We have a few Tuxedo computers and some other Linux brands at our company and are generally happy about them. Cheaper devices have a less than perfect keyboard (though I liked the one on the slimbook) a worse camera and microphone (though some are very ok).

I’m very happy with these Linux devices. The few makes for which we needed parts also supplied them but sending the device their way for repair took longer than we’d have wanted.

Best I know of is TechDraw but that may not be as automated as you’d like. You essentially take the shapes and label the dimensions you want to show. Shapes/dimensions can be refreshed, likely also through a macro for multiple sheets if you need that.

I don’t know the UI by memory but the flow is along the lines of: create TechDraw sheet; set scale; import shape; choose views of shape (top, front, …); add dimensions. This can be exported and printed.

I think you can also save the current view of a sketch (save image or such in the menu?) but have not tried it and don’t know how repeatable that is and if you’ll run out of coloured ink in no time.

Looking forward to look at your attached designs!

If you’ve made multiple bodies, you can place them by selecting the body in the tree view. Then open the scary property view, open the data tab, Base, Placement, Position.

You can scroll to roughly put things in position but I’d use a formula in there so you can model in place and have a visual for each configuration.

If you want to reuse a body for left/right you could make a clone or start thinking about the assembly workbench

The data tab contains interesting info. Open it from time to time so it feels less scary. It allows to set the properties from a pad or update constraints from a sketch quickly. Moving a sketch around can be strange though as the axes are relative to the sketch’s coordinates.

That’s great!

I’d create one body (the blue icon) per shape you want to cut. You can reference the same spreadsheet.

If you want to reference geometry from another body, activate the body where you want to use it (doubleclick in the hierarchy), select the face of the other body, and use the subshape binder (the green icon with red dots I think). Calculating everything from the spreadsheet is the more stable option.

Looking forward to see what you come up with if you choose to share it.

There is now a default assembly workbench. You don’t need it for this. It is mostly handy to verify your design.

Assuming endless possible values: set up a spreadsheet, define an alias (top right) for the relevant values, and use that in your sketches and extrudes.

You could model the various bodies in place in the right orientation and make do without any assembly as there are moving parts too. The new assembly workbench is nice to use though so it’s worth trying it out.

I have not had many issues in the past 15 or more years myself running Linux exclusively aside from a shorter Macbook period. Perhaps I have just been lucky.

We sported (in guessed cronological order of first buy): Dell, HP, Lenovo, Slimbook, Tuxedo, Starlabs, BTO all running Linux at our company. We have not had big issues with any except for keyboard on a Dell, Tuxedo, Slimbook and cooling on a Lenovo. Since I chose the Slimbook many have followed on the path of smaller suppliers and I think we rarely buy from the big makes now.

I have been very happy with slimbook. I came from a macbook (bad idea) with the bad butterfly keyboard and the slimbook was a big upgrade on that front. It’s still not the greatest keyboard for some but I do like it. I have been wanting to buy a new one but whenever something broke or was insufficient I could either upgrade (2 x nvmeSSD slots and RAM can be replaced) or they still supplied spare parts when I sent them an email (keyboard replacement after 4 years). I wanted a framework but Slimbook has offered me spare parts as needed for longerbtham could buy a framework and the slimbook still works well. Plus it’s less expensive. Replacement of the keyboard was not toolless requiring glue to be heated but I did manage to quickly do it with a sleepy head at night. I’d buy their new 13" if this one would be out of service. I’d buy one now but it feels such a waste.

Things I did not like 6 years ago: webcam and microphone of lesser quality, display nice and matte with good color rendition but lower resolution than I’d prefer, no USBC charging on USBC port. Display and USBC are resolved on the new models, no clue about webcam and microphone.

First off, it looks good as it is. Well done! Also, it works and that’s the important bit. Some things which help me:

• use equality constraints instead of repeating measurements for radii and lengths
• fillets can be added after creating the main shape, this simplifies the sketch
• if you know this will be mirrored, draw a quarter and mirror the extruded body in part design (you could use multi-transform here)
• use formulas, spreadsheets or reuse named distances if you want to change things later
• make extensive use of the Part Design workbench but sometimes dabble in another workbench because when they click you’ll unlock a new set of combinations and turn FreeCAD into a sort of swiss army knife

Congrats on your first model 👏

It’s very interesting to scroll through and I could easily find my way in it. It is also very fast. Thank you for sharing.

I have the tendency to lock everything in place and fixate it based on some logic. For example: I would constrain Sketch010 for PocketGlandHoles so each of the holes is exactly the same distance. Lack of experience makes me want to have a parametric model so I can move things around until I make up my mind. Looking at this file however, it may be better to just model again when things change.

I’d love to have another peek if you screw up with this approach or if you’d have a finalized version.

I’d love to see the FreeCAD files and possibly see the progress too. Looks like a good project to learn from.

I’ve only seen my own (sometimes messy and slow) FreeCAD files and I also don’t get round to publishing anything either. Last time I made an enclosure I made a mess where it became slow because a lot was recalculated based on the position of the components and it had some curved surfaces. I do remember making clips (did not work well) and a ridge (that held up a bit better). Would use screws next time like you’re doing here.

Looks great! Are your files openly available?

I don’t think Xerox invented the computer mouse. It was first drawn out by Douglass Engelbart and presented to the public in the 1968 presentation “Augmenting the Human Intellect” (you can watch it on the present day, it was recorded).

It was my understanding (which I did not verify) that this was picked up by Xerox and others and that windowing systems evolved from there on with Xerox leading towards Desktop Publishing.

Nice script. What is the reason to toggle the brightness?

The Dacia Spring fits the bill out of necessity (price). It is not fast, it has low range, uses cheap materials and it is rather small.

But I don’t think it can spy on you and it’s charming through its simple honesty.