Hello all,
My CNC build is coming along great.  All axis are moving and I've installed the X axis stepper and lead screw.  All steppers are operating.  Very thrilled about the progress so far.

At the moment I've stepped away from the machine to tinker with software.  The Mach3 interface is working.  For the CAM side of things I've tried a bunch of open source programs to generate G-code (VirtualMill, Blender, and Google Sketchup with the Platzboys (sp?) plug in) but I'm not able to import the G Code into Mach3. 

What are others using for the CAM software side of things?  Any open source stuff that works easily to get the code in?

Many thanks again for the help I've been given before,
Zig

Zig,

I'm not able to import the G Code into Mach3. 

The programs save a gcode file and then you just open the file ( file tab>open gcode file).

What are others using for the CAM software side of things

All depends on what you want or plan on doing. Different programs are better at doing things.
Have a look at Cambam.

RICH

Hi Zig,

Good to hear that your machine is coming along well.

No problem with the Phlatboys code from Sketch-up here so I am not sure what it is that you are doing wrong. 

Tweakie.

Also....The output code can be saved with different extensions (.nc, .tap, .txt, .ncc). Either select the correct extension type in the drop-down menu after you click the "load G-code" button, or just select the "all files" selection.