicated to use.

Part tree (as close as you get to history) in turbocad but depends on the version you used depends on if it supports it. (I think though it's been supported at least 8 years now)

Part tree is almost as good as history but in a different way. You also need to use blocks for assembly which simplifies everything but it's a different approach to Fusion which I think is not as user friendly as Fusion.

I think turbocad is getting outclassed which is sad for a 30 year old + heritage but it's stuck in its' ways and as much as I love it got to move with the times.

I'm almost as good in Fusion as I was in Turbocad after only a few days of playing around (Although knowing how to cad really helps) which I think is very telling on just how easy Fusion is to pick up and history is better (Or at least easier) then part tree.

Another thing with turbocad if you buy a 2015 platinum edition with cam and woodworking plugin will set you back £1k newer editions even more.

[Desertboy]

Fusion's rendering is better as well

Turbocad


Fusion 360


These are standard setting you can get excellent renders out of turbocad but it's a lot more hassle.

this a properly setup turbocad render

[Chaz]

Someone was asking about rendering in Fusion 360. This is good and worth a watch.



Plus, look at some of what is possible (if you know what you are doing)