Fusion 360 Basic Tutorials | Part 4 Revised

This is the revised version of the fourth of sixteen basic tutorials in Fusion 360.
WATCH NEXT:- Part #5 • Fusion 360 Basic Tutor...
You will practise basic modeling techniques beginning with the simplest in part #1 and building to slightly more complex shapes which have features that are common in engineered parts. Here in part #4 I explain why I recommend keeping your sketches simple in the early stages and also the value of multiple repetitions of the workflow demonstrated. This is common in parametric CAD programs like Fusion 360.
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If your install of Fusion 360 seems different to mine, you might like to check your Preferences to see if they are set the way mine are. See this video:- • Fusion 360 Preferences...
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[@ianlangley987]

I followed that one without pausing and going back. Thanks. Now onto number 5. Cheers Ian

[@goodybehroozi3668]

Thanks Arnold. For a beginner like me you keep on going faster and faster on the steps you are taking. Also I would like to learn more on two dimensional dwgs with angle lines and duplicating and front face and back face and connecting them together.

[@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360]

It sounds like you've had some experience with Autocad and 3D am I right? Press on with the tutorials and we can talk more about these isometric ideas.

[@torhakh]

Cant help but to comment on these as I work through them. Your style of teaching is brilliant and I actually get a feeling of accomplishing something as I go along. I´m hoping to incorporate some CAD into my hobbyist woodworking, and these tutorials, although focusing on more mechanical parts, is really getting me somewhere. Thanks again!

[@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360]

That's great to hear. I'll be doing a few woodworking projects in Fusion 360 sometime down the track.

[@Lezcarr]

Hi Arnold, Firstly I would like to thank you for giving your time up to produce these quality easy to listen to, easy to understand videos, I never thought I would ever understand fusion 360, without this gold mine of videos I would be struggling, I have leaned so much I cant tell you, and in such a short period of time , you realy are priceless. please keep posting I am like a sponge and I am in my 60's so if my old brain can do it so cant others, I am learning more as I have got older that in any other time of my life, I love to learn. Thank again MATE.lol (Old Photo by the way makes me feel young still)

[@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360]

Good on you Lez! Thanks for the encouragement, I'm working on more videos and I wish I could put them out faster. Welcome to my channel.

[@navigator4605]

These series of tutorials are without doubt the best out there. Covers everything at sensible pace and with recaps too. Brilliant.👍

[@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360]

Glad you like them!

[@WillardsChips]

The best tutorials so far I used for Fusion360, thanks you so much, much appreciated!!!

[@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360]

Fantastic! I'm glad they helped.

[@0GreatMerlin]

Again, thanks for the lessons, it's making it easy to transition from AutoCad to Fusion. As a small thought, when you tell them to save their work, remind them that this program does use the standard DOS save "CNTL S" so that they can just hit a few keys. Faster than the mouse.

[@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360]

Good point!

[@RobertBrown-lf8yq]

Hi Arnold… Thanks for keeping these updates coming. Your teaching methods really suit my learning needs ( slow and repetitive 🤣🤣). Regards Robert ( Sydney)

[@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360]

Cool, thanks Cobber!

[@dominicksoldano1532]

This is by far the best series of Fusion 360 Beginner videos that I have found. The step by step, basics first, approach and the video lesson pace are perfect for someone learning the tool from scratch. This is the first time I have been able to successfully follow along with the instructor without having to hit pause every few seconds - and actually understand what I am doing. Bravo Arnold - excellent series so far. One question, I notice when you hit Extrude at the end of the sketch your display automatically switches to the Isometric/Home view. My interface stays in the Face view. Am I missing a setting? I set all of my preferences based on the content at the end of the drawing PDF. Thanks Dominick

[@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360]

Thankyou. I'm glad its working well for you. The preference that comes to mind is the "Auto look at sketch" but I'm sure that's one you'll have switched on and it isn't quite the issue. I have heard of this once before, I'll keep an eye out for it in future. In the meantime, have you got the Free Orbit working by holding down your middle mouse button? That's probably the next best thing until you get over this niggle.

