FreeCAD: Part 1 of Model a 3D Mouse from 2D trace Sketcher and Curves Workbench Beginners Tutorial

Part 1 of 2: Using the Sketcher along with the Curves Workbench to make a model of a PC mouse by tracing the top and side in the Sketcher Workbench using a photograph of the profiles and then converting that into a 3D object.

This FreeCAD tutorial is designed with beginners to the Curves WB in mind. It shows the power of both the Sketch Workbench Curve Workbench when they come together. We use quite a few of the tools including join, split and mixed curves, Gordon surface and sweep across two rails. We learn how to surface a object to make it solid using the Surface Workbench and how to project parts of your sketches into 3D space to make modelling a complex curved object into a Nurbs model as easy as possible.

This tutorial is over two videos to brake up the learning experience. Please make sure you have the Curves WB installed available from the additional addons menu.

The second part of this tutorial can be found here:

#FreeCAD , #CAD, #3DPrinting
Journey with me and

Donate:

Subscribe:

Browse my Redbubble Shop:

[SilkeMolinari]

thank you for this really good helpful video!! Thanks a lot

[russellw]

Nice Tut as usual Darren, Starting to see the flexibility using a variety of Work benches provides. Hardest Part is remembering them all! A s always more than one way to do a Model.

[martinxp]

Cleared all the issues I was having! thanks!

[fooballers]

Thanks... Looks like it is a very important workbench to master

[ajdhgsldhdgwielbw]

You are great. A much much required video to improve my skills. Before beginning with the video, i was like "finally, let's go for this hour long video", and the next moment, an hour had passed and I had learned almost too many things in that very moment.

Love your work. Thank you.

[Toni-ylhc]

Great video, it helped me a lot to understand how to model surfaces and curves in FreeCAD 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[Keechization]

Great video, but one tip: you don't need to bother with using Surface Fill objects and the Parametric Lines to support them if you're closing faces with planar surfaces. Using the Ruled Surface from the Part workbench saves a ton of time and careful clicking, only needs the two parallel edges of your Gordon and Clone, one click on the button.

[paulbrouyere]

Really great how you make workarounds around some flaws in the programme. Big thumbs up.👍

[CaraesNaur]

For anyone following along, the mouse is a Logitech M185; the images are from the Logitech website.

I understand the point of this series is to demonstrate the tools, but wouldn't the more proper workflow be to make the entire thing a Gordon surface, or three Gordon surfaces?

My body protrudes through the feature in a couple places, and after 20 minutes playing with the continuity/degree settings of the top I never managed to get a clean shape. I'm tempted to retry an all-Gordon route, but I have no idea how to cut the pieces apart with proper gaps.

This is actually rather timely, as I recently had a design idea for an ergonomic, asymmetrical ambidextrous mouse.

[FilterYT]

Thank you for your awesome work. At 8:52 you remind us to reverse the direction of the sketch, that was tripping me up. I don't get why the new sketch needs to be reversed when you are looking at the image.

[fernandom]

Hello. Could you tell me why I can't treat a mixed curve as external geometry? I select it but it doesn't accept it. Thanks.

[intelligenceservices]

if you were going to send this mouse into production for injection molding, would you use the same methods?

[Flight]

Hi nice video! I kept with a question. How do you can rotate (orbit better saying) your sketch inside the sketcher workbench?! I can only pan and zoom! Thank you

[lynncocksedge]

Very interesting, but way above my capabilities at the moment. I need to walk first before I can run

[charlesleeling]

Why don't I have image tab on drop down?

[Gurba]

Great but I wish you would provide links to the images you use to make it easier to follow the instructions. :)

[m.a.d.h.e.a.d]

Please, share the images of the mouse you've used for those who is trying to repeat your steps.

[Marwatt]

is this the only way to get an offset solid surface? thank you

[andypandaman]

Ty I was making helmet in fusion like this but I'm now spending 500 a year for selling rights