very basic cad cam software

I have been searching online and reading the threads on here but so many names come up I get a bit lost.

Basically I have just got a little rc drone and I want to cut a few small parts on my cnc I built for cutting my surfboards. It is pretty much going to be a one off job so don't really want to go spending a lot on fancy programs. I am looking for something that can literally just cut these 2d parts out of flat sheet. I do have access to a old copy of auto cad so would be potable to draw it on there but if there was a simple program that did booth then I would prefer that. the surfboard program I use is really nice and simple and does it all in one basically but I cant used it do do anything else.

any recommendations would be great if any one of the free ones out there?

below is basically the 3 parts I need to cut

CamBam can do both the CAD and CAM for this job and it has a free trial period. http://www.cambam.info/downloads/ get this version - Version 0.9.8N
I think you get 40 free uses with the trial period.

Cool cheers 40 trial sessions will be plenty

so I ended up drawing it in auto cad as I have used that a bit and I started to follow a you tube vid on how to load the dxf file but as soon as I try it freezes cam bam up and says invalid arc multiple times in the task bar at the bottom? any ideas?

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Originally Posted by charlieuk

so I ended up drawing it in auto cad as I have used that a bit and I started to follow a you tube vid on how to load the dxf file but as soon as I try it freezes cam bam up and says invalid arc multiple times in the task bar at the bottom? any ideas?

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I don't use CamBam But there are open vectors in the dxf I have closed them with Aspire see if this works. ..Clive

cheers clive many thanks yes that has worked I will have to try and figure how to do that in auto cad like I say I only have very basic skills. I will now try and carry on with the tutorial.

I use alphacam and that uses "join", but I believe the same thing in autocad is "unite". Most other peoples DXF files that I use need to be cleaned up a bit AND JOINED to arrive at complete geometries. G.

I think im slowly figuring it out! I think I have managed to get the g code in to mach 3 however it seams that the z axis is going the wrong way ie when it should be cutting it raising up and when its not its going down towards the table? I assume there is machine setting some were that need to be changed? I cant see anything along the top at the moment but will have another look with a fresh head tomorrow. thanks


edit just realized I needed to say - depth of cut.

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Originally Posted by charlieuk

I think im slowly figuring it out! I think I have managed to get the g code in to mach 3 however it seams that the z axis is going the wrong way ie when it should be cutting it raising up and when its not its going down towards the table? I assume there is machine setting some were that need to be changed? I cant see anything along the top at the moment but will have another look with a fresh head tomorrow. thanks


edit just realized I needed to say - depth of cut.

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Your Z home zero should be at the top and all Gcode Z moves going -ve Clive

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Originally Posted by GEOFFREY

I use alphacam and that uses "join", but I believe the same thing in autocad is "unite". Most other peoples DXF files that I use need to be cleaned up a bit AND JOINED to arrive at complete geometries. G.

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Geoffrey (We met at the model show last year) Thanks. Join does work in autocad I don't think unite does. When I use autocad using join it appears to be able to join only one arc at a time (I must investigate further) but in Aspire you can just select all objects and join the lot at once. Clive