Problem with end product

[Dopy]

Evening all

I'm new to this forum and new to the cnc business too but I an learning by trial & error and getting there slowly. I first got interested in the possibility of cnc when I discovered Tom McWire's easy cnc on instructables back in 07, the idea fascinated me & I wanted to be able to make some PCB's. I had 3 old scanners lying around and started to throw together 3 steppers just to see what would happen, the board was easy but the learning curve for the rest was huge, since that time I have built another machine and have some scant knowledge of using Qcad and Kcam, but neither without there problems, of late I have a small machine working and just getting to the point of expecting great things of it, but there are kinks and I'm not to sure if there my kinks or Qcad or Kcam.

So, what i did was to put a pen in the chuck, stretched some paper on the table and pressed go, but, some parts of the circuit line up and others don’t, and in places it repeats itself going over some lines 2 or even 3 times, so I was wondering, do others out there have problems translating Qcad Gcode to Kcam or is it perhaps my very old pc, or just me being dopey?

Mark

[Zephyr]

Hi Mark,

I use QCAD and have found it to be quite good. I bought the version with the book and it works for me but I had the same problem as you - double cutting entities. I discovered that there were copies of entities stacked up below the ones I could see. I've no idea how they got there but I think if it wasn't me drawing them twice it was QCAD adding them when I copied several entities together to another layer. This might (or might not be) a glitch in QCAD. I don't know. You can find them by clicking on the entities that cause double cutting problems, deleting them and seeing if there is another entity below that and so on. If there is nothing below the entity then just bring it back (undo). That cured my double cutting of entities problem.

However there are two version of QCAD - the bought one and the 'free' one and I couldn't get the free one to work properly so you might need the bought one...

I am using Ribbonsoft's CAM package and found that it converts everthing well and even gets the start position right most times but it won't convert closed elipses (ovals) so there is another problem and I don't know which package it's in.

I'm looking for another CAM program myself.

Hope that clears up at least one problem.

Keith. (novice, beginner, newbie)

[Swarfing]

Are you guys using the linux or windows version?

Coping stuff between layers is not that simple so chances are the problem lays there?

[Dopy]

Hi Kieth

I'm using Qcad free at the moment mainly because I won't buy something till I see it working but I did get my first success today so the future looks promising there, as for "layers" hehe, not found them yet so will go search, at the moment I;m just copying the Gcode to Kcam and editing it in there, but it is a pain

2eOpoz I'm using Win98 on a very old pc with minium running on it, best I can get is 7in/min, but hay, Its a hobby and i'm not in a rush

Mark

[Zephyr]

Are you guys using the linux or windows version?

Coping stuff between layers is not that simple so chances are the problem lays there?

Hi 2e0poz,

I'm using GNU-Linux Ubuntu for everything including EMC2 and CAD. I use Suse for Ribbonsoft CAM. Windows brings me out in spots.

I don't get any problems now with doubled entities. The bought version of QCad works all right for me but I still can't get ovals from dxf to ngc. Probably a problem with Ribbonsoft's CAM.

I'm looking for another converting program.

I guess not many people here use Linux? Maybe someone can do a count?

[Swarfing]

Well Mark you are not alone as i use EMC2, Qcad along with DXFtoGode as well as GCNCCam. At some point i will purchase the Vectric products (as soon as i can sell my lathe). Cut 3d and VcarvePro works great under Wine. As for the double line business it does happen with redrawing lines. A good tip is to just resize rather than delete and redraw. Also try saving as the 'R12' version of DXF, I've found no problems there. The Cam packages i use are limiting but because they are not fancy have no issues with ovals. I booted my machine up in Windows a few days ago for the first time in two years to try the vectric software out, after wasting three hours waiting for the updates and virus scans it crapped out with a virus. Booted straight back to Ubuntu loaded wine and hey presto my trial versions worked great with no viruses. If you want to try another freebie then give windows cad progs a try, everything I've tried works under wine.