Books to learn Fusion 360

[allanyed]

Can anyone recommend a book to learn Fusion 360?  There are on-line vids  and there are a number of books but I would like your recommendations based on which book worked for you.

Many thanks

Allan

Edited April 12, 2023 by allanyed

[Kevin-the-lubber]

Hi Allan (and anyone else looking to dip in a toe), this is what worked for me: https://diyodemag.com/education/exploring_3d_part_1_beginners_guide_to_fusion_360. If you work through the set of 6 tutorials you will learn all the essentials.

 

[allanyed]

Thanks Kevin. I was hoping for a book, but will give this a try.

Cheers

Allan

[mgdawson]

Hi Allan

 

Understand your preference for a book but at the rate F360 evolves any book would quickly be out of date, somewhat of a disincentive for any prospective author.

 

WhiIe I saw the articles referenced by Kevin-the-lubber when they were published, I never worked though them so I can't make any specific comment but the diyode articles I have read seem to be of good quality, keep in mind those articles are almost 4 years old.

 

There was a major change to the interface around that time so I'm not sure which interface those articles use, I know I got totally lost at the time when I was using tutorials based on the old interface with the new interface.

 

If you haven't already found it I'd suggest youtube channel 'Product Design Online' hosted by Kevin Kennedy, if you search the videos for 'interface' Kevin has a few specifically on the interface and it's updates. Kevin is also building a 'Learn F360 in 30 days' course which he started 9 months ago, he's up to day 12 so far, looks like life got in the way of him producing the series for a while but appears he's back on it now.

 

Mark

[Montaigne]

I second video tutorials. While it doesn’t have to be one or the other; both books and videos can be used and complement each other, there is in this case a significant advantage to watching something being done while it’s explained, compared to having it described and explained in text. 3D software techniques quickly becomes convoluted and many methods may seem arbitrary, making understanding by reading a bit more challenging than understanding by watching.
The complex logic of 3D software methods often end up as later aha-moments, making it benefit from approaches such as: “just do it, you will understand why later”.
 

With video tutorials, preferably covering tutorial projects, you can watch them without practicing the methods described, then as a second step watch them again while using the software, applying the methods. This is a pedagogical and relaxed way of learning. You will partially remember what you learned from the first watch and have an easier time applying it.

The main downside with video tutorials is that they’re harder to search through for certain bits of information, compared to books. Then there are big differences in tutorial quality, especially when browsing for them on Youtube. 
I don’t have any recommendations for Fusion 360 as it’s not one of the 3D softwares that I’ve used, but the recommendations above sounds like good suggestions.

[Kevin-the-lubber]

I’d endorse the Kevin Kennedy videos. He gets to the point and explains/demonstrates things very well. I also use the F360 community forum from time to time, most people are helpful. The downside of vids is that it’s harder to skim through - I sometimes play them at x2 speed, which helps - and there’s a fair bit of poor quality rubbish out there.

[allanyed]

Thanks everyone!

Allan

[Gregory]

Thanks Allan for starting this topic  and thank @mgdawson for the Kevin Kennedy reference..  Was able to start feeling comfortable with the interface after the first video..

 

Fusion 360 has there own tutorials which are a great way to explore the capabilities of the program before trying to use it.

https://help.autodesk.com/view/fusion360/ENU/courses/

[Dave Wood]

I have also looked at quite a few Kevin Kennedy videos, and also a lot of Lars Christensen ones and have found them very helpful.

 

I did make an attempt at doing a video explain my own Fusion 360 ship design steps too, it's much harder than I expected to do live demos of smooth mouse movements etc so I started with just still pictures and descriptive text to see if there was any appetite for more.
 

It didn't get many views and no comments so I didn't pursue it further. I may have another go in the future - but would probably need to do live demos and talking.

 

Link to video here if anyone is interested or has any suggestions to offer. 

 

Ps/ looking at the thumbnail that came up when I inserted the link I just spotted I actually included a picture of the wrong ship - as that picture is Ventura's sister ship Azura

[Kevin-the-lubber]

Dave, great model and I’m jealous that you have a Bambu for printing. Speaking for myself, 99% of the learning curve in f360 is around specific methods and when it gets to hulls, the more complex end of f360. For instance, how do you use splines, how do you project lines into thin air, that sort of thing. This is where Kevin Kennedy and Lars are usually so good. I think a voiceover is essential. Back when I was mostly learning, I watched a lot of vids and kept coming back, mostly to the former, because he explains topics very well.
 

