#linuxcnc Logs

Nov 27 2021

01:45 AM Deejay: moin
05:22 AM JT-Cave: morning
05:23 AM Tom_L: morning
05:37 AM JT-Cave: I think I have someone to buy the van
05:38 AM XXCoder: nice
05:59 AM JT-Cave: I need to get rid of it before the end of the year so I can remove it from my personal taxes
11:31 AM JT-Shop: CaptHindsight[m], I "think" I have the google issue resolved... might take a few days to get indexed by google
11:32 AM XXCoder: nice
11:33 AM XXCoder: yeah better chance of customers when can find
11:40 AM JT-Shop: I must have checked disallow robots when I setup Woocommerce and didn't know what it did
11:41 AM JT-Shop: submitted the site and a sitemap to google
11:44 AM CloudEvil: yay
12:49 PM unterhausen: I just bought something from fine homebuilding. They asked for my address and after I filled that out they asked if I wanted to use my existing address
12:51 PM Tom_L: no send it to my neighbor
12:58 PM roycroft: the taunton press maintain an impressive database
12:58 PM Tom_L: impressive or concerning?
12:59 PM roycroft: my subscription to fine woodworking lapsed once a few years ago, and i phoned them to renew, and see if i could get a muti-year discount
12:59 PM roycroft: they had addresses for me going back to the early 1980s
12:59 PM roycroft: i gave them my information freely, so it wasn't a concern
01:00 PM roycroft: and they were generous in their offer to me at the time, when they could see that i'd been a subscriber since the early years
01:00 PM roycroft: so many vendors change their accounting software and don't migrate the old data
01:01 PM roycroft: there are vendors i buy from every 2-3 years, and i have to re-register every time, because they don't keep track
01:01 PM roycroft: and they *always* say they changed software and could not migrate the historical data
01:01 PM unterhausen: yeah, I had that happen a couple of years ago with a bike frame parts supplier
01:01 PM roycroft: and my response is that they could migrate the data, but chose not to
01:01 PM unterhausen: I really wanted my previous purchase history
01:02 PM Tom_L: unless they're actively corresponding with their clients it would be a good way to flush it out
01:02 PM unterhausen: the other big supplier recently went through that, but it was because the company was taken over by someone that couldn't handle it so it was rescued from him
01:03 PM roycroft: yeah, but if you're doing that to get rid of stale accounts, you're also throwing out the baby with that bath water
01:03 PM Tom_L: and it would give data entry something to do besides paint their nails
01:03 PM roycroft: if you don't migrate the data, the person who has ordered from you every week for the past year will get dumped along with the idle accounts
01:03 PM Tom_L: i'm not saying it's a good idea
01:03 PM roycroft: this is assuming they're telling the truth about not having migrated any data
01:04 PM roycroft: if they're just purging old customers, that's fine
01:04 PM roycroft: but be honest about it
01:04 PM Tom_L: you don't think somebody would actually lie to you do ya?
01:04 PM roycroft: just tell the old customers that they don't buy enough from you for you to care about
01:05 PM unterhausen: I have written some software that read someone else's old data files and it was really annoying handling all the versions
01:05 PM Tom_L: i've had a catalog supply co tell me for the last 20 years that this would be the last one due to inactivity
01:05 PM unterhausen: but with a database it's just old and new, so two versions
01:05 PM roycroft: when we had a president who told literally tens of thousands of provable lies while in office, and continues to perpetrate those lies every day, i have to think that telling lies has become normalized in this country
01:05 PM roycroft: i can't believe otherwise
01:06 PM Tom_L: when we had?
01:06 PM roycroft: yes
01:06 PM roycroft: all presidents have told lies, for sure
01:06 PM roycroft: but the previous one took it to a new level
01:07 PM roycroft: orders of magnitude worse than any before him (or his successor)
01:08 PM unterhausen: ohio state vs. U. Mich. I would say I'm rooting for injuries, but I don't want them to get hurt
01:10 PM Tom_L: one nice thing about having a mill is all the shower door frame ends are nice and square instead of saw cut
01:51 PM skunkworks: when all you have is a hammer... lol
01:58 PM JT-Shop: now where are my shop scissors?
