Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: RICH on July 25, 2009, 11:36:37 AM
-
A challenge was recently made in a post. Certainly could provide for some interesting discussion.
QOUTE
It is my personal opinion that you should purchase a license for LazyCam. Here is why:
"I have not found, as of this writing, a basic CAM program for the mill and LATHE which has a good manual, excellent knowledgeable support, and provides the level of CAM capability directly into MACH for the cost of the license."
Hmm........... let the discussion begin. ;)
RICH
-
A challenge was recently made in a post. Certainly could provide for some interesting discussion.
QOUTE
It is my personal opinion that you should purchase a license for LazyCam. Here is why:
"I have not found, as of this writing, a basic CAM program for the mill and LATHE which has a good manual, excellent knowledgeable support, and provides the level of CAM capability directly into MACH for the cost of the license."
Hmm........... let the discussion begin. ;)
RICH
I'd say whoever said that didn't look very hard. SheetCAM is excellent - good functionality, good price, best support in the business. There is a lot to be said for Cut2D as well. I've tried LazyCAM, and hated it. I've read few positive comments about it - it's quirky, buggy, and has limited functionality. And, AFAIK, it is basically not supported, so if you do find a bug, too bad - it ain't likely to get fixed.
Regards,
Ray L.
-
Don't Sheetcam and Cut2d cost more and Sheetcam dosn't provide for the lathe and you need two programs.
-
Don't Sheetcam and Cut2d cost more and Sheetcam doesn't provide for the lathe and you need two programs.
Isn't Art working on LazyTurn because turning in LazyCAM doesn't work all that good? Please correct me if I'm wrong. :)
Now, I don't have a lathe, but I do read a lot of forum posts. :) From what I gather, there's very little turning CAM software available to hobbiests, if any at all. Dolphin has a package, but I believe it's $400-$500 for hobbiests? Not 100% sure on the price.
"I have not found, as of this writing, a basic CAM program for the mill and LATHE which has a good manual, excellent knowledgeable support, and provides the level of CAM capability directly into MACH for the cost of the license."
Now, if you leave lathe out, as Ray said, Cut2D and SheetCAM blow LazyCAM out of the water. And you won't find anything easier to use than Cut2D.
But, if you need to buy an additional Lathe package in addition to one of those two, then cost becomes a huge factor.
My Bottom line, is this. If LazyCAM does what you want, consistently, without problems, then , by all means pay for it. If you can't work with it, or you need additional functionality, then buy something else.
At CNC Zone, people always ask "What CAM software should they buy?". My answer is always to try all the demos, learn how to use them, and buy what works for them.
-
Dolphin ( hobby version ) is a +$400 prorgam just for the lathe and include the mill and it's over $900.
I don't think most hobbiest can't even begin to rationalise out that kind of money
and they are not "bug" free either.
Don't think there is anything out there for the lathe which has a manual, support, and allows you to go directly into into MACH. In fact, you can go in and out in a non automated way while doing machining. LC mill, well i also hated it,
until i started writing the manual for LC. Hopefully the anology in the manual (section 5 - just added in rev "D" ) will
make LC easy to grasp and use.
Should be interesting to see reponses to this thread.
Think Brain or Art will chime in?
RICH
-
Dolphin offers some "flexible" hobby pricing. I had access to a copy for a short time, and didn't really care for it though. Just pointing out that I think you can get both packages for around $500.
And I agree about there being no other Lathe packages for hobbiests.
-
RIch the main problem IS Lcam is an orphan that is no longer supported . NO updates no bug fixes. Hard to justify BUYING something that is not supported.
NOW if someone were to take Lcam and do the bug fixes and add a couple of uipdates AND produce a porper user manual. THEN it has value as a PAID FOR Cam package.
Then the paid subscriptions could PAY for a programmer to put time and effort into it. AS it is NO programmer will invest the 100s of hrs it will take to clean it up and support it FOR FREE.
(;-)TP
-
Big difference between $75 and $500.
Suppose someone is starting at the beginning?
Got to admit, with doumentation available today on LC and LT, and if you don't get too complex,
you have a lot of powerfull code generation available for use for both the lathe and the mill.
Yep, probably will graduate to specialized software for some particular interest, but for the price and
and exprienced gained, you can't go wrong, even it never gets updated.
