Hi, new to the hobby, have built a desktop three axis machine using Mach3 through a Gecko540. I have the machine up and running using supplied g-code, works well, my problem is I have access to several dxf files but have no idea how to convert to g-code so Mach can run them. On reading everything I can find I suspect I have to somehow put them into Lazycam then convert to g-code for mill. Any help you can offer in laymans terms would be much appreciated.
Thanks
Terry

There's a LazyCAM manual here.
http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,12078.0.html

Personally, I'd recommend something more powerful and user friendly.
Check out Vectric's Cut2D, or CamBam.

Thanks ger21 for the reply, I have the demo of Cambam and intend to purchase. Could you give me the steps I would need to use to convert in Cambam.
Terry

Sorry, I've never used it.

The CamBam site has video's and tutorials.
RICH

Terry , Cambam has a very nice manual. CNC has a fairly steep learning curve. MOST try to do it backwards because some salesman convinced them it was turnkey. and rarely does it work that way.  You cannot run the machine without Gcode. You either have to learn to manually program Gcode(not likely at first) or learn a CAM program that creates Gcode. To run the CAM program you need drawings. To create drawings you must learn the basics of a CAD program.

You just have to bite the bullet and start from the beginning and work your way back to the end results, machining a part. AND even when you get back to there you really need to understand what all the codes MEAN for your machine how else would you know if something is not right.

Just a thought, (;-) TP

Attached is a quicky  to using Cambam.
RICH

You can always drag and drop your dxf into the workspace with CamBam.

Thanks for the replies, thankyou Rich that gives me a start.
Terry