Looking for some CAM advice

As I've finally bought a functioning CNC mill, I'm now banging my head trying to machine some tool holders for my lathe turret.

Just now all I'd like to do is machine the underside of the holders along with spiralling into the mounting holes a few mm, as that's the critical part. I can then drill the mounting holes, then bore them out on the lathe, however trying to generate the G-code is proving to be a bit challenging.
I've tried CamBam, however waterlining results in the finish pass not finishing the horizontal surfaces and leaving a groove around all the features, and any other method seems to result in lots of air re-cutting.

I'm currently downloading Dolphin to try, however any other options I should be considering that won't require the sale of limbs/organs?

Here's a picture of what CamBam is resulting in -
Attachment 11007

I've tried loads of trials lately and the ones for me are Vectric Cut2d and Cut3d. I decided the CAD was not required so these are just CAM
For CAD, which I need to be 3D, I'm using this Autodesk Labs Inventor Fusion (not the 360) I can't believe it's free, at some point in time it might refuse to load ?

Also see this thread http://www.mycncuk.com/forums/cad-ca...-software.html

I've just downloaded Cut3D and it's by far the easiest I've used so far, however it's more aimed at routers and lacks features like spiral milling into holes.

I'm just running through the Dolphin tutorials to get a hang of how it works.
Ideally I'd like something that can also cover lathes, as it'll save learning two totally different software packages, so Dolphin is current front runner, but I may also have to have a play with BobCad/cam.

For now I'm just hoping to find something that will create the g-code for the tool holders so I can get the lathe up and running, and I can play with different CAm packages later.

So what are you asking for Moray.? Best Cam package or way to do it.?

Also if I'm reading you right all your wanting to do is surface the face and Pocket some holes.? . . . Or are you trying to replicate what's in the picture with the steps etc.?

If you want to email me the Model and what you want done exactly then I can knock you some code to try and compare.

Regards best Package then out of all you've mentioned then I'd go with dolphin. I've Got BobCad and it's Ok but Dolphin easily matches it and is better for Lathes I think.! . . . I don't have Lathe for Bobcad.
I'm Using Solid Cam now and it blows anything I've used before out the water but it should really for the price plus don't have Lathe portion for that either has I don't have CNC Lathe that works at minute.

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Originally Posted by JAZZCNC

So what are you asking for Moray.? Best Cam package or way to do it.?

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A bit of both!
All my lathe stuff up til now I've just done manually, so having to use a CAM is new to me and proving to be a bit challenging/frustrating.

Quote:

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Also if I'm reading you right all your wanting to do is surface the face and Pocket some holes.? . . . Or are you trying to replicate what's in the picture with the steps etc.?

If you want to email me the Model and what you want done exactly then I can knock you some code to try and compare.

Regards best Package then out of all you've mentioned then I'd go with dolphin. I've Got BobCad and it's Ok but Dolphin easily matches it and is better for Lathes I think.! . . . I don't have Lathe for Bobcad.
I'm Using Solid Cam now and it blows anything I've used before out the water but it should really for the price plus don't have Lathe portion for that either has I don't have CNC Lathe that works at minute.

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This is what I'm trying to produce-
Attachment 11009
I managed to bodge it in CamBam by using the same MOPs as the image in my first post produced, then by adding three polyline rectangles and pocketing them out to final depth starting at the depth the waterline MOPs stopped.
However machining it is proving to be another challenge, as I've discovered the mill doesn't have enough power to spin a 6mm HSS endmill at a high enough feed rate to stop it burning up or stalling, and the figures produced by FSWizard and CNCcalc are widely high so 4mm end mills burn up near instantly, and dropping them to manually calculated acceptable figures makes things painfully slow.

So I need to get some carbide end mills ordered, and try again.

I've attached the solidworks and stl file - Attachment 11010
I'm only interested in the bottom (the pic above has it spun upside down) with the ridge and notch, and spiralling a couple mm into the bolt holes to get a good location for drilling them to depth manually.