Help with my CAM WOOD WR 408 VAC PB6

[WoodMizer]

Hello all, nice to meet you.

I know little about computers and even less about CNC. I had the opportunity to buy a used CAM WOOD WR 408 VAC PB6 for cheap so I took it. My goal is to make 3D shapes for woodworking projects. The machine is quite large and may be overkill for what I want to do but it fit my budget.

The machine seems to be in good working order. The airline is hooked in and the quick change tool mechanism seems to work fine, the water pump is running and the control computer boots up fine. It came with Mach3 and Lazzy Cam. It may have CamPro on it but I'm not sure and I really don't know what CamPro does?

This is what I know so far and please correct me if I'm wrong:

I need 3 pieces of software: a design software, a g-code generator and machine software?

So I'm thinking SolidWorks and Mastercam??? SolidWorks is similar to the GIS 2D mapping software I've used at work so it seems to be rather simple (I hope I don't regret that comment) to use to draw shapes.

As I understand it SolidWorks is an engineering software. All I need to do is generate 3D shapes with a lot of curves not test stress pionts on parts etc...

So far I think my major problems will be figuring out the software and figuring out how to make sure all the different software talks to each other properly.

I was also thinking of adding a lathe track and a 4th axis servo to spin it. Not sure how hard this would be. The welding I can do but hooking it up to the controler I'm not sure of.

This might be impossible to answer but does any one have any advice for a newbie that knows nothing.

Thanks,

WM

[flash319]

You have most of it right. Your machine runs on Mach. Mach takes Gcode and runs the path for you motors. So if you want to make a part you need a Gcode file and load it into the mach and run.

So to make a Gcode file you need a Cam program. You say you have Lazy cam. I have never used it but that is what generates your tool path as gcode. Now all you have to do it draw what you want to make. This is where Solidworks, Inventor and a million other design type software come in. Your cam program must be able to import the drawn file so as to covert it to g code to feed you machine.

So,
Draw a part (solidworks)
import it into cam program (lazy cam), makes the tool path
load gcode into mach and run
voila!

Sounds easy eh.............. The hardest part is making the gcode. This is where you find out if you have a good cam program or bad one.