Not being able to design my own parts has really kept my back from making many thing. So i decided i need to learn a CAD program if i was to be able to advance in 3D Printing. Without this skill you are always just copping. This i couple of things i have designed or redesigned to fit my application. Lowered the extruder mounting down so the E3D hot end would touch the build platform, #wallace. Made a Y endstop holder. I had youse 123D Design some before but it was lacking for me to do much. Now DesignSpark Mechanical has been the one CAD program i have been able to really get things done with. If you are looking for a CAd program that is free and not to hard to learn i suggest that one.
Unfortunately it is a Windoze Only application. Linux users need nit apply 
SketchUp is pretty easy to learn
Sketchup’s ease of use is treacherous. It’s never been designed to model parts for 3D printing, and it’s very easy to create non-manifold models that will be troublesome at the slicing process.
@William_Frick Linux users are always left out by the commercial big boys… Have you given @FreeCAD a try? There’s a G+ community: https://plus.google.com/communities/103183769032333474646
FreeCAD may be lacking features, but it’s not crippled on purpose like DesignSpark, and it’s open source.
@Normand_Chamberland I can see that, I have an Up Plus 2 so it handles the SketchUp STL files pretty easily. I had an issue on one design when I first started with it but as long as I am careful when working in it, it doesn’t seem to have any issues.
I’ve been wanting something totally different. I want to generate smooth, organic looking character models for miniatures games, and none of the free stuff seems good for it.
Not even Blender?
Blender does, but I’m honestly terrible at using it.
Granted its UI requires getting used to. I can’t make heads or tails of it myself, I’m more of a CAD guy.
Autodesk Meshmixer maybe, if you’re on Windows or Mac.
From my research, to make Blender do what I want, I’d have to use plenty of addons. Otherwise it involves a lot of fiddly box modeling, manually tweaking edges.
I’ve played with Sculptris and I like it, but it just makes me want to try ZBrush.
OpenSCAD is worth a look, particularly for parts, rather than figures/organic looks…
I could not recommend Solid Works more highly.
Open scad looks good if i was a programmer. Solidworks from what i hear from everybody is that about the best you can get. But for a free CAD Designa Spark Mechanical is what really is working for me. Granted i don’t have a lot of experience in other CAD software’s.
Sketchup, OpenSCAD and certainly Blender are no regular CAD programs.
Blender is a computer graphics program that has a different model, workflow and intended use. OpenSCAD is it’s own kind of geometric programming language. Sketchup is a dumbed down graphics modelling app.
FreeCAD is a very nice, free one that is actively being developed. (UI not as polished but the parametric, sketch-based CSG workflow is there)
123D is a very good start.
as for non-free:
Solidworks and Pro/E are expensive but very good. Geomagic/Alibre is much cheaper and what I use.
I’m managing to get good results with Sketchup as well, it seems its easier for CAD newbies like myself to pick up. I tried a few others but just couldn’t get to grips with them or did manage to get to grips with them but found them slow going. I did find I needed a few plugins in Sketchup to make sure I got good manifolds though, Solid Inspector is a must for example.
I see.
Please just stay aware of the distinction between mesh based computer graphics software and volumetric CAD in such discussions.
Confusing both in their purpose and abilities leads to a lot of misunderstandings later.
For the relatively underinformed such as myself, what would you say is an example of each?
Solidworks
audience: technical objects that fit and move together
aproach: use of variables and constraints (parallel, tangential, same length, perpendicular,…) to calculate dimensions in 2D sketches on surfaces and operations on surfaces/edges/objects
Change these variables later.
Supports technical drawings, physical properties of materials, part lists of assemblies.
Maya
audience: 3D graphics artists
aproach: meshes and NURBS surfaces defined ones. Don’t need to be water tight. Doesn’t matter if a surface is inside, outside or both. May be animated but in the end it just needs to look pretty but no requirement that the object is physically possible at all.
supports textures, animation, cameras and light.