Modelling program.

[avluis]

Autodesk Fusion 360.
http://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/overview

If you are a hobbest or a start up company you can register and use it free. Easy to learn.

I have looked and worked with all the ones already mentioned, but I have to stress: I recommend Fusion 360 just like I would recommend you SolidWorks if you were working in the industry.

Once you grasp how the interface works and where everything is, it will just click.
You can approach your designs via a sketch, or simply draw primitives until you have what you want - or sculpt your designs away.
Built-in tools that allow you to import STLs (you technically upload them to the cloud, and a server processes them for you) and use as a reference for your design help a lot as well.

It is not for everyone, but if you have already made use of CAD programs out there and would like something like AutoCAD without the complicated ribbon interface (the only thing I like about AutoCAD for MAC is the interface), then Fusion 360 is for you.

Sorry if I sound like I work for them - but it is the only piece of software that I have been able to work with quickly and easily.
And this is coming from someone with access to SolidWorks, AutoCAD Mechanical 2016, Moi (another good piece of software), 123D (crashes too much for my taste), FreeCAD, Autodesk Inventor, Meshmixer, OpenSCAD, Rhinoceros, TurboCAD Mac Pro 8, etc. You get the point, lol.

[erniehatt]

Thanks, I do see your point, and appreciate your taking the time to help.
In fact I have started to play with fusion 360, and I am beginning to get the hang of things, and like.
I don't expect to ever become a wiz at it (to damn Old) but I think I will survive.

[avluis]

Thanks, I do see your point, and appreciate your taking the time to help.
In fact I have started to play with fusion 360, and I am beginning to get the hang of things, and like.
I don't expect to ever become a wiz at it (to damn Old) but I think I will survive.

If there is a concept or you simply need to understand how the Autodesk team approaches Fusion 360, then head on over YouTube and do a search for Fusion 360. You should be able to find the official channel and plenty of tutorial videos on different topics.
There is also a built-in, tag-along, tutorial system. Give that a try as well to quickly get going.

[erniehatt]

Thanks again, I will take a look see.

[bapro]

How about Blender. I haven´t used it my self but i´ve seen lot great stuff done with it. And it´s free, open source.
It´s not for mechanical engineering, more like skulptrering and 3d-picture making. You can save obj-file and I think you can save stl also.
https://www.blender.org/download/

[erniehatt]

Thanks, have tried it, but it seems to have quite a learning curve attached with it.
I think I will make do with sketchup and Fusion 360