RICH
-
There are a LOT of quirks in LCAM that will drive a beginner MAD.
Beginners NEED full documentation and a FUlly debugged and functional enviroment.
An experienced operator already knows HOW it should work and can usally figure out a solution.
The beginner does NOT have those options.
FIX LCAM and fully Document it AND they will come(;-)
(;-) TP
-
I think Terry hits the mark, as I was/am very much a newb and started with LCam. I tried very hard to put up with the "issues" that plagued the program and got by with the help of all the generous folks here that gave their time to get me up and running (where were your manuals then, Rich!! :D ). I have to admit that I did feel "slighted" as I had no idea that LCam was "done" as a program and I thought "Beta" meant that it was going to get better in the future and that's why I thought it might be a good idea to purchase it thinking there was a future in it. There really should be a better description on the download page for this program rather than the excuse of it being a "beta" software and that it's really what it is and that's all.
As for the lathe part of LCam, I just don't have a clue........LTurn on the other hand, I'm now to the point where I'm salivating for a finish operation :P (C'mon Art, you're killing me! lol!! )
I have now moved on to Vectric products for my CAM work and it was like a godsend in comparison (for me). The software is just too easy to use and you would have to be crazy not to try it. As for the money, hobby or not, save your pennies and buy a software that says what it does and does it flawlessly and not have to spend half the time figuring out how to get through bugs and work-a-rounds.
Dave
-
Appreciate the comments,
Dave,
Were where the manauls then? First major problem for sure. I purchased LC fully knowing there was no manual and even complained that there was none, and the response was that there was no need for one because there was a video. HA! But that's history now. As i "quested" for a lathe program out there, found almost nothing, and LC provided for the lathe. There are still good things to be had out of LC for the lathe, even as compared, to LT or for that matter even some of the high end programs. I can only guess that you won't see a finish pass out of LT until the end of the year. In the mean time, well, your in the dumper!
I am currently working on a LC lathe section, and that section, bridges the gap into LT. The tutorial focuses on just how to get a single continous profile pass and uses the same drawing used for LT ,and maybe will be posted in a few days. The problem is simply this, CNC can get complex, real quick, and with thoughts of the newbie, well lets just say that you can only do so much in presentation.
The lathe programing is complex, it's a different machining operation, tool use really becomes very important, etc.
I am commited to the LT manual because i swore that it would have a manual, and that the manual would be not be like any of the other manuals out there.
Beta, don't you love that word! ;)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So what makes a good manual? ???
Terry,
The documentation / manual is now available.
What are the known "Quirks" of LC? ;D
And thanks for the info you sent me. I am not going to put anything in the manual for raster files.
I haven't found one worth a hoot in 20 years! Even high end ones that do conversions and cost BIG BIG BIG BUCKS!
are crap in the big picture IMHO! But you know what they say about opinions. >:D
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RICH
-
DAVE,
Here is an rough draft for the lathe.
RICH
-
Well thank you very kindly, Rich. I will have to sit down and study up on this some more and see if I can't break anything. ;D
Been very busy here lately and haven't had much time to play but I did get my little heat sinks epoxied onto the lathe motor with a 120mm fan blowing over it. I have to give it a workout and see how much it helps.
Thanks again for all of your help, my friend-
Dave
-
Rich
This would really be a big help especially if I could print it out???????????????????? Did you create this document?
Ed
-
ED,
Was just a real rough draft and didn't want folks wasting paper. ;D
Yes, I created it. Should be done in a day or so and you will be able to print it out. ;)
After chewing on it some, felt it just didn't cut it, so, expanded it to show how to do more.
Like turning, grooving, facing, final finish pass. Stay tuned, it will be in REV "D" of the LC manual
update. The manual can be found in the Members Docs.
RICH
-
Rich
Great to hear that you are going to polish and update the file, and I do not consider it a waste of paper to print out a manual that I need. Thanks
Ed :) :) :)
-
I started in deskcnc in dos version for what it cost for lazycam & Mach3 this is a good software for the hobbies,
yes they to have there bugs. But if dry run or Air cut the show up ,then you can edit them out. If you are
a production shop or you make a living at this this software is not for you!!!
Dan