advise please for getting fusion 360 (subscription) altanative

[routercnc]

CAD and CAM can be separate packages if you want them to be if you want to spread the risk of F360 changing T&Cs (no sign of this by the way). I use a range of CAD software and they all produce IGES files which you can import into F360 and make use of the extensive CAM features.

Obviously the files are not linked this way and if you spot an issue doing the CAM you have to edit on the CAD program and export again. Rarely happens in practice and well worth it for the F360 CAM features.

The Vectric stuff is great (I have some myself) but there is a cost so I would do some comparisons with F360 before deciding. By the way F360 only runs on 64 bit so bare that in mind as last time I checked Mach 3 does not so if using that to drive the machine you need 2 PCs or dual boot etc

[Desertboy]

Turbocad pro with the CAM and wood working plugin would also be an excellent choice if you search ebay.com you can normally find last years version for 1/3 the price of this years.

I use fusion now BUT I would highly recommend turbocad and see a time in the near future where I'll buy the latest copy (Mine is 8 years old) and subscribe to fusion as well.

[m_c]

F360 only runs on 64 bit so bare that in mind as last time I checked Mach 3 does not so if using that to drive the machine you need 2 PCs or dual boot etc

Mach itself will run on 64bit, however the parallel port driver requires 32-bit and nothing newer than Win7.

[Desertboy]

I have a spare pc with parallel port on board, free if you collect I'm in Leicester.

[EddyCurrent]

I'm with Kitwn and also use CamBam.
Before you spend money on CAD software you need to decide why you need it. If it's for 3D work then it's maybe required but for 2.5D work there should be enough CAD in CamBam to cover your requirements.
That may be true of other CAM software but I don't have experience of those.

[routercnc]

m_c thanks for the correction

[magicniner]

Fusion is great for Hobbyists but the regularity of updates, and FUBARs, combined with a complete lack of genuinely up to date documentation for the current version on any given day leaves me viewing it as an interesting way to add uncertainty to the future of your use of CAD/CAM.
I used to think Autodesk would at some point skank everyone with a move to subscription but I've now realised they've already skanked everyone into a perpetual Beta Programme with no prospect of a finished product whilst leveraging all the testing and feedback for their subscription products :D

[Palletlad]

Thanks guys I'm thankful for the input I will check out vcarve, cambam, fusion360 (free)

just need to fix my setup atm as nothing is responding for me?

[Palletlad]

oh on a side note I just seen a thread about the parallel ports and it was mentioned that a parallel port to USB connector will not work... I am confused because the machine came with a Parallel port to USB connector?

[m_c]

removed and moved to other topic