Nail your build before your first cut

Visualize and test-fit your ideas in 3D to save time on your weekend projects. Learn Fusion fast through practical projects, with short lessons that show you what to do and why.

Get the course for $180Or two monthly payments of $90
Watch the 1-Minute Intro
Bob Clagett at his workbench with a laptop, hands raised.

Bob ClagettI Like To Make Stuff (opens in a new tab)

Change your mind without starting over.

You can see whether a cabinet fits your space, then try a different size without redrawing every part. We'll show you how with a simple bookcase. When you change its depth from 18 inches to 12, the shelves and panels move with it. That's parametric modeling. You'll learn how to connect those dimensions, and what to do when a part doesn't follow along.

Bookcase modelA 36 inch wide, 48 inch tall bookcase drawn in 3D. Its depth moves between 12 and 18 inches as the total depth parameter changes, and every part follows.
Parameters
NameValue
total_width36 in
total_height48 in
total_depth18 in
material_thickness3/4 in
toe_kick_height3.5 in

What you'll build.

You don't need CAD experience to follow along. We start with a wooden bookcase and explain each step as we go. Then a replacement knob and a parts tray show you how the same ideas carry over to 3D printing and CNC. You can model all three without owning either machine.

A bookcase sized for your space

It all starts with a few dimensions and a sketch of one shelf. You'll give that sketch thickness and build the bookcase one part at a time, then add a door that opens. If your own models have fallen apart when you edited them, you'll see why a part stops following and how to rebuild it so it does. The same method works for a cabinet or a set of drawers.

  • Sizes you can change without redrawingUser parameters and expressions set the height, depth and material thickness, and every part follows.
  • Parts that move like the real thingA revolute joint hinges the door, and motion limits and contact sets stop it where a real door would.
  • Sketches that stay connectedConstraints and the Project tool tie each new sketch to the last one.

A replacement knob for a guitar amp

A broken part doesn't always mean replacing the whole thing. If you've only printed other people's files so far, this is where you start designing your own. We measure a guitar amp knob with calipers and model a replacement, right down to the holes for its shaft and set screw. You'll also learn why a part like this needs test prints and clearance adjustments before it fits.

  • A model from real measurementsCaliper readings become parameters, so you can adjust the fit after a test print.
  • Round parts and gripsRevolve, Circular Pattern and a tapered Extrude shape the disc and the knurled grip.
  • Files ready for your slicerSave As Mesh exports an STL or 3MF, and you'll learn when to edit a downloaded STL in Fusion.

A parts tray designed for a router bit

Designing for a CNC means thinking about how a bit will cut the shape. This small tray shows you why inside corners need room for the bit, then takes you through Fusion's Manufacture workspace one setting at a time. CAM can be intimidating, and you don't need your own machine to learn it. You can prepare the file for a friend's CNC or one at a makerspace, as long as you know the machine and the bits it uses.

  • Corners your bit can cutA round bit can't cut a sharp inside corner, so you'll size those corners to the bit you plan to use.
  • Cut paths set up in orderYou build a Tool Library for your bits and set the Stock to match your board, then plan the cuts with 2D Pocket and 2D Contour.
  • Problems caught before you cutSimulate shows every pass, and Post Process writes the file for your machine.

Why pay for this when YouTube is free?

You can learn Fusion from free videos. It takes longer, because you have to work out what to learn and in what order. This course does that for you.

A free video answers one question, and it usually assumes you know the steps around it. Here, each lesson builds on the one before, and a woodworking project explains each decision as you make it. When something goes wrong, like a part that stops following a size change, you see why and how to fix it. If you get stuck, you can ask in the comments under that lesson. The short lessons add up to just under 5 hours. By the end, you can sit down with an idea of your own and model it in Fusion without hunting for a tutorial first.

Learn how to think through a 3D design.

You don't have to remember a whole chapter before you try something. Each short lesson walks you through one step in Fusion, and you can replay it whenever you need a reminder. If you'd rather watch in one sitting, each chapter also comes as one full-length video. The course saves your progress, so you can fit practice into whatever time you have.

  1. Get comfortable in Fusion

    We'll help you install Fusion and find the tools you need for the first project. You'll learn to move around a model and work out what your design needs to do before you draw a single line.

  2. Turn measurements into parts

    You'll draw a shelf to size, give it thickness, and connect its dimensions to the rest of the bookcase. We'll show you how sketches become solid parts and how to model shapes beyond a basic box.

  3. Check how it fits together

    You'll add a door that swings open and make sure it clears. You can try wood finishes to preview the look, then make dimensioned drawings to take into the shop.

  4. Prepare a model for a machine

    You'll learn to export a model for 3D printing and leave just enough room for parts to fit together. For CNC, we'll show you how to choose tools, plan their cutting paths, and simulate the cuts before exporting a machine file.

Try before you buy.

Pick a free lesson and watch it right here. When you're ready, explore the full course contents below.

