HeeksCAD probably stupid question???

[rEVolution]

Hi Everyone,

I'm messing around with HeeksCAD and have figured out how to make circles and lines where and how I want them but I can't figure out how to get osnap to work or how to trim anything. I'm trying to draw a sprocket, and have all of the construction lines laid out but can't select intersections, centers, or tangents as start/end points for anything. Any pointers? Or better yet, free software(not demo) that works like old school autocad?

The tutorials on youtube for heeks are great if you want to draw a cube....

Thanks for looking!

[Dan Falck]

There are a lot of sketching functions that aren't there yet. We've been using other cad programs and importing the dxf files into HeeksCAD for the CAM operations. One program that works well for that is 'libreCAD' LibreCAD - Blog about LibreCAD, a Open Source 2D CAD program
Draftsight for Windows or Mac and Bricscad for Windows or Linux also work pretty well for this.
While you can do a lot of cool 3d CAD operations in HeeksCAD, the emphasis is really on CAM since there are a lot of really good CAD programs that do trimming, filleting etc.
Dan

[Logon_Bob]

I too have issues. :-) and more than one.

Current issue is various small circles being added during CAM GO. These are not in the drawing at least that I can see. Quantity can vary a bit as well but usually 4-6. I wouldn't mind but half the circle goes into my part.

Pretty simple 2D ( will become 2-1/2 D ) drawing but not so easy to do just within Heekscnc. I use DevCad as I like it and am somewhat used to it but DevCad won't import direct into Heekscnc. I suspect the dxf version.

So I tried FreeCad, not much luck learning that just yet and also can't get it to import into Heeks. Next was QCad, now this imports as a sketch just fine and this was the first time I saw the circles. Since QCad adds a very small logo right on the XY zero I thought the problem was Qcad adding them as I am trying out the demo version.

Now I read LiberCad is the way to go to use with Heekscnc but not much help anywhere for a Windows User.

Next solution was DevCad, import to LiberCad and export as is, Heekscnc likes this fine but the circles are still there. So it was not Qcad.

Today I discover if I use a larger diameter tool, 12 mm, the circles go away. But this is not possible with my router.

1/4", or 6mm , or 3 or 4mm end mills or ball mills all produce the circles in my Gcode.

The Key seems to be they are always next to an ArC or Chamfer but not all. I am not good enough to edit my Gcode. I tried a little bit, I can find the line number but when I go to edit within Heekscnc they don't go away.

Also the circles are part of the G03 arc line number command along with the real arc near it.

I tried within Linuxcnc, I can find the line number but in edit mode the line numbers go away. I could do trial and error but I would rather just not have them there in the first place.

Any idea why they show up and what to do about it?

I will see about blowing up jpeg and upload.

Regards
Dan

[Logon_Bob]

Here are a couple of pics of the circles.

Oh, and they moved around a bit when I reloaded the saved Heekscnc drawing. :-(

Regards
Dan

[Logon_Bob]

Well now, after a bit of more reading. Some DXF files load into Heekscnc as Entities at the top of the Tree without showing as "Sketch" at the bottom of the Tree.

This drawings was a series of lines and arcs lines and arcs. The solution was, right click on Entities, Spit Arcs into little lines. "Sketch" appears, run GO again and all is right with the world. Only took me three days. :-( but I am happy.

Dan