[@dominicksoldano1532]

@@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360 Thank you

[@user-gl1ft3qq7f]

Still the best beginner Fusion 360 Tutorials anywhere. Thank you, Arnold.

[@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360]

Thanks user-gl

[@MrRctintin]

Thanks for keeping doing these updates Arnold, it’s really appreciated! I learn so much from your videos.

[@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360]

My pleasure!

[@elyeastman3439]

Arnold, thanks for the awesome video series. I am looking to build a desk which is very different than the kinds of parts you are making, but your style of teaching is so great I am going to work through your videos first before I move on to more woodworking specific topics. You are so thorough and patient! And I love that you emphasize power user features.

[@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360]

Thanks Ely, welcome to the channel. Furniture is something I love to do and I keep thinking of doing a video on some of the pieces I've done - everytime I walk past them. I'll get there one day, but in the meantime Kevin Kennedy's woodworking playlist could keep you amused. kzbin.info/aero/PLrZ2zKOtC_-DyHCLa9wKE-CT7FWiKsV2q

[@nick11118888]

Thank you as always - good job Mate

[@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360]

You're off to a good start Mykola, keep going!

[@harethfasel94]

Thanks A lot Arnold , you helped me to have knowledge and learn the Fusion

[@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360]

Glad I could help!

[@Gold_Lightan]

Thanks for making these videos. They’re great! I just started Fusion 360 today and already on part 8, older series. I actually find it easy to follow, even though some of the interface and options had changed slightly, I find it beneficial to search for the options and figure things out myself. Then again, appreciate your updates on these revisions for others who need the extra hand. Cheers!

[@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360]

Great to hear FL! Keep on learning and eventually tell me about your own projects (in general terms). No doubt you have some plans.

[@Gold_Lightan]

@@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360 thank you! I finished part 16, and it’s been super helpful. Although I need to revisit each lesson again to familiar myself with the toolset. Also I’ve been searching for other tutorials to advance my knowledge in fusion 360. My current plan is to make Japanese traditional joints using fusion, thus I’m searching for tutorials on joints, and parametric for this task.

[@jwonderfulsuccess]

Great. I just made a little baby whale out of this with an extruded eye and smile. I always go back and do it myself and customize it. Thank you AR 🙏before watching this series of your videos I knew nothing about fusion360, now I'm on my way with surprising progress.

[@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360]

Nice work! Keep learning and creating JWS

[@Don-ds2sn]

Thank you Arnold, I went through all sixteen tutorials about a couple of months ago and just noticed this revision. I just completed my first project that I first designed in Fusion, which was a mobile cabinet with a folding outfeed and indeed shelves for a portable table saw. I noticed that you approach your sketches with “free drawing” or non constrained lines or shapes than constrain them. My approach to sketching has been to type in the dimension in the highlighted box and move on, but I did notice later in the project some objects did not marry up with the precision I was expecting. I could still count on the cut list for the actual dimensions intended but if it had been for cnc or 3d printing, it would have been a problem. I think I’ll take your approach more often. Thanks

[@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360]

I'm very pleased to hear of your practical use of what you've learned here. I'm looking forward to doing some design and build project videos myself eventually.

[@kartikchauhan5209]

thanks sir for the tutorial

[@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360]

I'm glad you're here Kartik Chauhan, keep learning!

[@Chiquiet]

Thanks for the tutorials, i finally found something that match my way of learning. Only wondering while i did use you're setting for Fusion, when i press E my sketch not "always" moves to a different viewpoint like yours does.

[@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360]

I'm glad we've connected Francois, you could check over your preference settings but if you know how to control your view, this will be no more than a small annoyance while you become more and more familiar with Fusion 360, perhaps another half a dozen tutorials or so. I remember some similar frustrations in my early days. Experiment with the Free orbit tool, click and drag that view cube around (top right hand corner of the main window) and you'll soon be in control.

