Something I’ve been working on for a while is finally out. I teamed up with the CADclass team to write a SolidWorks workbook built around real projects. Not click-through exercises. Not reference material. Actual things you build from scratch: a LEGO brick ring, a carabiner, a rocket, a pizza cutter. Each one designed to teach you how SolidWorks thinks, not just how to follow steps. It’s written for complete beginners. Being here, I expect most of you are a bit further along than that, but you’ll enjoy the projects regardless. There are two versions: Student edition: available as a pay-what-you-want PDF download. If you can donate, it funds free access for students who can’t afford it. If you’ve already bought a print copy, or genuinely can’t, you can grab the PDF with just your email. The Amazon print version is also available if you want something physical. Instructor edition: $39.99 PDF, with answer keys, rubrics, teaching notes, and a CSWA certification alignment guide built in. Also on Amazon in print. CADclass bring the production quality and pedagogy framework. I bring the SolidWorks practitioner perspective. The result is something neither of us would have made alone. If you pick it up, let me know how you get on. Early feedback from this community means a lot.

For a while, the old Fully Defined site didn't reflect what we're actually doing here. So I rebuilt it. fully-defined.com now lays out the whole path in one place: • Just starting out? Begin with SolidWorks Fundamentals and CSWA prep. • Working toward certification? The Cert Path is there, and the CSWP waitlist is open. • Already in the industry? From Model to Manufacture is next: DFM, production drawings and supplier handover, built around one real moulded part. There's also an FAQ covering software versions, licences and access, so you don't have to hunt for answers. Two things I'd love from you: 1. Have a look and tell me what's clear and what isn't. 2. If CSWP prep or Model to Manufacture interests you, join the waitlist. It tells me where to focus next. 👉 fully-defined.com Thanks for being part of this from the start.

What’s the SolidWorks workflow that took you the longest to unlearn from another CAD tool? Might not be applicable to all. I, for one, learned SolidWorks first and never spent more than a few hours in other CAD tools since Building content for intermediate users and want to know where the friction actually is, not where I assume it is. Drop your answer below.

Drippy on Discord (unsure if they are here in Skool) asked me: "Hi Chris Can you help me with this blueprint? I don't know where to start, what strategies should I do. if you can send a tutorial guide for this part my pleasure to learn from you chris" How could I say no?! I livestreamed the answer, working through the process of planning and identifying the model details. The full walkthru is 90 minutes long! Let me know if you followed along. Files attached for reference.

If you're working toward a SolidWorks certification, or thinking about it, this is where to start. 🔹Five lessons covering the full path from CSWA through to CSWE. 🔹What each certification actually tests. 🔹How to prepare for the CSWA without spending time on the wrong things. 🔹And what reaching expert level looks like from the inside. I've also recorded a new lesson for this classroom that covers the CSWA exam format, the one document setup step most people miss, and the approach that makes follow-up questions a direct edit rather than a hunt through your feature tree. This one isn't on YouTube. It's here only. Head to the Classrooms tab and look for The Certification Path. One more thing: if you're already past CSWA and working toward CSWP, I'm planning a dedicated course. Join the waitlist if you're interested. Working toward CSWA right now? Drop a comment; I’m happy to answer questions as you go through it.