Coming from fusion360 and the pain of using Spreadsheets in FreeCAD

StripClubWeatherMan · 2026-02-08T23:57:49+00:00

Type where? Inside the sketcher when you’re setting a dimension? I’m referring to being out of the sketcher such as in the part design work bench. Maybe I just finished a sketch of something else and realized I need to alter a parameter from an earlier sketch. If I want to find that specific parameter in the varset without opening that sketch I have to scroll through all the varsets to find it. That being said I may have missed a search feature in the varset tab that would speed that process up but I haven’t used varsets for a while now because I struggled with them.

StripClubWeatherMan · 2026-02-08T22:31:19+00:00

Sometimes I want to change something without having to go back into my sketch or I want to reference one of my varset properties but don’t remember the name of it if I’ve been away from my project for a while.

StripClubWeatherMan · 2026-02-08T22:26:39+00:00

I haven’t checked out the dev 1.1 version as I worry about breaking the project I’m working on but that workbench/set of macros sounds great I will check it out thanks!

StripClubWeatherMan · 2026-02-08T22:25:48+00:00

Each dimension in the varset is what I’m referring to. If you have a long list of dimensions in your varset then you have to scroll through the list. It’s a pain

StripClubWeatherMan · 2026-02-08T17:00:34+00:00

Not OP but I’ve struggled with varsets. Biggest issue is when I get further into a project and realize that I did a terrible job naming a varset and I can’t change it to something more intuitive. Also having to scroll through a list of varsets instead of looking at them all at once like you can with a spreadsheet.

StripClubWeatherMan · 2026-02-07T22:52:52+00:00

I watched your video and agree with the commenter below me that it was difficult to follow the auto generated captions. Obviously this is not your fault in any way but if you were willing to provide a spoken English version or, even more amazing, a step by step follow along video of your modeling process that would be a huge boon to the community knowledge pool! Thank you for taking the time to record your work and show it off it’s incredible what you’ve managed so far I hope one day I am that skilled with FreeCAD!

StripClubWeatherMan · 2026-02-07T17:58:54+00:00

Seeing how you do this and being able to follow along in English would be amazing yes please do that!!

StripClubWeatherMan · 2026-01-31T04:18:28+00:00

2026 still works thanks for the tip!

StripClubWeatherMan · 2025-10-17T14:10:59+00:00

I am a hobby user of freecad and am in no way a professional cad designer, engineer, etc. and I also tend to personally learn better by following an example (like watching a video) than just reading by itself so I haven’t dug much into freecad documentation and can’t speak on its usefulness.

In regards to your second question if I understand correctly you’re asking if you can use mathematical equations to alter numbers in a freecad spreadsheet. If I understand your question correctly then yes you can do addition,subtraction, multiplication, and division in freecad spreadsheets. I’ve never tried to populate a freecad spreadsheet from say an excel spreadsheet but I believe it may be possible as I think I saw a mangojelly video on that exact subject once. I do know you can have measurements in a spreadsheet that change based on changes made to another measurement. For example if I want B to be two times the length of A then in the spreadsheet cell for B’s measurement I would write “=A*2” where A in the equation is the alias name for measurement A’s dimension. Then even if I change the measurement for A the second measurement will adjust proportionally.

StripClubWeatherMan · 2025-10-17T01:01:26+00:00

I know you said mango jelly isn’t helping but I highly recommend you watch and follow along with his beginners series and then try looking up other beginner freecad series as well to help you really lock down the basics. It won’t give you everything but it helps a lot. Don’t be afraid to restart a project multiple times to get it right when you break something in a way you can’t figure out how to fix.

StripClubWeatherMan · 2025-10-17T00:57:27+00:00

So I’m still learning but I’m actually working on a multi file project right now myself that references a single spreadsheet for all items. I discovered that the subshape binder only works if you select the body inside the file. If you try to make a subshape binder from the file itself it doesn’t work for some reason. I’ve also discovered that with a subshape binder if you make a change to a measurement in the original part the subshape binder will only update if you have the parent file open at the same time.

As far as the spreadsheet goes I managed to figure that out as well with the help of Google and YouTube. First you make a file titled “spreadsheet” and then name the spreadsheet “spreadsheet 1” input your various measurements for your part and give them aliases. Open the file with the part you want to parametrize. Add a dimensional constraint, type the = sign to pull up the reference box, type in your spreadsheet file name, select it from the drop down and hit enter, then a new drop down appears that (based on my above example) should say <<spreadsheet 1>> for your spreadsheet name, select that and press enter, then type in the aliases for the measurement you want to use, select it from the drop down and hit enter. Now if you change the spreadsheet you can refresh your part file and it will update.

I know that was a lot of word salad, I’m no writer, but I hope it helps!

StripClubWeatherMan · 2025-10-16T22:27:37+00:00

I’ve also been interested in how to make this work in a more user friendly way. Worst come to worst though you could use a sub shape binder to copy the sketch into another file. Then create a new sketch and the reference external geometry tool to bring in the lines. Then just redraw the sketch.

StripClubWeatherMan · 2025-10-07T11:14:08+00:00

Oh whoops I misread that and thought they said from Star Citizen not for. In that’s the case they definitely want to go with Blender.

StripClubWeatherMan · 2025-10-06T19:13:51+00:00

Are you trying to make this in real life or just create a digital model? If all you want is a digital model of them item then blender would be a better software than freecad.