[@austinloeppke230]

Thanks for making these video's Arnold, they have been a huge help in getting me started. Quick question, why do you like using the dimension tool after drawing instead of defining the dimension while drawing?

[@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360]

Austin, in the olden days, that's how it was done. Autocad was all there was and you had to get it right. When parametric CAD came along it was designed so you could not only sketch quickly and adjust easily but also use the same sketch to model a whole family of sizes at almost the same time. There are other benefits too. When revision time comes, different dimensions can be updated by adjusting only one of them since they can be related mathematically. We'll do some tutorials on this eventually, but go ahead and search KZbin for something like "parameter modeling in Fusion 360"

[@robertthomas556]

Thanks Arnold I have been trying Fusion 360 off and one for a few years now finally I have found a person that has explained this so I can follow Thank you I have enjoyed your videos and I have managed to do some drawings. Quick question can you export a file from the free version of Fusion 360? I have tried this seems to be dropping a file onto my computer but when I open this it goes back to Fusion 360 can you get a DXF file out from the free version I have registered as a hobbyist

[@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360]

Glad to have you along Robert. When you have the file visible on your hard-drive on your computer, don't double click on it, open some other software and open it from within that program or whatever else you are trying to do. Two ways to handle this export thing, you can use the Export tool on the File drop-down menu or you can right click any sketch in the browser or the timeline and choose the 'save as DXF' option.

[@marknthetrails7627]

On to #5 👍✌🖖🥃I'm wondering how long till we get to assembling? I plan on creating the pieces to a geodesic dome and being able to change the size easly.

[@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360]

Mark, these 16 are all about modeling and getting plenty of practice. You get to make most of the common features on engineering components. There is one more playlist before you start on the intermediate tutorials where we learn about assemblies, its called "Bodies and Components". There are only two in that list up til now, but at the rate you're going it won't be far off. Changing size easily means getting to know the Parameters function. Let me know when you're ready for that, I haven't done a tutorial on that as yet but I'll point you to some good ones.

[@mdsundquist71]

Thank you for the videos. I am working my way through them now. I have two design projects that I am working on, but creating the 3D model is current roadblock. These videos have been very helpful. One of the videos I watched started with you talking about you could help future engineers and entrepreneurs get started by reading the pinned comment. Unfortunately I wasn't able to find a pinned comment. Is that something that you no longer do? Thanks

[@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360]

Its great to hear that the tutorials are doing the job for you. About that video, I did pin a comment there several hours after publishing, its just a link to this channel where I'm only teaching step 1 so far for aspiring engineers. CAD is the foundation stone for all engineering and manufacturing roles. My book about a roadmap for self-education in entrepreneurship in the engineering and manufacturing space is half written. There are some other short videos - 1 minute shorts - where I'm just making some statements which do need to be fleshed out considerably, so yes, its a half kept promise at the moment.

[@Cowboy-Ben-Alman]

When you hit E to extrude at 6:25 it looks like the camera automatically changes to the Home view. Is there a setting that controls this behavior? I have all your settings applied, and the camera angle doesn't automatically change when I hit E while editing a sketch. Thanks!

[@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360]

Ben, I'm glad to hear that you've applied my preference settings but just to be double sure, the one that controls this behaviour is the 6th line down on the General>Design page with the words "Auto look at sketch" Please see again if that particular one is ticked on and come back to me if it was on all along. Further, try doing a sketch and extrude with that turned off and then try doing the same thing with it turned on.

[@goodybehroozi3668]

Thanks Arnold. I do not see where to find your dwgs. Cannot see the link

[@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360]

Here you go Goody drive.google.com/file/d/1GQHJnwAH8L4ItQaK8TWXxF76v11L3zvM/view?usp=sharing

[@moosterlinck1]

I see you are only up to drawing #4 in the revised format. When do you plan to have more of the revised drawings available?

