What machine is required please

[amd7000]

Yea. I've started with that and it seems it would be everything i'll ever need.

[Chaz]

Yea. I've started with that and it seems it would be everything i'll ever need.

I happened to buy Cambam and its now not being used. Pity, nice product for quick things though but once you get used to Fusion .... dont need much else.

[Neale]

I've also been using Fusion 360 but so far, only for the CAD side of it, not CAM. I did want to try it out on a couple of little MDF components that I wanted to cut as profiles (nothing fancy) but I went back to vCarve once I'd produced a DXF file as I couldn't find any way in F360 to automatically generate holding tabs. In vCarve, this is trivially easy and there are plenty of options about how/where/what shape. Maybe this is the difference between an aimed-at-woodworkers and an aimed-at-engineers product? Anyway, it's the silly little kind of thing that might be relevant to the OP, given the kinds of work his wife wants to do.

Unless anyone can tell us how to easily generate holding tabs in F360? I'd really like to know!

[Chaz]

I've also been using Fusion 360 but so far, only for the CAD side of it, not CAM. I did want to try it out on a couple of little MDF components that I wanted to cut as profiles (nothing fancy) but I went back to vCarve once I'd produced a DXF file as I couldn't find any way in F360 to automatically generate holding tabs. In vCarve, this is trivially easy and there are plenty of options about how/where/what shape. Maybe this is the difference between an aimed-at-woodworkers and an aimed-at-engineers product? Anyway, it's the silly little kind of thing that might be relevant to the OP, given the kinds of work his wife wants to do.

Unless anyone can tell us how to easily generate holding tabs in F360? I'd really like to know!

I found it by mistake previously.

2D Contour Operation > Geometry > TABS

[Neale]

Sometimes this forum is worth its weight in gold! Many thanks for that. I spent quite a bit of time searching the help files and never found mention. I suspect that if I try the same search again, I'll be drowning in references - now I know it's there!

[Arzo10]

OK guys I have been doing a lot of looking still nchpurchase but have upped the budget to about 1k I have looked at stepcraft v2 s600.

Put a package together consisting of it a kress spindle and vcarve and cut2d together with their USB controller and card.

Can someone advise me if this is a good idea?
At just over a grand am I getting hoodwinked?

Tia

[komatias]

I would not say hoodwinked. You will be under powered if you think the stepper motors on the 600 are what we use on 3d printers. So it is basically a sign engraving machine for use with plastics. The Kress is good an the USB board is good.

Personal opinion though is that you would be better suited with something else. Unfortunately your budget is your limitation so you may be better buying something used.