Somewhere on YouTube there’s a very long, detailed screencast video of a chap modelling a hull in F360, but no voiceover and it’s almost impossible to understand what he is trying to show sometimes. That’s a great shame because there is definitely a gap for a tutorial around hull creation, when to loft, when to sweep and especially how to fair the basic shape. You’d be doing a great service to humanity - well, a small slice of it if we’re honest - by taking on that task!
 

bw

Kevin

[Dave Wood]

14 hours ago, Kevin-the-lubber said:

Dave, great model and I’m jealous that you have a Bambu for printing. Speaking for myself, 99% of the learning curve in f360 is around specific methods and when it gets to hulls, the more complex end of f360. For instance, how do you use splines, how do you project lines into thin air, that sort of thing. This is where Kevin Kennedy and Lars are usually so good. I think a voiceover is essential. Back when I was mostly learning, I watched a lot of vids and kept coming back, mostly to the former, because he explains topics very well.
 

Somewhere on YouTube there’s a very long, detailed screencast video of a chap modelling a hull in F360, but no voiceover and it’s almost impossible to understand what he is trying to show sometimes. That’s a great shame because there is definitely a gap for a tutorial around hull creation, when to loft, when to sweep and especially how to fair the basic shape. You’d be doing a great service to humanity - well, a small slice of it if we’re honest - by taking on that task!
 

bw

Kevin

Kevin. I think you are right about the voiceover. Plus I have improved my methods a fair bit since doing this video - so should really create another version.
 

My Iona/Arvia design for example ended up using a form/tspline for the fairly complex stern, but still lofts for the bow and main hull.  Also the main difference in modelling approach was to only model one half of the ship.  With mirroring of bodies done fairly near the end of the timeline to create the other half.

 

 

[Gregory]

I would enjoy seeing something relatively simple like a Longboat.

 

The steps learned could be easily applied to a more elaborate design.

[Dave Wood]

6 hours ago, Gregory said:

I would enjoy seeing something relatively simple like a Longboat.

 

The steps learned could be easily applied to a more elaborate design.

Funnily enough i have been considering modelling some of these rowing boats in Fusion360 as i think they will make quite attractive 3d prints in different colours- Could also make an interesting video.
 

i guess it would be best do do the overall hull shape first, then work out how to create the separate wood slats that wrap around it.

Will see if i can work out a good way to model one then try doing an instructional video.

 

 

 

 

[Nirvana]

There are multiple tutorial videos out there, personally I have found the AutoDesk F360 to be the best.

Books tend to outdate rather quickly, due to software updates.
Unfortunately, Lars left Autodesk to pursue another life.

[Duck]

I too appreciate a good book!  After watching a few of the tutorials, I bought this book on Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/AUTODESK-FUSION-360-EXERCISES-Feature-Based/dp/1096390221

 

After working through all 200 exercises, I have a great grasp of the software.  If you get stuck, search for the specific exercise number on YouTube.  Not all, but many of the lower numbered exercises have a video that will walk you thorough the solution.

 

These exercises are usable for most any CAD software.

 

Good luck!

[Gregory]

Do you have any links for the YouTube tutorials for Fusion360 based on the drawings in this book.

I could not find any.

All the videos I see are for AutoCAD

The book says: 

In fact, it provides no instructions at all for using the interface of Fusion360

It is just a collection of CAD drawings with the dimensions.

It really does not look very useful for learning Fusion 360.

Edited August 20, 2023 by Gregory

[mikegr]

I have started using this tutorial. Its also updated, 2023

 

[Brian Glendenning]

After trying and failing to climb the Fusion 360 learning curve several times, I finally found cadclass.org. While they have a paid course which I assume is excellent, they also have a book which you can buy on Amazon or download the PDF for free. (I like the PDF better, but I bought the book as well for support once I realized how excellent it is). They also have a discord server for discussion (well broken up by "lesson/topic"), and a weekly podcast. Everyone learns differently, but this is what broke the logjam for me.

[Duck]

Winner winner chicken dinner!

 

A classic textbook style book I recently came across has a slightly misleading title, but takes you step by step on how to use Fusion 360.  Because of the title, you might pass it by if it turned up in a search.  "Make: Fusion 360 for Makers", 2nd edition, by Lydia Sloan Cline starts at the beginning with Chapter 1: "The Fusion 360 Interface".  If you want to start with a book, I think this is the one.  On Amazon, and yes, it has a sections on 3D printing, but that doesn't start until Chapter 14 (of 15).  The author teaches CAD at a community college and the educational approach shows in her writing.  One of the reviews calls her "a Jedi master in 3D CAD".