01:58 PM roycroft: *chuckle*
01:59 PM roycroft: i just bought four new pair of scissors the other day
01:59 PM roycroft: because i misplaced one of the shop pair, and it was taking too long to find htem
01:59 PM roycroft: i'm trying to have scissors living at every workstation where i might ever need them
01:59 PM roycroft: they won't wander off so often that way
02:01 PM JT-Shop: or chain them down lol
02:17 PM Tom_L: there's a pair in your handy dandy swiss army knife
02:19 PM roguish[m]: roycroft: know what ya mean,.... I tie long lanyards on to things like that. makes 'em stand out more when I'm searching for 'em.....
02:20 PM roguish[m]: and also harangue myself outloud to 'put it away stupid...'
02:40 PM _unreal_: sup
02:46 PM t4nk_freenode: buttercup
02:47 PM XXCoder: rosebud
03:13 PM roycroft: nice
03:13 PM roycroft: i found an hp 48g at st vincent depaul for $2.99, less my 10% discount
03:15 PM roycroft: i have several of them - i try to have one by each machine where i may need to do calculations
03:15 PM roycroft: this one can go on my electronics bench
03:30 PM Tom_L: next to the scissors
03:50 PM roycroft: in the same general vicinity
03:53 PM * JT-Shop has been looking for the shop scissors for a few days now :(
03:53 PM XXCoder: look for something else
03:53 PM Tom_L: look for something else and you will find them
03:53 PM XXCoder: you'll soon find it
03:54 PM * Tom_L checks the duplex on his connection
03:56 PM JT-Shop: massive rearranging going on with shelves trying to get a bit more room for the Ridgeline
04:19 PM roycroft: i'm getting rid of a refrigerator this weekend
04:20 PM roycroft: the one i used to use to ferment beer - i don't use my lagering freezer much any more, so i'll use that for fermenting
04:20 PM roycroft: in its place i'll install a shelving unit to store pre-cut parts for my lamps
04:20 PM XXCoder: you sell lamps?
04:20 PM roycroft: the piles in the shop are getting too big, and besides, the shop is not climate controlled
04:20 PM roycroft: not yet, but that's what i've been gearing up to do for a while
04:20 PM XXCoder: cool
04:21 PM roycroft: this year was my year to get ready for production
04:22 PM roycroft: https://roycroft.us/Shoji-Lamp
04:22 PM roycroft: there's a prototype i made a couple months ago
04:22 PM roycroft: it's not saleable, but it's a good indication of what i'll be making
04:22 PM XXCoder: oh yes!
04:22 PM XXCoder: i remember that
04:23 PM roycroft: i'm working on another design now, that is more in the greene and green style
04:23 PM roycroft: but i'll need some templates for it that will be tedious to make without a cnc router
04:23 PM roycroft: hence my push to build a cnc router
04:23 PM roycroft: i'm making the drawers for my bandsaw stand today
04:24 PM roycroft: because 1. i want the paint to dry for another day before i set the saw on the stand,
04:24 PM roycroft: and 2. it's a lot easier to fit the drawers when the stand is sitting up on a bench than when it's down on the floor
04:24 PM roycroft: oh
04:25 PM roycroft: and 3. it's raining today, and it is not supposed to rain tomorrow, so unloading the saw from my van will go better tomorrow than today
04:26 PM roycroft: i've had the saw for a couple weeks now, and i'd really like to start using it to see if it was worth the upgrade from my old one
04:26 PM roycroft: but i don't want to install it until i'm ready
04:27 PM XXCoder: cool. well good luck :D
04:27 PM XXCoder: I want to setup my cnc router
04:27 PM XXCoder: zero room unfortunately
04:28 PM roycroft: btw, if that lamp were saleable (i need to clean up my joinery before i can sell them) i'd be asking about $700 for it
04:28 PM roycroft: there is a living to be made doing this
04:29 PM XXCoder: wow pretty expensive
04:29 PM roycroft: it's a lot of work
04:29 PM XXCoder: indeed
04:30 PM roycroft: hundreds of small pieces of wood that have to be hand fit and hand mitred perfectly
04:31 PM XXCoder: just didnt know there was market for $700 lamp lol
04:31 PM roycroft: there is
04:32 PM roycroft: that prototype is far from perfect, which is why i can't sell it
04:52 PM roguish[m]: roycroft: check these guys out...... http://phoenixday.com/
04:52 PM roguish[m]: very high dollar.............
