How to Design a One Piece Table Using 3D CAD Software
Designing furniture in 3D has never been more accessible, thanks to intuitive tools like SelfCAD. Whether you're prototyping for 3D printing, visualizing a piece for interior design, or simply honing your modeling skills, creating a one-piece table is a great beginner-friendly project that combines both creativity and practical design.
In this tutorial, we'll guide you through the process of designing a sleek, single-piece table entirely within SelfCAD. You'll learn how to plan the structure, use core modeling tools effectively, and ensure your 3D design is both sturdy and stylish, all without splitting the model into separate components. By the end, you'll have a printable or render-ready table that's perfect for showcasing your 3D modeling skills.
To access the interactive tutorial to this article, check out; https://www.selfcad.com/tutorials/5q1q645r6z6p6t655k496t1n5yd633c182h7
Once you’ve launched the editor;
From the 3D Shapes category on the toolbar choose cube; Set width to 500, height to 50, depth to 300, width segment to 3, depth segment to 3.
Tick the checkmark finalize cube
Click solid+wireframe button to set rendering mode; click to activate face selection; click on highlighted region to select it
Click scale on the toolbar; Set x to 410
Click on highlighted region to deselect it
Click on highlighted region to select it; Set z to 210
Click ‘x’ to close transformation panel, click on highlighted region to deselect it
Click on highlighted region to select it
From the modify category on the toolbar choose extrusion; Set extrusion amount to 240.
Tick the checkmark to finalize extrusion; Click on highlighted region to deselect it
Click rotate on the toolbar; Set z to 180.
Click ‘x’ to close transformation panel
Click to activate polygon selection;
Click on highlighted region to select it; From the modify category on the toolbar choose extrusion; Set extrusion amount to 10.
Tick the checkmark to finalize extrusion; Click on highlighted region to deselect it
Click to activate face selection;
Click on highlighted region to select it; From the modify category on the toolbar choose extrusion; Set extrusion amount to 10.
Tick the checkmark to finalize extrusion
Click on highlighted region to deselect it
Click on highlighted region to select it; From the modify category on the toolbar choose extrusion; Set extrusion amount to 10
Tick the checkmark to finalize extrusion
Click on highlighted region to deselect it
From the modify category on the toolbar choose resolution; Set detail level to 0
Click to finalize resolution
From the modify category on the toolbar choose edit details; Set mode to remove
Click on the highlighted edges to remove edge from the selected object
Click to finalize edit details, which results to
Click on highlighted region to select it
From the modify category on the toolbar choose fillet; Set intensity to 4, level to 4.
Tick the checkmark to finalize fillet
Click to activate polygon selection;
Click on highlighted region to select it; From the modify category on the toolbar choose inset; Set is individual to true, inset amount to 10.
Tick the checkmark to finalize inset
From the modify category on the toolbar choose extrusion; Set extrusion amount to -5.
Tick the checkmark to finalize extrusion
From the modify category on the toolbar choose inset; Set inset amount to 10.
Tick the checkmark to finalize inset
Click highlighted part on selection cube to turn off region selection; Click solid button to set rendering mode
Click smooth button to enable smooth rendering
As you continue honing your design skills, remember that SelfCAD offers a wealth of resources to support your learning journey. To deepen your understanding and explore more advanced features, consider checking out the interactive tutorials (https://www.selfcad.com/tutorials) available on the SelfCAD website. The tutorials page provides a treasure trove of guides, tips, and tricks that cater to designers of all levels.
More structured learning experience can also be accessed at the SelfCAD Academy (https://www.selfcad.com/academy/curriculum/), https://www.youtube.com/@3dmodeling101, and 3D Modeling 101 series (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL74nFNT8yS9DcE1UlUUdiR1wFGv9DDfTB). This comprehensive resource offers in-depth courses taught by industry experts, allowing you to master the intricacies of SelfCAD at your own pace