helifrek wrote:Hello all,
I have been playing with 123D for a while now and I really like the software, very easy to use. Well, I finally have a 3D printer on the way (woohoo!) but I ran into a snag with 123D. It seems as though you can save items as an .stl but you cannot open an .stl........ why on earth would they do this! I found something on thingiverse and downloaded it thinking I would be able to modify it but nope!
Is there a converter out there, maybe some other solid modeler that is easy to use? I want to be able to open .stl files so I can modify them and then save them, print them, etc...... Thanks in advance guys!
Brandon
If you're looking to do simple things like cutting or scaling the STL mesh, then NetFabb will do a fantastic job. You might also want to look into MeshLab. But to actually modify the model, as in changing it's shape and structure, that's going to be really tough, because an STL file doesn't contain the solid objects that made up the original model, rather it's only a hollow shell, a skin, of the entire model.
The best, and only way to modify a model is to work with it in its original mode, or at least convert it to an editable format like OBJ, DAE, 3DS, SKP, etc, which you can load back into the editor.
To print or, 3D print, that is the question...
SD3 printer w/too many mods, Printrbot Simple Maker Ed., FormLabs Form 1+
AnyCubic Photon, Shining 3D EinScan-S & Atlas 3D scanners...
...and too much time on my hands.
