Hobby-CNC Workflow - SKETCHUP + CAMBAM + MACH3

[WandrinAndy]

It's essential for me as a hobbyist to contain costs, yet I would also like to use software that enjoys a reasonable level of support by being in fairly common use. So please point me back to sanity with alternative ideas as necessary...

These are my current thoughts on the cheap-ish Hobby-CNC workflow software I intend using as a starting point :

1. Grey-Matter... can only be used when intergalactic, atmospheric, and biological conditions are favourable.

2. CAD - SKETCHUP will be used for design to capture / draw / dimension / visualise / revise, and save the drawing as filetype SKP. Although SKETCHUP is geared more towards architecture than towards solid mechanics, I'm now pretty proficient in using the FREE version of Sketchup, and feel it will suffice for my 2.5D machining needs into the foreseeable future.

3. A plugin for SKP will be used to export drawings as filetype DXF or STL or CB. I have downloaded and briefly tested the plugin from Convert Sketchup SKP files to DXF or STL | guitar-list and have also downloaded but not yet tested CamBamExport-mm.rb from Sketchup to CamBam Plugin - CerebralMeltdown.com.

4. CAM - CAMBAM will be used primarily for creating tool paths as gcode. I will buy CamBam PLUS for around £100, although there is also a free trial of the most recent version with limited lines of gcode, and also a totally free and unlimited but OLD version.

5. MACH3 which will process the gcode. Should cost of the order of £100.

6. A motion-control-device such as ESS Ethernet-Smooth-Stepper.

Does the above seem sane?

[JAZZCNC]

If you want to contain costs then No6 isn't required and just use the parallel port.

Motion control card is nice to have for a few reasons but not required so long has your PC has a decent parallel port.

[wilfy]

i'm so glad to see there are plug-ins to convert sketchup to dxf as i wasnt aware this was possible... if this is a cost effective solution then i may just be following your lead on this to get the machine up and running and in future may look to other avenues once i prove the machine

[HankMcSpank]

The process looks fine (I use Cambam & think it's excellent)

I started with Mach3, but was attracted to CNC-USB (which would condense your 5 & 6) & I'm very happy that I switched....but there's a lot to be said for "safety in numbers" which is why Mach3 wins the day for so many.

[Jonathan]

If you want to contain costs then 4,5,6 aren't required:

4) In 2) you only mention needing 2.5D, in which case you can just use the free version of cambam since it does that just fine.
5) Try LinuxCNC, contrary to popular belief it's not difficult to set up and is completely free with plenty of features. If you have problems with either Mach3 or LinuxCNC, be it in general use of just setting up, you will easily get help on this forum. Once you've tried both programs decide weather it's worth about £100 for the Mach3 licence.
6) See 5).

[JAZZCNC]

5) Try LinuxCNC, contrary to popular belief it's not difficult to set up and is completely free with plenty of features. If you have problems with either Mach3 or LinuxCNC, be it in general use of just setting up, you will easily get help on this forum. Once you've tried both programs decide weather it's worth about £100 for the Mach3 licence.

Yep then with the 6months of your life wasted it will have give you time to save up for Mach.!! . . . And Before you say it Numb nuts . . . This is not bias based purely on bias I've seen hundreds of people either start or jump to LinuxCnc or EMC has it used to be known only to return to Mach because they couldn't get on with it.!!

Simple fact is Mach3 is THE BEST control for New folks has it's easy to use out the box(Very soon to get much much better with V4.!!) and there's 1000's of very willing NONE GEEK users willing to sort any issues.!! And that includes the program designers.!!

USB -Cnc is an ok option and eliminates any PP issue's but not keen on the software.!!

[HankMcSpank]

USB -Cnc is an ok option and eliminates any PP issue's but not keen on the software.!!

Horses for courses I guess...Mach3 (for me) had a DOS 6.1 vibe to the window where the cutting animation takes place (it was often hard for me to make out WTF was going on!), whereas CNC-USB is much more larger, current and easier on the eye'. It was also nice to get away from parallel ports (which again, have an early 90s vibe!). The main clincher for me was the integral 'warp' feature, which if - like me - you mill pcbs is a godsend (I'm sure the same thing can be achieved in Mach3, but having tried, it has a voyage of exploration ...a few months later, maybe you'd have something cobbled together, but CNC-USB works right out the box)

Anyway, I'd advise anyone considering either to at least download the software(for no other reason than there are some handy conversion utilities even in the trial ....eg import gerber, export DXF etc)....

Planet CNC

[wilfy]

i presume all the CAM programs are very helpful and easy to get you going in zeroing the machine and setting the limits ect?

[martin54]

i presume all the CAM programs are very helpful and easy to get you going in zeroing the machine and setting the limits ect?

Wilfy it's the control software such as mach3 that you would use to set the machine up, not yet done it myself but had a look at how to do it in mach & it seemed to be well explained so I can't see to many problems, can't speak for any other control software but would guess some are easier to set up than others.
Cam software which you will use to generate toolpaths in g code seem to vary as most software does, some are easier to learn than others from what I have seen so far.

[kingcreaky]

really pleased ive read this post. its cleared lots of questions ive needed answering but didnt know how to ask the questions...