[@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360]

asap. Marc I think you'll find the older ones will be OK now that you have got the fundamentals and know what to look for. I've done a video to help if you have trouble finding anything but the changes really are minor. See this one: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h6rWfHR6qtR1j8U My production rate at the moment is one of these revisions every three or four weeks roughly. That means quite a while to get through them all.

[@moosterlinck1]

@@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360 You are right. I have done 5 and 6 of the older tutorial and I do know where to find most of the functions.

[@riccodelestaque7720]

Hi It's much better, but I can't find the preference that makes the drawing orient itself at first, I had trouble reading the preferences, I printed them but it's unreadable. This is the only detail that differs, otherwise, thank you, I was able to follow the tutorial successfully.

[@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360]

Ricco, orienting the part at the beginning is not determined by a preference but by the plane you choose for your initial sketch. Actually, there is no need to have the part oriented in these basic tutorials, as long as you get the geometry correct the orientation means nothing. When you are ready to set up for a CNC or 3D printer you can move, turn, rotate, etc. as needed. I’ll show you all that later.

[@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360]

You can see the video about Preferences, try stopping the video when the General page is on screen and the Drawing page a minute after. Here is the link to the Preferences video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/i4fae32shrdknMU

[@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360]

I’ve also done a video about re-orienting your part, see this one. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aJLTqKp3hsypmLM

[@riccodelestaque7720]

@@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360 Thank you Arnold, I'm going to go watch it without delay, to stick more to the videos.

[@ricknull3337]

So, if I’m drawing the bottom round horns on a guitar (electric) I can just draw the line, click the mouse and continue with the curved line?

[@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360]

Yes Rick, you can, but I'd be practicing with the spline tool which has much finer control and capability for much more interesting lines. Take your time and learn all that will make your fine shapes into 3D and much more. You'll be modelling the whole instrument with even its electronics if you persevere.

[@ricknull3337]

@@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360 Thank you for the very fast response! I am brand new to this and watching your beginner’s series but some of it does not compute lol. I’m sure that I will have more questions so please, "try" to be patient with me. I’m figuring out small things every day. I will definitely play with the spline tool tonight. Thanks again for your help.

[@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360]

@@ricknull3337 Here's a very good video about the spline tool. While you're at it subscribe to Kevin's channel too. I think you're going to take a while getting used to splines and their control points but at least you'll get an appreciation of their power as well as their level of difficulty. Don't despair, this is an advanced topic and you're a beginner if you don't mind me saying. kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6aqgnVvZrtjsJI Good things are worth spending time on.

[@rbetts75]

When I usr the fillet tool and try to select a line through the body, the program won't let me select it. I nee d to rotate the body around until the line is visible. again I think one of me settings is wrong

[@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360]

It could be. I've had that happen at different times too. Again there isn't a Preference setting for that specifically. There are good selection options available in the drop down under the Select tool at the right hand end of the upper tool bar. Click on SELECT, mouse down to the last item in the dropdown and see the flyout that pops out. There is a check box named Select Through. Make sure that is checked and experiment one more time. Let me know if that helps.

[@rbetts75]

Thanks

[@marcospisni7146]

😀

[@malkeetvirdi3582]

Hello Arnold, I have a question regarding offset planes. when I create one, it wont let me move it to where I want. What a, I doing wrong here.

[@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360]

Malkeet, the Offset Plane is meant to work by clicking on an existing face or plane, and then a new plane appears in the view, also the offset plane dialog box opens and there is a little blue arrow on the new plane. With the mouse and the left button grab that little blue arrow and drag it forward or backward. Does it work this way for you?

[@malkeetvirdi3582]

@@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360 thank you for getting back to me, I found out that i was in the wrong mode for what i am trying to learn.

[@Sm-fi5bk]

How can I contact you Really need to talk to you about something.

[@ArnoldRowntreeTeachesFusion360]

Sm, go to my website and click on the Contact Arnold and write me. futureengineering224170208.wordpress.com