Allright i am confused..... which software

[Fodder1]

Hi all.

I am currently finnishing off my Jgro (90% finnished). I have decided to go with Linisteppers for the moment. (mainly becuse the guy helping me with the eletronic bits likes them) and they are almost done.

Now come the hard part. I have never touched a CAM or CAD package before.
Being a good forum lurker i went though the general discussion forum trying to find a free/very cheap CAD package to learn on. A freind owed me a really big favor so i have access to Solid Works. but man that thing is hard. I am begging to believe that it is not for me at this stage. So off to the list i go.

I found out that there is basicly three parts to the proccess

1. Design the part in CAD.
2. Grab the save file and run it though a program like SheetCAM to get the Gcode.
3. stuff the G-Code into a control program like Mach2 or EMC.

Great. wonderfull, brilliant.

i have a few questions.

1. Please somebody point out a CAD package that is free/very cheap that will allow me to get this thing to do something. I know that you get what you pay for. But like most everybody else i want some instant gratification for all the hard work.

These are the programs that i have seen around
A. Design CAD
B. A9CAD
C. ONECNC ( Not free, OMG look at the price. But everybody is raving.)

2. That is the differance between 2, 2 1/2 & 3 axis. I am assuming (and we all know what that means) that the jgro is 3 axis. so what is 2 1/2?

3. The stepper motors I am using are out of the HP LaserJet 3, 6wire jobbies. Can anyone tell me how to wire these up to the Linisteppers? (sorry wrong area to ask that question. but while i have you attension....)

Bearing all that in mind the first and most urgent progect is to get this thing to write a letter in Perspex. The idea is to make 2 layers. the top layer has the letters cut away and the bottom layer is twice as thick as the top and has everything but the letters cut away to the depth of the first layer. So when you put them together..... you get the idea. (This is to get a job, well and interview at least......)

From what i am reading this may be a bit over my head. but that didnt stop me from makeing the mill, so i will just jump up and down on one foot to get a breath !!!!

While reading here i found Deskengrave which says it will write the letters etc.
i will download that tonight and have a play.

If there is something else that will do this please tell me.

So this weekend is the big day, the mill is 90% done. Just finninshing off the all thread rod and Connectors. Then the electronics etc. I have heaps of pictures but the space is all used up. trying to figure a way around that. i could donate ........

THanks

CH

PS this is just the best fun, thank you to all that help and donate there brain power, time and skill to allow the rest of us to have some FUN!!!

[ramjet]

Hi,
I use onecnc. Once you get past the price , though anything you buy will cost big bucks, you will find that onecnc will do everything you ever need to do. Also with onecnc the cad & cam are in the one package. You'll just have to start taking sandwiches for lunch.

[DareBee]

I use SolidWorks and VisualMill 5.
A high end suggestion for you would be OneCNC which is CAD/CAM combined. (I really have my eye on this program and if VisualMill 6 doesnt blow me away (when released) I may well switch).
Another suggestion in the low end range would be BobCAD/CAM.
There are other guys here using 3 - 4 different programs, depending on specific jobs, that are close to free, but (especially) for a new guy to KISS learning 3 programs and knowing when to use each has to be confussing - hence my suggestions above.

[ramjet]

If you go to www.onecnc.net ,you can see some great video's and features of the latest release. it's pretty impressive. Shows you want can be done. Also Onecnc has a great users forum which is a great help and the moderators are very quick to answer questions you may have. The site has the capability to allow you to upload your files and they will help you sort out problems etc. Ive been using for nearly 10 yrs and still haven't seen anything better , especially for the price.

[ger21]

Imo, you don't need to spend much money to use your machine. Since you built the machine for very little money, it sounds like the low-cost approach is the direction you want to take. Download A9CAD, from www.a9tech.com and ACE converter, from www. dakeng.com

Draw a line in A9CAD, save as .dxf (version 10 or 12 if possible). Load into ACE and convert. This will get you started on the learning process. Once you get a better understanding of the process, you might want to look at SheetCAM and possibly something like DesignCAD, or even go towards the higher end program. But you don't need to spend any money to start learning. SheetCAM will give you a lot more control than ACE, and has a lot more features.

2-1/2D means that during the actual cutting, the Z height remains constant. The Z only moves up and down between cuts, although it can also ramp into the cut.

3D means all Axis are moving together.

[turmite]

http://www.freebyte.com/cad/cad.htm#2D3DCADSystems

I found this link by typing "free cad software" in Google. Do a search and you will find tons of free to very inexpensive options.

Mike

[Fodder1]

Hi all,

THanks for the info.

Termite.
I did do a search for 'cad' in google and through this forum. what i got was a HUGE list of CAD and CAD/CAM packages. what i wanted to know was which one was right for me to begin with. but thanks for taking the time to reply.

Ger21.
I think you hit the nail on the head. This machine has cost me about AU$300 so far. (a bit more becouse i had to buy a drill press)
I love the idea of being able to do things with the mill for my projects around the home and hobbies. I have a couple of ideas for making money with it, but i will tackle them when i have got it going.
I did download A9CAD and have just finnished writing the letter i was on about. I will have to wait and see how it will turn out.
I also have the DXF files for the JGRO, so i can use one of those as the testing part. (like the top of the Z axsis that i stuffed up).

I think that i am going to use EMC as the controler and if i can get more money out of the wife i will buy a better CAD or CAD/CAM pacakge.

Again thanks for the replys. i will take the wiring question of the linisteppers over to another part of the site.

Thanks

Chris