Actually guys, looking back, I really wasn't too clear with my earlier posts about what I was trying to accomplish. Since I started this model, I was looking for a way to make some good textures for it, not just grabbing freebies off the web and fiddling with them to fit the model in Solidworks, like I've done in the past, with less than stellar results. So that's where Blender came in, and since I've been meaning for awhile now to learn it anyways, I figured in the process I could get to know how to use the unwrapping capabilities for making textures, which Solidworks really doesn't have. So basically, while getting up to speed in Blender, I'd try taking parts of the model, throw them into Blender, unwrap the surfaces I wanted and make some textures, then take those and use them in Solidworks. Easier said than done, and a typical Blender newbie mistake
. But I like a challenge, so I'll keep trying a few things to get that done.
Phil,
I too have been down that road in my line of work, and it's a bumpy one at that. There's been many a day I've spent taking iges, dxf, etc. files and using what you can to make something usable from them, meanwhile the boss is asking " is it done yet"
. So I know where your coming from. Many thanks for the input, and why not jump in on the fun, get Blender installed and join me on this journey, I could use the company.
Tea,
You da man, I really appreciate your tut and input. I'll definitely be using that tut, but until I get better with Blender, I might as well finish this project in SW. After that I will start one in Blender (which I'm sure there will be a few chuckles for you). But please don't stop sharing your knowledge, it'll only help me and others.
Oh, one more thing, SW does have a render-er, two actually, one built in (Photoworks) and a separate one (Photoview 360) that's a stripped down version of the one in Modo.
Many thanks guys,
Dean