BenchUp: Open-Source 3D Woodworking App in Rust
Original: KetchUp – Open-source SketchUp alternative built with Rust and WebGPU
Why This Matters
Rust-based WebGPU tooling is maturing enough to target domain-specific CAD use cases.
BenchUp is a free, MIT-licensed 3D modeling tool for woodworkers built with Rust and WebGPU/WebGL2. It runs in desktop browsers or as a native app on Windows, macOS, and Linux, with no account required.
BenchUp is an open-source 3D modeling application aimed specifically at woodworkers and furniture makers who want to plan projects before cutting any wood. Written in Rust and rendering via WebGPU or WebGL2, it runs entirely in a desktop browser or as a downloadable native app for Windows (x64), macOS (Apple Silicon), and Linux (x64).
The tool ships with core modeling features: rectangle, line, circle, and freehand drawing; Push/Pull to extrude faces into 3D forms; move, scale, offset, and paint operations; snapping to geometry and axes; and exact-length input. Users can add dimension annotations, organize models with groups, components, and tags, and orbit/zoom freely around assemblies.
All work is autosaved locally in the browser with no cloud dependency. Projects export as portable .ketchup files, and the app supports importing SketchUp (.skp) geometry and exporting Wavefront OBJ. SketchUp textures, scenes, and some advanced features are not supported on import. The entire codebase is available on GitHub under the MIT license.