04:53 PM roguish[m]: my mother in law used to do some design for them.
04:53 PM roguish[m]: i've been through their factory. lots of hand work.
04:54 PM roguish[m]: factory in San Francisco
04:59 PM snakedGT is now known as snaked
05:06 PM roycroft: they have some nice products
05:07 PM roycroft: nothing at all like what i am doing or want to do
05:07 PM roycroft: but i can appreciate their stuff
05:23 PM JT-Shop: there's the low end market, walmart... the medium market ethan allen... and the high end market where rich folks will pay 10k for a lamp
05:24 PM JT-Shop: not supposed to freeze tonight so I'm leaving the short hose connected...
05:24 PM _unreal_: I dont have to worry about freezing :)
05:24 PM _unreal_: considering I have palm tree's out side
05:25 PM roycroft: it's 16 degrees here right now
05:25 PM roycroft: and it will probably get up to 18 tomorrow
05:25 PM roycroft: i'm about to open my garage door and let some fresh air in while i'm working
05:26 PM XXCoder: here its rain or rain
05:26 PM _unreal_: heh ya I took my daughter to the water park today. "rapids" in south florida
05:27 PM _unreal_: this is there last weekend open for the season
05:29 PM * JT-Shop never thought buying a new truck could be so much work!
05:29 PM _unreal_: and thats how maine was. always raining
05:29 PM _unreal_: I dont miss it
05:29 PM _unreal_: not one bit
05:38 PM * JT-Shop is worn out and punches out
05:38 PM JT-Shop: say goodnight Gracie
05:38 PM _unreal_: ? no OT?
05:39 PM t4nk_freenode: just got off the phone with Maine: they miss you terribly, _unreal_
06:18 PM buzzm is now known as buzzmarshall
06:19 PM t4nk_freenode: if someone talks about the linuxcnc forum... what would 'CoC' stand for?
06:21 PM pcw---home: Code of Conduct
06:22 PM roycroft: are people still whining about that?
06:22 PM t4nk_freenode: ah, that makes more sense than clash of clans ;)
06:26 PM roycroft: i just don't understand arguing for the privilege to act like a jerk
06:36 PM _unreal_: ve7it, are you around?
06:38 PM Tom_L: wonder if any that left because of it ever came back
06:38 PM Tom_L: on the forum
06:38 PM Tom_L: they seemed to take it a bit harder
06:49 PM _unreal_: ve7it, I'm starting to design the A3936SED
06:49 PM _unreal_: in KICAD FYI
07:03 PM roycroft: i'm so far behind on both the forum and the mailing list i end up skipping most posts
07:03 PM t4nk_freenode: btw _unreal_, I used my dust shoe for the first time today!
07:03 PM roycroft: and i definitely skip anything that appears to be mean or whiney
07:04 PM _unreal_: t4nk_freenode, ? big difference?
07:04 PM roycroft: i used my new router yesterday, which as an extraction port, and it was amazing
07:05 PM t4nk_freenode: I cut the bristles, but left them a bit long still... so the see-through windows disappeared pretty quickly
07:05 PM * roycroft is planning on having a dust shoe on his cnc router from day one
07:05 PM t4nk_freenode: but the big difference was that nothing is flying around anymore
07:06 PM t4nk_freenode: heh, and instead of sitting at the machine with a hose... I was able to go pee, make coffee... have a smoke
07:06 PM t4nk_freenode: lol
07:12 PM _unreal_: all the essentials I see
07:13 PM t4nk_freenode: couldn't hear the movie over the sound of that darned vacuum cleaner though
07:14 PM _unreal_: t4nk_freenode, I told you about my setup
07:14 PM _unreal_: with the special blower motor
07:14 PM _unreal_: its VERY very quiet
07:14 PM _unreal_: With that blower and my 3d printed cyclone filter its very quiet
07:15 PM _unreal_: a standard hair dryer on low speed is 2x as loud
07:16 PM t4nk_freenode: I wonder if attaching a sucker to the axle of the spindle would work
07:16 PM t4nk_freenode: don't think so though
07:16 PM t4nk_freenode: probably too weak, but it's a nice idea
07:19 PM _unreal_: way to week and that would also put DRAG on the cooling blower of the spindle
07:19 PM _unreal_: weak
07:20 PM _unreal_: and IF the top of your motor is open. your just going to introduce dust into your motor
07:20 PM t4nk_freenode: ah, I also printed a new top fan for the spindle... the original one was completely out of balance
07:20 PM _unreal_: My BLDC spindle the BODY cast IS open at the top. the blower takes in fresh air. I dont like that but not much I can do about it
07:20 PM _unreal_: hence I ensure that I collect my dust
07:21 PM _unreal_: out of balance....... SSSSHHHHOOOOKED...
