Messages

601

LazyCam (Beta) / Different Files

« on: April 07, 2011, 10:07:08 AM »

RICH you were right about gmax / gimp software and so I will stick with my Acad v14 to do my work.

I made the attached dxf but when I import it to LC is very different. Can you please tell me what is wrong?

602

General Mach Discussion / Re: Cambam / gMax

« on: April 02, 2011, 10:16:02 PM »

I know about the PITA effect RICH and I may waste my time with the free stuff.........

But I got to get a crack at it to find out IF I can do this stuff and IF I like it and so on. No point to spend money up front and then realise that I dont like to get involved with it.

What I like about Gmax/Gimp is that they both have a lot of tutorials. After I do a few of them, I should be able to decide if I like this type of work or not.

603

General Mach Discussion / Re: Cambam / gMax

« on: April 02, 2011, 05:42:11 PM »

Thanks Gerry, I got it

Found the attached info on the web, and along with the 4.30L.ms I now have the CNCToolkit control panel on Gmax

Diving into unknown grounds here but its worth to give it a crack

604

General Mach Discussion / Re: Cambam / gMax

« on: April 02, 2011, 05:06:02 PM »

Gerry that link only wants to open the file “4.03L.ms

605

General Mach Discussion / Re: Cambam / gMax

« on: April 02, 2011, 03:11:12 PM »

I’m back at this subject because I would like to give another try to make my own 2D/3D images.

In the last month I evaluated Sheetcam, Mashcan, and Cut2D/3D but I was not comfortable to choose either and so I ended up purchasing the LazyCam Pro which for now seems to fill my needs. To be honest, I must say that I like very much the LC interface and I probably would have spent more to purchase it; at $75.00 it was a real bargain for me.

So now that I have LC to make my gcode I’m looking to get some free CAD programs to gain more experience generating my own 2D/3D images.

I came across the cnc4free.org site and there is a fairly big download in the Tutorials section called “The Free Creative CNC Solution”. The tutorial is pretty good describing how to use GIMP & GMax to create whatever you want. There is also the “CNC_Toolkit” plugin for GMax but have not been able to get that plugin despite that I followed all the links and register in the Yahoo groups as you supposed to do to get it.

Searching this forum I also found a thread about Blender and now I know that Blender, although an excellent free 3D program has some limitation exporting dxf files.

Has anyone used the Gimp / Gmax programs?

Any suggestions for other similar programs?

606

General Mach Discussion / Re: Gantry Slack

« on: April 01, 2011, 07:35:36 AM »

Thank you Sam

607

General Mach Discussion / Re: Gantry Slack

« on: March 31, 2011, 08:45:47 AM »

Good idea Gerry, I will give it a try

Sage, yes I had three #8 x 3” long screws on each side but no glue. Perhaps the glue might have done the trick but now I like better the aluminum angle

608

LazyCam (Beta) / Drilling Circles

« on: March 31, 2011, 12:21:37 AM »

I select a chain with a circle, the circle is highlighted and the I select the "Drill Sel Circles" from the tools menu and I get the message shown on the picture below

What I do wrong?

609

General Mach Discussion / Re: Gantry Slack

« on: March 31, 2011, 12:02:46 AM »

You are right Sage, leans side to side by about 1/32”. As you can see from the attached pic. your idea was my 1st try but for some reason didn’t work well and I had to remove it. Adding one more angle to make an X with two angles is my next step if I see no improvement but so far she feels solid.

Gerry the sides of the gantry are not MDF but rather 3/4" plywood. I don’t know which one is more resistant to bending but thought that plywood would be better. You idea about the steel angles down the side was one of my 1st thoughts but after careful observation I noticed that its not the sides that are bending but rather the whole gantry assembly leans from side to side and therefore an X bracing looks like to be the answer.

As I mentioned, the machine works very well and the only problem so far is when I cut circles less then 1.5” diameter the circles are not perfect circles. Cutting larger circles, curves and lines there is no problem

Thank you both for your help

610

General Mach Discussion / Re: Gantry Slack

« on: March 30, 2011, 07:59:47 PM »

I thought my idea was so crazy that nobody bothered to reply LOL

I’m happy you approve Hood