Just stumbled into an old note of mine back when I decided to (re)start my modelling journey and it was exactlly 5 years ago !

The note from 03.07.2021 says:

>Tried again Freecad today. It dont manage to make a cube without seeing 3 crash and reading a tutorial…

and I picked another solution.

Today.. I can say I passed the milestone of making a cube without crashes and without the need to read a tutorial.

https://preview.redd.it/3koy066aa8bh1.png?width=1662&format=png&auto=webp&s=7b0032c51d50f5c9388a709290a5b755f0d48b8e

The model is WIP, no need to mention the issues :)

Here is a little challenge I am proposing to anyone show wants to try.

Rules:
- the goal is to connect the 2 body parts with a smooth "fillet like" transition
- you cannot modify/move the green parts or their constraints
- you are allowed to modify the model to add "material" in the void between the 2 parts
- the connexion should use a fillet/fillet looking smooth transition with a ~R10mm as shown conceptually by the included magenta arcs (best viewde from the front view).
- any tool / workbench is allowed

The file can be found here (30kb):
https://filebin.net/5n5bq97xwou2v87s
If you prefer, you may also remodel teh challenge, the images below should allow you to do so.

https://preview.redd.it/h2ifxcnn8f9h1.png?width=1504&format=png&auto=webp&s=dc6590e3de8a801e9b9070576150733d122d4613

https://preview.redd.it/hpgv3dnn8f9h1.png?width=1170&format=png&auto=webp&s=03fef7216bc327b624e2521db305bfe06121ab05

https://preview.redd.it/478p3enn8f9h1.png?width=846&format=png&auto=webp&s=5889c7c1684e08e18cc901b7f30b6757ab3599d4

https://preview.redd.it/r9oa7enn8f9h1.png?width=1416&format=png&auto=webp&s=6458f014be7860c11ee4465dd71deaabb35e94c5

Good luck and have fun !

An interresting model I did for a client.

If you hate fillets... looks at those 3D fillets...
No need to say that FreeCAD fillets did not like that at all and I got more of some Dali than Colani...

https://preview.redd.it/vrqheew0pe9h1.png?width=1010&format=png&auto=webp&s=31f76e393161303a1a749ea7c67d30ecaf97145e

https://preview.redd.it/ffam6gs2pe9h1.png?width=1042&format=png&auto=webp&s=9b29e7ffd806d53bc528f4db30c77b372a1d1fe4

Work for the lab, fun with FreeCAD 😄

https://preview.redd.it/553ipqohpf7h1.png?width=2058&format=png&auto=webp&s=f6269a47209158181af56708ce481729f97a33d9

Yet to figure out how to "perfectly" place **bodies** within the part. For now, they are just roughly placed.

... and I don't regret a bit.

https://preview.redd.it/dy9kzwyt537h1.png?width=1130&format=png&auto=webp&s=98d7b1fc621957e5cd098d8c4feb558eb87f5a8e

we are in June...

I was always wondering how to make a dimension based on another **simply**, meaning without extra VarSet or properties.

It was in my "to check" todo for while now and I finally noticed one of the usages of the **named** dimensions.

In my example, I just wanted "outer" to be twice "inner".
Again, I did not want to set a VarSet or a new property since this is just internal to the sketch and I mainly want to avoid that outer becomes equal or less than inner.

Here is how to:
- create your first dimension, give it a value, AND A NAME: "inner" in my case
- create your second dimension, as a fx, and type "cons" <TAB> pick the named dimension, validate.
- optionally, you can also name your new constraint and reuse it the same way

https://preview.redd.it/wbesr32cs06h1.png?width=1516&format=png&auto=webp&s=2ca612410a9c8a874b2389433c6d67ca3c91dd23

Since the base dimension can be also a reference, it helps to define constraints like "same as here but +0.1mm" for instance.

And a self-errata... I mentioned recently in a comment that a sketch cannot reference constraints of another and only its geometry via projections. This is not correct !
A sketch can totally reference a constraints in another sketch as shown below.

https://preview.redd.it/5hx47wxmt06h1.png?width=738&format=png&auto=webp&s=a48a56818fd9fdcbc32563e85170cdd445995bed

Note: This technique provide no exposure compared to using a VarSet. It is good to avoid clutter, not so good if the goal is to increase the exposure for some important inputs.