07:21 PM t4nk_freenode: the new fan seems to be a little off at a low speed too, but it's considerably better
07:21 PM t4nk_freenode: less noise, less vibrations
07:22 PM t4nk_freenode: and it shifts way more air
07:23 PM _unreal_: You can balance that fan
07:24 PM _unreal_: just put a dowel in it and put it on a super flat surface
07:27 PM t4nk_freenode: oh, and it pushes the air instead of sucking it... so that should be better against dust too
07:29 PM t4nk_freenode: and... I made a little test setup for my 4th axis, it's currently clamped together, I'll install it tomorrow and see how it goes
07:33 PM t4nk_freenode: (I've started gluing things instead of screwing or bolting them... I guess depending on the situation it can be quite nice/handy)
07:33 PM _unreal_: can be
07:33 PM _unreal_: materials depending
07:36 PM _unreal_: tomorrow I'm going to be testing my cnc machine out with STONE and a dimaond bit
07:36 PM t4nk_freenode: ? are you mad?
07:36 PM _unreal_: could be
07:37 PM _unreal_: Or I should say try a new type of stone out
07:37 PM _unreal_: a really nice black marble of sorts
07:37 PM _unreal_: going to try etching a logo into it
07:38 PM _unreal_: then see how well it works for cutting
07:38 PM _unreal_: not sure if I want to use the rasp's or the diamond bits
07:38 PM _unreal_: also thinking I may want to add an air blowing system
07:38 PM t4nk_freenode: ah, etching... that seems easier on the machine then
07:39 PM _unreal_: no matte what I do it would be dirt train slow
07:39 PM _unreal_: rotary rasp bits are designed to cut tile
07:39 PM _unreal_: so there's no reason it cant cut the stone
07:40 PM t4nk_freenode: at what diameter?
07:41 PM _unreal_: I foorget I have not ever used them
07:41 PM _unreal_: so like
07:41 PM _unreal_: 1/8, 1/4 and larger and smaller one's
07:42 PM t4nk_freenode: yeah, I'm also getting a better grasp of inches now too ;)
07:42 PM _unreal_: dont get to much of a grasp I only use inch when I'm forced to
07:43 PM _unreal_: beyond that ESTLcam is the onlything I use inches on. thanks to its big
07:43 PM _unreal_: BUG
07:43 PM t4nk_freenode: ever tried FreeCAD?
07:43 PM _unreal_: beyond that everything I do in CAD is MM
07:43 PM _unreal_: yes and I laughed. its a joke compaired to the power and speed of designspark or fusion
07:44 PM _unreal_: too buggy, too many little "tricks" to learn, non standard operation flow
07:44 PM t4nk_freenode: buggy it is.
07:45 PM t4nk_freenode: but I was rather talking about the 'cam features', as in the path workbench
07:46 PM _unreal_: I can create very complex geometry in no time compaired to the hoops one must jump though with freecad
07:47 PM _unreal_: I've never screwed with the cam part of it. After being very disappointed when trying to introduce my self to it. I cast it aside
07:48 PM t4nk_freenode: I did the same, the first time I used it. I guess a whole lot of people have the same feeling
07:48 PM t4nk_freenode: but I also see a lot of people giving it a second chance at some point
07:48 PM _unreal_: I'm not kidding. I went to school for graphic design
07:49 PM _unreal_: its ANTI professional by design. like thumbing one's nose....
07:49 PM _unreal_: in code
07:51 PM _unreal_: yet I can bounce between most all CAD software by reputable companies and at least functionally use it at an amature level right out of the box with no training
07:51 PM _unreal_: yet freecad every aspect of it has some special "process" to learn.
07:53 PM t4nk_freenode: there are multiple ways of doing things in FreeCAD, that's nice too...
07:54 PM _unreal_: there are with pro software as well
08:03 PM * roycroft refers the channel to the comments he's made about freecad many times previously, and will not rehash them now :)
08:05 PM t4nk_freenode: so I take it the gist is negative then?