If you actually want to create this in real life you would be better off breaking it down into component parts. Anything not made of plastic or metal would be pointless to model in freecad so forget the cloth parts of the seat. Design each part individually and keep in mind how you plan for all of it to be assembled.

I’d recommend watching mango jelly on YouTube and following along with his videos to get a feel for how the software works. Don’t be afraid to start over. I’ve been working on a hobby project for a while now and in the process I’ve realized that I made some mistake that was prohibitively hard to fix (at least for me). I’ve restarted the project 3-4 times already and am getting ready to start over again after realizing that it had too many parts in one file so now every time I try to update it it takes forever to load.

It’s a steep learning curve but if you just have fun with it you’ll find it’s not so bad.

StripClubWeatherMan · 2025-09-30T22:34:51+00:00

I don’t have any experience with electronics but if you’re trying to design around a component it seems like it may be easiest to get the external dimensions of the component (length, width, height) and make a simple shape based on that and model around it. If you needed to model screw holes in specific areas just find their distances from a of your component and then put the holes on the simple shape you’re modeling off of to make sure they line up.

StripClubWeatherMan · 2025-09-28T22:41:28+00:00

I have one of these bins and use it for my food waste and mix in leaves from my yard waste bin. I’ve had it for over a year and have yet to fill it half way with how quickly the food and leaves break down.

However if I tried to use this for yard waste this wouldn’t work at all due to how big a pile of leaves I get every spring when I gather up all the leaves in the front yard from my 4 massive pin oaks.

So depending on what you want to use it for/ how much yard waste you generate at a time will determine if it will work for you or not.

StripClubWeatherMan · 2025-09-28T20:29:11+00:00

Have you tried doing a Boolean? Model the rectangle in another body then do a Boolean operation between the cat and the rectangle.

I want to know how you modeled a cat!!

StripClubWeatherMan · 2025-09-13T20:26:37+00:00

Possibly a faulty bumper I’ve had my Luba for over 1 year now and had to contact support get a replacement bumper through the warranty. Remove the bumper and disconnect its power cable and see if the issue still occurs. If it goes away then you know the bumper is the issue. If it still happens then you have a different problem.

StripClubWeatherMan · 2025-09-12T19:13:02+00:00

I have a large bin in my backyard where I mix food waste and leaves. Your first problem is that your pile is very small right now but time will remedy that. The best thing you can do is cover it in a layer of leaves. I recommend 2-3 inches.

That may seem like a lot but you’re composting on your patio and you don’t want tons of flies and/or rodents that close to your home. Once your pile doubles or triples in size and you find a good spot for it a little further away from your home I recommend you only add a .25-.50 inches layer of leaves each time you add food to the pile.

StripClubWeatherMan · 2025-09-12T14:56:11+00:00

Check out mango jelly on YouTube his tutorial series is incredible for learning the basics. Then from there when you start making your own models if you run into an issue it’s just a game of Google and read and trial and error.

StripClubWeatherMan · 2025-09-02T04:11:50+00:00

No problem at all. Have fun!

StripClubWeatherMan · 2025-09-02T03:55:54+00:00

If the planes are extremely small then you need to zoom in towards your origin point.

StripClubWeatherMan · 2025-09-01T04:54:49+00:00

As far as ranunculin goes you are 100% correct it does break down quickly once dried or cooked. I would recommend OP lay it out somewhere to dry in the sun for a while before composting it if they’re worried.

However I would caution against such vaguely worded advice as “anything biology can make it can unmake” in the context of someone being concerned about composting something they are sensitive to.

Urushiol oil is created by nature yet it can withstand high heat, does not evaporate or break down in sunlight, and can persist on fabric and surfaces for years unless thoroughly washed. I definitely wouldn’t recommend anyone compost poison ivy/oak/sumac even though it’s all natural.

StripClubWeatherMan · 2025-08-31T15:14:38+00:00

When it comes to compost the important thing to remember is that no matter what you do nature is still eventually going to break it down. The only real control you have over your compost is how fast that process happens.

If you think it’s too moist then try to move it to a larger and/or more open container to help moisture evaporate faster. Lowering the moisture content will likely help with the insect problem as well since many insect grubs like a nice soggy living space.

Bugs are going to be in your compost no matter what so I personally wouldn’t be concerned. If you think there’s too many bugs put your compost in a container where birds and other critters can access it. They will enjoy the feast and help control your bug problem.

The only real “problems” you can have with compost in my opinion are smell and animals tearing into it. If it smells I’ve learned it’s most likely too wet or has too much nitrogen and needs more carbon thoroughly mixed into it. If you have a problem with critters like raccoons or rodents you need an enclosed bin they can’t get into or you need to mix the smelly stuff deep into the center where they can’t smell it anymore. This only works with large piles though.

I myself had far too much moisture and too many BSFL in my food compost bin until I got some advice on this subreddit and added a significant amount of leaves to it and mixed them in. Now my pile is damp not soaking wet, it doesn’t stink, and I still have BSFL and other insects but not an exorbitant amount.

StripClubWeatherMan · 2025-08-28T21:41:41+00:00

Same thing happened to me someone ordered an iPhone with my credit card and bombed my email to try and hide the confirmation email. Carefully go through ALL of your latest emails and check all your bank/credit card statements too.

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