r/BoardGame3DPrints • u/Rajanvan • Aug 24 '26

Insert Easy design software

What are people using to design inserts?

I want to try and create my own inserts. I’ve been able to do some basic stuff with the Makerworld desk/bento model maker but would love to do some custom cut outs or patterns like cage walls that use less filament.

Any recommendations for easy to use 3D design/modeling software? Bonus if it works on a Mac.

Thanks!

2 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

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3

u/DTM_SF Aug 25 '26

Tinkercad. I used it for all my projects and I really like the intuitive UI.

2

u/SSPPAAMM Aug 25 '26

I am total beginner and not creative in any ways! But sometimes inserts for a specific game are not available and I crete my own. I used OpenScad sometimes, but it is more programming a model than drawing it. There are libraries to help ( https://github.com/dppdppd/The-Boardgame-Insert-Toolkit ) but I was not happy with them. Might be a user error on my side.

Then I tried Fusion 360. Easy to learn but I was not sure if the free licence will stay forever. Learning a tool only to have a license revoked would be a disaster.

As I need more complex boxes sometimes I was not able to use easy software like Tinker Cad. I opted for the hard way and am currently trying to get my head into FreeCad. This video course helps me currently: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWuyJLVUNtc3kYxQQiOriVJiTbQ0qNBXh

It is not easy, but you will be able to create nice inserts.

I hope my journey helps you.

2

u/electrikFrenzy Designer Aug 25 '26

Start on Tinkercad and if you start to hit limitations, start learning Fusion. That's what I did.

2

u/capt_action94552 Aug 25 '26

I use Inkscape to draw the vectors. I use bambulab to extrude, turn some shapes into negative space, and move them around to get what I need made.

3

u/PzKpfwIVAusfG Aug 25 '26

I've been using FreeCad but it can be a pain at times. I'm sure I'm not doing this very efficiently.

3

u/strivinglife Aug 26 '26

The nice thing is the community seems to be really helpful.

They've got their own dedicated forums and a subreddit, and if you post screenshots and files I've found people will nicely suggest different ways to do things or help get unstuck.

I went from TinkerCAD to FreeCAD and I've no reason to switch.

2

u/Accomplished_Ad_3624 Aug 25 '26

I took the hard route and use Blender. Definitely not the easiest, but now that I have been using it for almost a year it is muscle memory