Play lesson A Message From Bob

Chapter 1: Getting Started

Explore the full course contents

  1. Chapter 2: Designing in 3D

    • Principles, Intent and Change

  2. Chapter 3: Setting Up Your Workspace

    • Work Environments
    • Intent-Driven Design
    • Don't Get Overwhelmed
    • Customizing the Interface
    • The Browser Tree
    • Moving Around the Workspace
    • The Timeline
    • User Preferences
    • Your Stored Models

  3. Chapter 4: Sketching for Success

    • Intro to Sketching
    • Saving and Retrieving Projects
    • Setting User Parameters
    • Creating a Component
    • Component Color Swatches
    • Creating a New Sketch
    • Sketching Tools, Part 1
    • Constraints
    • Sketching Tools, Part 2
    • Your First Sketch, the Shelf Bounds
    • Projecting
    • Sketching the Shelves and Toe Kick
    • Patterning Tools
    • Construction Planes

  4. Chapter 5: Solid 3D Objects

    • Our Project's Design Intent
    • Turning Sketches Into the Top Panel, Side Panels, Shelves, Toe Kick and Back Panel
    • The Combine Tool
    • Miter Joints
    • Rounding Over Edges

  5. Chapter 6: Other Ways to Make Bodies

    • Time to Save
    • The Loft Tool
    • The Sweep Tool
    • The Revolve Tool
    • Primitive Shapes
    • Adding Threads
    • Section Analysis
    • The Hole Tool

  6. Chapter 7: Making It Look Real

    • Appearances
    • Adding Decals
    • Modeling With a Canvas
    • Working With SVG Files
    • Adding Joints and Moving Parts
    • Managing Joints With Contact Sets
    • Designing for Clearance
    • Tolerance Testers for 3D Printing and Laser Cutting, to Download

  7. Chapter 8: The Power of Parameters

    • Making Changes to Your Model
    • Practical Parameters
    • Text Parameters

  8. Chapter 9: Show It Off to Others

    • Rendering
    • Animation
    • Model Drawings
    • Shareable Links

  9. Chapter 10: Building a Model to 3D Print

    • Modeling the Amp Knob

  10. Chapter 11: 3D Printing

    • Saving for 3D Printing
    • Slicing With Fusion
    • Exporting Your Models to Slicing Software

  11. Chapter 12: A Model Example for CNC

    • Modeling the Parts Tray

  12. Chapter 13: Computer-Aided Machining (CAM)

    • Building Your Tool Library
    • Stock Setup
    • The Cut Path Menus
    • Post Processing

  13. Chapter 14: Overview of Advanced Features in Fusion

    • Form Modeling
    • Surface Modeling
    • Sheet Metal Folding
    • Scripts and Add-Ins
    • My First Fusion Add-In

  14. Bonus Quick Tips

    • Quick Tips
    • Extra Resources

  15. A Bonus Queen Bed Model Walkthrough

  16. Four Bonus Webinar Recordings

    • Modeling With Canvases
    • The Arrange Tool
    • Viewing Your Models in AR
    • Modeling the Podcast Studio Table

I wish I would have done this years ago instead of just fumbling my way through projects for the last several years.

Nick T.

What to know before you buy.

The lessons use Fusion's free personal-use license

Fusion is made by Autodesk and isn't included with the course, and you'll need a computer that can run it. We'll show you how to get the free personal-use license, including what it allows and where its limits are. Check Autodesk's current plans (opens in a new tab)

The CNC lessons teach the workflow

We'll walk you through the steps from a model to a CNC file, including planning and simulating the cuts. You'll still need to learn your own machine and choose the right bits, cutting speeds and setup for your material.

How long does it take?

The lessons are short, and together they run just under 5 hours. By the end, you'll have modeled a parametric bookcase, a 3D printable amp knob and a parts tray with toolpaths for a CNC. You set the pace, so you can watch a lesson, try it in Fusion and come back when you're ready. That runtime doesn't count the time you'll spend practicing on your own models.

Do I need any CAD experience?

No. We start by installing Fusion and showing you how to find your way around the screen. Then we draw a measured sketch and turn it into the parts of a bookcase, one step at a time. You don't need to understand every menu before you start. If you've used other CAD software, the projects are a quick way to learn how Fusion handles editable dimensions and gets models ready for 3D printing and CNC.

Do I need a 3D printer or a CNC?

No. You can model the knob and the tray without either machine. If you have one, the lessons show you how to get your model ready for it.

Is it up to date with Fusion?

The lessons cover Fusion's recent changes, including text parameters, a feature Autodesk added in November 2025. Autodesk updates Fusion often, so now and then a button or menu may look different from the video. When that happens, check the comments under the chapter for help from other students.

What if I get stuck?

You can replay any lesson and work through the step again. If you're still stuck, ask us in the comments under that lesson. You can also read other students' questions and see how they got past the same step.

How do the two payments work?

At checkout, you choose one payment of $180 or two monthly payments of $90. Either way, you get the whole course right away.

Where do I watch the lessons after I buy?

The course lives on Podia. After you buy, you sign in to your student account at courses.iliketomakestuff.com and pick up where you left off.

How long do I have access?

Your purchase includes lifetime access to the course, so you can come back to a lesson whenever a project calls for it.

What if it's not right for me?

If you're not happy with the course, ask us for a refund at any time.

Start with a bookcase.

Your first project begins with a measured sketch and ends as a complete bookcase model. We'll guide you through the decisions, so you can bring the same approach to your own woodworking projects.

Now I'm building fully parametric cabinets of various complexity and branching into other more complex projects.

Justin A.

What you get

  • Short lessons and quizzes from installing Fusion through CAM, with each chapter also available as one full-length video
  • Three projects to model: a parametric bookcase, a 3D printable amp knob and a CNC parts tray
  • Tolerance testers to download, plus a bonus queen bed walkthrough and four recorded webinars
  • Lifetime access, and the course remembers where you left off
  • Help from us and other students in the lesson comments

You'll need a computer that can run Autodesk Fusion. We'll show you how to get Autodesk's free personal-use license.

$180

or two monthly payments of $90

Get the course

Not happy? Get a refund anytime.

Taught by Bob ClagettI Like To Make Stuff (opens in a new tab)