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« on: November 07, 2017, 11:29:29 AM »
Rich... to answer some of your questions to the last couple of your posts.
Bob,
Seems like the gift from Gary will provide an option for you.
I echo what Graig and Gary replied about using CAD / Cam. Have not used Fusion 360
for the mill / router but have used it for the lathe. Have used Meshcam and Cambam to generate code for complex objects also. Like everything, there is a learning curve to using
CAD / CAM, since you will need to create objects in 3D instead of 2D and understand
how to apply the software to generate code for a part. The software is all similar but some integrate the CAD / CAM much better, and also provide for engineering analysis. So it all depends on the users needs. Make note that some folks are using industrial software and costs of the software alone are expensive. You would be shocked at the software monthly overhead cost ( more than what many folks earn ) paid for me when I was working.
I am aware that these are very expensive ways to go--the route of software. Fusion360 is currently free for anyone enrolled in college... and I don't think they are going to change that... so I enrolled in community college and am taking a mill class. I thought that would speed up my learning curve and it has helped to some degree. However their machines are Haas etc., and I am never going to be able to buy something of that scale, nor would it fit in my small 400 sq ft shop. The problem is that no one has ever heard of Mach3 and they are not as knowledgeable about stepper motors etc. as I thought they would be. Of course those machines use servo and not steppers and so forth. So I am stuck with trying to learn from any source I can.
Secondly, I am older -- 70, and we all know death will come soon enough. Still there is meaning in life if we continue to stay in "learn mode" and continue to move forward. In my life my curiosity has only intensified and I am never bored... so I think the cnc route has its psychological uses as well. Finally if I got smooth enough with making the guitar parts, and there are a limited number, I would have the programs finished in g-code for each part and the need for fusion 360 would not be absolutely essential after that. Of course it never dovetails that neatly. The fact that I am working the lathe axis issue so early in the learning curve is that this is what was being offered in class and I did not want to wait another semester before getting started in some formal training. If I learn enough g-code then mach 3 should handle all or most of my needs. Right now I am trying to get my mind around the 4th axis lathe concepts and how that fits into my mill situation for making the bridge and later the guitar neck blank... classical necks are very complex compared to say, a fender guitar neck. Mach3 appears to be very very deep in its use and complexity. He or she who figured all of this out...well they must of had a vast mind..
As a hobbiest most will never be able to rationalize big bucks for software.
Remember when AutoCad was rather cheap to use? Do you think Fusion will be provided
free or reduced pricing forever!
You will spend a lot of time learning and if free software is no longer available then where are you? All I am saying is put the cost of things into perspective for intended use and spend for what you want to be able to do. Can have anything you want in the store but once you bring it to checkout ya got to pay for it!
I have already paid off the cnc machine, have it up and running, have my guitar shop set up and so forth...so I think I can weather the rest of what I must go through in order to come out producing fine and finer quality instruments...
For some simple stuff there is nothing wrong with a little hand coding to do a task and doing multiple tasks. Also there is experience gained in fooling around.
So much for my rant, it's just some thoughts FWIW, Please continue to rant and bring on more suggestions and ideas... bob
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