08:05 PM roycroft: more frustrated than negative
08:05 PM t4nk_freenode: I can't deny that one bit
08:07 PM t4nk_freenode: in fact, I've been frustrated this very evening ;)
08:09 PM t4nk_freenode: managed to solve it fairly quickly though
08:10 PM t4nk_freenode: and then, at the very last action.... *pooof* FreeCAD gone.
08:11 PM t4nk_freenode: had to setup the entire job again
08:13 PM norias: i feel like there's a couple GPL/Free Software CAM's out there in various states of completion
08:16 PM norias: hmm, maybe it's just FreeCAD and Heeks
08:17 PM t4nk_freenode: hadn't heard about that one yet
08:18 PM norias: i swear there was another one out there
08:19 PM norias: i remember reading the dude's blog abotu voroni diagrams, etc
08:20 PM roycroft: openscad can generate gcode
08:20 PM t4nk_freenode: unfortunately heekscad seems to have little activity
08:20 PM norias: https://github.com/aewallin/opencamlib
08:20 PM norias: that's what i was thinking of
08:21 PM norias: roycroft: i wonder what the capabilities look like
08:21 PM roycroft: i'm not sure
08:22 PM roycroft: cam software is just starting to hit my radar, as i don't have a cnc machine at this point other than my 3d printer
08:22 PM roycroft: but since i'm working on one now, i'll need some cam software in a couple or three months
08:22 PM roycroft: so now is the time to start paying attention to that stuff
08:23 PM norias: aye
08:23 PM norias: although it's not like you can't write the stuff by hand
08:23 PM norias: depending on what you're up to
08:24 PM roycroft: i don't want to have to write gcode by hand
08:24 PM t4nk_freenode: after failing at FreeCAD, I was wild about OpenSCAD.. for a while.. and I still have my machine in OpenSCAD... but it's just too limiting after all, so I gave FreeCAD another chance. Glad I did too..
08:25 PM roycroft: i'm not sure i'd say openscad is "limiting"
08:25 PM roycroft: it just takes a very long time to build up a set of local macros to make it efficient
08:26 PM t4nk_freenode: there's an 'OpenSCAD workbench' in FreeCAD... but my experience is that you can't really change between them
08:27 PM roycroft: i've seen that, but never loaded it
08:27 PM roycroft: i'm assuming it just allows one to import openscad files into freecad
08:27 PM roycroft: or export to openscad, or both
08:29 PM t4nk_freenode: I find rendering in OpenSCAD a bit of a crime too; takes ages
08:30 PM roycroft: i'll be looking at low end commercial cam products as well as the open source stuff
08:30 PM roycroft: while i'd prefer to find something for free that works well, i can probably justify spending up to $1k for cam software, if that's what it takes
08:34 PM t4nk_freenode: sometimes you're messing around at the deep end... frustrated like mad... and all of a sudden it hits you how easy it is to just pop together a few lines of g-code and be done
08:35 PM roycroft: i'm not saying i'm unwilling to write gcode
08:35 PM roycroft: i need to be able to do so
08:36 PM roycroft: but if i design, say, a router template with a bunch of complex curves, i want to just feed the drawing file to some software that will generate the gcode for me
08:36 PM t4nk_freenode: or some kind of nice carving stuff
08:36 PM roycroft: i don't want to have to calculate the locations and radii of the curves, and generate polylines by hand
08:37 PM jdh: I paid for cut-2d which was fairly cheap and does pretty much all I need
08:37 PM roycroft: i may do some signmaking to help generate revenue, but there's plenty of free software to do that
08:38 PM roycroft: i've looked at aspire
08:38 PM roycroft: that's a bit out of my price range
08:38 PM roycroft: but the lower end vectric stuff may do
08:38 PM roycroft: at least to get me started
08:40 PM roycroft: i'd also prefer to not have to use windows-based cam software, but if that's what it takes, i'm willing to do so
08:41 PM roycroft: and it's not that i think it would not work well/reliably to use windows-based stuff
08:41 PM roycroft: it just complicates my work flow
08:43 PM roycroft: that's actually less of an issue than it might otherwise be, as both cad packages i'm using currently run on windows
08:43 PM roycroft: it would mean doing another step in windows before moving it to something easy to manage
09:06 PM roycroft: i'm pretty sure vectric have an upgrade path, so if i started with something like cut-2d and needed more functionality/capacity in the future it would not be a wasted investmen
09:06 PM roycroft: t
09:20 PM _unreal_: heeks I remember trying that like 5 years ago
09:21 PM _unreal_: t4nk_freenode, as I said my first CNC machine I built was in the early 200's
09:21 PM _unreal_: 2000's
09:21 PM _unreal_: infact My pictures are still on cnczone.com
09:22 PM _unreal_: cut-2d never heard of that one
09:23 PM _unreal_: interesting, I'm prob wrong but cut-2d looks like one or the other is a spin off from the other. CARBIDE CREATE
09:24 PM _unreal_: and carbide is free. yet interestingly carbide create has a lot of icons that are identical
09:24 PM _unreal_: INTERESTING.