I started the following model with a thread with a larger pitch while setting things up.
My Pocket (initially from the top) was working.
I fixed the pitch, now the pocket, whether from the top or the side, results in a fancy mess.

https://preview.redd.it/7oxw87euun4h1.png?width=1692&format=png&auto=webp&s=5a517560451757a735fc150400b512013d53b819

https://preview.redd.it/oqp7v7r4vn4h1.png?width=1568&format=png&auto=webp&s=24c486a302202051e18b3b2a5c6f580e372e0fc2

Is that an issue you already ran into ?

Update: apparently, this is a bug showing up when the thread is set to "custom" directly or indirectly (ie when changing the pitch). Going back to a standard M24 "solved" the issue... without solving it as I need to fix the pitch.

Having a homelab that is quite advanced (k8s cluster), I decided to test Zulip and especially in the context of OC and that seems to be a better fit than expected and the reason is pretty cool: context.

Why Zulip... ok it is not because of the UI but it is decent. Zulip is self hostable and handles channels + topics (and DMs of course).

Todays harnesses do it all, memory, context management, session, etc...
Sure you can move memory and context to databases and benefit from indexing etc...

I find that actually using Zulip for that (which uses a db under the hood), works pretty well.
First you can segment using channels.
The way I use it is that I have a channel project... you would likely do that working in a team with someone.

Zulip also supports "topics" under channels. So under your #project-foo channel you will find topics like "critical bug from monday" or "improving qa".
Those channels/topics may drag for years.

I am educating my OC to be aware of that.
So when I @ mention my OC in zulip, channel #project-foo under topic "Deps update", I don't need to explain much more:
OC knows:
- the project
- the topic
It can check the hiistory in the chat and I usually also have a "Specs" topic with the tldr about the project (generat by OC obviously) with the link to the repo, summary of the readme, etc...

The initial setup was fun b/c OC would not even know how to answer in the right channel / topic. But after some training, it works pretty well...

In order to model a repair part, I am modeling the original part that is shown below.

The part has a feature (cut) as shown in light green and made using a substractive pipe following the profile of the part (partly seen in white).

https://preview.redd.it/3agowawe4yxg1.png?width=2830&format=png&auto=webp&s=30e988ee4684b3dbbaad20e2977ae3f455d66b76

The profile for the pipe is simple:

https://preview.redd.it/0m3t43wt4yxg1.png?width=1860&format=png&auto=webp&s=56f6676d1f84d22ca20819c5fcccb6aaffb55090

The issue is that I need the cuts (shown with ~0.75mm above) deeper and if I go ~1mm, the model fails.

https://preview.redd.it/jv9ndawe4yxg1.png?width=3076&format=png&auto=webp&s=6f01f2bb0b0fce64d022d6428d1fe54a9ea6aeb1

Here is the usual suspect. The problem is clear.

https://preview.redd.it/4ka92cwe4yxg1.png?width=1644&format=png&auto=webp&s=20436d97508dfc543623852ca00347450aa43681

The question however how to get around this limitation.
I cannot change the radius of the "corner" and I cannot change the depth of the cut.

There is the option to pocket it but it feels like cheating and this is not really the "idea" of the part.

Event - 10. Liliental Cup

If you are in or near the region of Freiburg in Germany, you probably should check out the Lilliental Cup. This year will be the 10th edition:
https://www.sv-ihringen.de/2026/04/10-liliental-cup-2026-ausschreibung/

The tournament is open for archers having their own gears and able to shoot their bow.

This is a 3D friendly tournament on a parcours of 28 stations in the heart of the Liliental area in the Kaiserstuhl near Ihringen.

If you want a feel on the event, you can see the Film from 2024.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdQ4P_wZb24

Due to increasing popularity, we decided this year to add a category dedicated to thumb-release so folks enjoying the technique can have a category of their own.

Most of the materials are in German but we do have archers coming from France, Switzerland and adjacents countries.

If you need details in German, English of French, just drop us a message.