software selection?

[RebelTaz]

Ok... I have (kinda) figured out CAD using SketchUp, but...

Before I put blade to wood and actually build this thing, I am trying to get a handle on the software first. And since I have NEVER used a CAD program in my life, you can imagine how interesting this is - what with trying to teach myself. Kinda hard to teach yourself something that you don't know, isn't it? Like looking in the dictionary to find out how to spell a word

OK, anyway... I use Linux, so I have been trying to find software that work well with that, at least for learning purposes. I do have Wine and VirtualBox to use if all else fails. And of course, I can install whatever OS I need to on the dedicated CNC computer. Oh and like most, I am broke, so that has an influence on what I use...

I tried Blender, but couldn't make heads or tails out of that. I tried qcad, but had the same results as Blender - none. After watching the videos I found on using CamBam, I'm going to give that a try. I did, however, find Google SketchUp, which runs fine under Wine (with a couple of registry tweaks). I've been playing with that and I have figured out how to build simple 3D object with it.

As for CAM software, I have tried OpenCAM, G-Simple, GCAM and FreeMill. The first three seem to only want to work with 2D objects. FreeMill, while it handles 3D objects, when I went through the paces and ran simulate on the toolpath it created, I was less than happy with the results, to say the least. The problem with it, I think, is that instead of cutting the piece out like CamBam did in the video, it starts in one corner and moves across the workpiece and back again inching forward a step at a time until it reaches the opposite end. the results were not pretty. So, unless I am doing this wrong, I need further help.

I guess what I am asking is how to I translate SketchUp 3D models into clean g-code to run on the CNC machine? Maybe something that takes a more direct approach to tool path as opposed to printer-style cutting?

Just in case you'd like to see what I am trying to do:
SketchUp Model
STL file
image of 3d model
what the model looks like after a simulated cut at the finest resolution

Thanks....

[dertsap]

the problem with using free and open source software is that you need a wide array of software's in order to accomplish various things , no one has created the be all and end all yet . but maybe this may be of some help with the rest of your collection http://code.google.com/p/heekscnc/ ,

[RebelTaz]

the problem with using free and open source software is that you need a wide array of software's in order to accomplish various things , no one has created the be all and end all yet . but maybe this may be of some help with the rest of your collection http://code.google.com/p/heekscnc/ ,

That looks interesting... Don't get me wrong - I'm not totally opposed to commercial software...

[dertsap]

Ive seen somewhere recently something about a cnc plugin for sketch up , it may be worth a google search
the biggest problem when i was running linux was the lack of software that was available , it seems some new things pop up here or there but nothing that i found to be sufficient for my needs

[RebelTaz]

the biggest problem when i was running linux was the lack of software that was available , it seems some new things pop up here or there but nothing that i found to be sufficient for my needs

Really? Ever since I went to Linux several years ago, I haven't found a single thing (aside from this CAD/CNC issue) that I couldn't handle as good as, if not better than, I ever could have in Windows.

[dertsap]

Really? Ever since I went to Linux several years ago, I haven't found a single thing (aside from this CAD/CNC issue) that I couldn't handle as good as, if not better than, I ever could have in Windows.

it was the cad cam that I was more refering to , i didnt use my linux box for anything other than my router so I'm not familiar with other software that is offered

[RebelTaz]

it was the cad cam that I was more refering to , i didnt use my linux box for anything other than my router so I'm not familiar with other software that is offered

I gotcha.. BTW - I was looking at the carvings you did with MicroCarve. They are awesome dude!

[cyclestart]

FreeMill is a joke unless the part suits a zig-zag cutting strategy. Looks like you've already discovered that They provide it as an excuse for the sales department to do follow-up calls for their real software.

Heeks is coming along nicely, both CAD and CAM. Still bugs aplenty but this project has legs. It can cut that part in stages for sure. Cutting it as a single program might take some extra effort..

Do you intend to cut the part out of a solid block of some material ? What type of cutting tools did you intend to use ? More than one diameter of tool ? Wondering about the one sharp-ish interior corner.

edit/ Excuse me for pushing the open source stuff. It's habit forming.

[RebelTaz]

FreeMill is a joke unless the part suits a zig-zag cutting strategy. Looks like you've already discovered that They provide it as an excuse for the sales department to do follow-up calls for their real software.

Heeks is coming along nicely, both CAD and CAM. Still bugs aplenty but this project has legs. It can cut that part in stages for sure. Cutting it as a single program might take some extra effort..

Do you intend to cut the part out of a solid block of some material ? What type of cutting tools did you intend to use ? More than one diameter of tool ? Wondering about the one sharp-ish interior corner.

edit/ Excuse me for pushing the open source stuff. It's habit forming.

By all means - Push OpenSource! GNU is my new best friend.

As for the model, to be honest, I just drew that up so that I could teach myself CAD design and then walk myself through the CAM and control softwares. Just so I could figure out what I am doing right and what I'm doing wrong. But hypothetically, if I were to cut that piece out, I would like to be able to do so out of one solid block of material (plastic, maybe wood?) with preferably a single sized bit. I would think that, once the cutting had started, It might be hard to change bits mid-project - but I may be wrong about that. And as far as type of cutting tools - no idea. Not even sure what's available yet.

I looked at Heeks last night. The web site claims that there is a Debian (Ubuntu?) package available, but all I could find was the Windoze version. Maybe I overlooked it somewhere?

Oh, and on that model, which interior corner were you asking about? I looked at it again, but I couldn't figure it out... Thanks.

[dertsap]

I gotcha.. BTW - I was looking at the carvings you did with MicroCarve. They are awesome dude!

thanks , after working all week with a head full of numbers its fun to come home and play without having to put much thought to it

as far as freemill goes , i can agree to some extent that the zig zig path that a guy gets is a bit hokey , but its free and it has served me fine a few times so I give a thumbs up with the right project

What is your need in a software is this for playing at home or money making .

have you tried http://www.microcimm.com/PS.html . the demo will put out code but is limited to 2 decimal points , this can be quite useful if a guy has open tolerances on wood projects .

[RebelTaz]

What is your need in a software is this for playing at home or money making .

have you tried http://www.microcimm.com/PS.html . the demo will put out code but is limited to 2 decimal points , this can be quite useful if a guy has open tolerances on wood projects .

For the time being (and probably for the foreseeable future), just for playing at home. I'll go look at PowerStation now...

[dertsap]

forgot to mention it's for windows but will probably run with wine