09:25 PM roycroft: it looks like cut-2d pro might be fine for me for now
09:25 PM roycroft: and that's $449 - less than half my budget
09:25 PM roycroft: i'll need the bigger footprint, which is why cut-2d would not be suitable
09:32 PM _unreal_: roycroft, :? why buy that when you could use designspark for free OR carbide create
09:32 PM _unreal_: both do the same thing
09:32 PM _unreal_: and are free
09:33 PM roycroft: i've never heard of either of those
09:33 PM _unreal_: ???????????????????????????????????
09:33 PM _unreal_: I've mentioned them endlessly
09:33 PM _unreal_: bs
09:33 PM roycroft: but i'll certainly look at them
09:33 PM roycroft: you may have mentioned them
09:33 PM roycroft: that does not mean i ever paid attention
09:33 PM _unreal_: where is my large trout
09:33 PM roycroft: designspark is pcb software
09:34 PM roycroft: so not applicable
09:34 PM _unreal_: LOL
09:34 PM _unreal_: not wrong but WRONG
09:34 PM _unreal_: look HARDER
09:34 PM _unreal_: as I said designspark
09:35 PM _unreal_: here I'll make it easy https://www.rs-online.com/designspark/mechanical-software
09:37 PM _unreal_: roycroft, go to YT and just look up designspark mechanical and many examples of howtos will pop up
09:37 PM roycroft: there's a mac version of carbide create
09:37 PM roycroft: so that is already more interesting
09:40 PM roycroft: and there is an inexpensive "pro" version of carbide create that can generate 3d toolpaths, when i get to that point
09:41 PM _unreal_: ESTLcam is 10x better at 3d tool pathing then carbide
09:41 PM roycroft: well i don't need to do that at all right now
09:41 PM _unreal_: and fusion360 makes ESTLcam look simple
09:42 PM roycroft: i won't use fusion360
09:42 PM _unreal_: If your looking for advanced tool path generation I can do it
09:42 PM roycroft: i won't use software that requires calling home, and i won't use software with a moving target license
09:42 PM _unreal_: I really only use fuison for the advanced toolpathing
09:42 PM roycroft: an fusion 360 has both of those "features"
09:42 PM _unreal_: designspark is much better at CADC
09:42 PM _unreal_: CAD
09:43 PM _unreal_: well designspark has no $ license
09:43 PM roycroft: my initial requirement will be to design some fairly simple 2d drawings for the cnc router i'm building
09:44 PM roycroft: longer term, i'll want to be able to use whatever software i have for my milling machine as well
09:44 PM roycroft: and i'll eventually want to do 3d machining
09:44 PM roycroft: but 2.5d will be fine for quite a while
09:44 PM _unreal_: then designspark is your best friend
09:45 PM roycroft: their website is confusing and looks spammy
09:45 PM roycroft: i'll look at it
09:45 PM _unreal_: roycroft, https://photos.app.goo.gl/CuUszxKaFziVnQKX9
09:45 PM roycroft: but carbide create will get a good look first
09:45 PM _unreal_: that will give you some idea's of the level of design you can do with designspark DSM
09:48 PM _unreal_: carbide create is more or less windows paint for win 3.1 with with a very very nice CAM tool path generation feature
09:48 PM _unreal_: windows paint meaning its level of "CAD" complexity
09:49 PM roycroft: but i can import dfx files, so maybe it will be ok
09:49 PM roycroft: i have good cad tools
09:49 PM roycroft: i just don't have cam tools
09:50 PM XXCoder: cam is annoying hard for linux
09:51 PM _unreal_: hence my CAD computer(s) are winblows
09:51 PM roycroft: i run solidworks and autocad in windows virtual machines on my macs
09:51 PM XXCoder: fun
09:52 PM _unreal_: if your running solid works then your fine
09:58 PM roycroft: except i have an old version, and don't have the cam software for it
09:58 PM roycroft: solidcam is free, but they would not give it to me because my license is too old and i do not have a support contract
10:01 PM _unreal_: then check otu design spark but it does not have CAM feature. but the CAD generation is AMAZING
10:02 PM _unreal_: If you want to be able to input DXF files and many other formats. spaceclaim is your best choice
10:02 PM _unreal_: designspark is the "free" version of spaceclaim
10:03 PM _unreal_: I have a full copy of spaceclaim and its just amazing
10:06 PM _unreal_: I really use spaceclaim but I got started with designspark.
