There’s an inexpensive option for 3D CAD you may not have heard of: Alibre Atom3D. I first saw Alibre in action over a dozen years ago, when a friend was using it to design a machine involving ...

Very challenging to learn, but interesting and rewarding once you get the hang of it, especially with the aid of online machinists. When I make stuff–regardless of the material I use–I start by ...