10:08 PM skunkworks: XXCoder: that is why I have a vm on my laptop that passes the descrete graphics card to it. Cad.
10:09 PM skunkworks: Although I have done some free cad - actually printed and machined them..
10:11 PM roycroft: i just want a workflow that is straightfoward and efficient
10:11 PM skunkworks: Freecad has come a long way.
10:11 PM roycroft: ok, i'll not just refer you to my previous remarks on freecad
10:11 PM _unreal_: The I would suggestion designspark for CAD and carbide create for CAM or ESTLcam for higher level of CAM
10:11 PM roycroft: i'll summarise very concisely
10:12 PM roycroft: freecad does not have an official assembly workbench at this point
10:12 PM roycroft: it is unsuitable for 3d design until it does
10:12 PM _unreal_: roycroft, designspark is a VERY high level of CAD
10:12 PM skunkworks: Lol - it isn't solidworks... But from when I tried it a few years ago - I was actually able to draw something without being frustrated..
10:13 PM roycroft: the version of solidworks i have is more than capable of doing everything i need to do
10:13 PM roycroft: so i see no reason to change cad software
10:13 PM roycroft: i just need to generate toolpaths from my drawings
10:14 PM _unreal_: roycroft, then carbide create for free, or ESTLcam for 10x more advance but really designed for CAM
10:14 PM roycroft: you're correct about carbide create's being a remedial cad program
10:14 PM _unreal_: I'm already right >:)
10:14 PM roycroft: but i have installed it and i have imported .svg and .dfx files
10:15 PM skunkworks: Oh - and I don't have the attention span to get into cad far enough to do assemblies.. I draw a part and print or machine it.
10:15 PM _unreal_: already=always
10:15 PM skunkworks: someday maybe I can focus enough... Too many squerles lately..
10:15 PM _unreal_: hehehe I do VERY advanced cad drawings
10:15 PM skunkworks: squerles?
10:16 PM _unreal_: squirrel!!!!!
10:16 PM _unreal_: O,O
10:18 PM XXCoder: skunkworks: makes sense
10:18 PM XXCoder: i tried Path a bit, interesting but havent made pohysical part besides couple tests
10:19 PM XXCoder: both was failure, but not because of freecad
10:19 PM roycroft: i don't see offhand how to edit the post-processor with carbide create
10:19 PM skunkworks: Most of the time - my work flow is acad12 -> ace converter -> hand edit.
10:19 PM roycroft: or to create/add a new one
10:19 PM _unreal_: carbide is wonderful for 2d cnc milling
10:20 PM roycroft: i can feed its generated gcode directly to linuxcnc?
10:20 PM _unreal_: as long as it can read GCODE
10:20 PM _unreal_: carbide create outputs GCODE that will work on any cnc machine that has at LEAST a GRBL controller setup
10:21 PM _unreal_: which means the code is fine but it does not do advanced MATH equation motions
10:21 PM _unreal_: letting the motion controller do the work rather then just BIT BANGING the plot locations
10:22 PM _unreal_: more or less just means a VERY advanced tooling path with lots of curves will be bigger in file size because. it breaks the ARC's down into plot points.
10:23 PM roycroft: most of my cnc router work will involve a lot of curves
10:23 PM roycroft: because i won't be making parts on the router
10:23 PM roycroft: i'll be making jigs that would be difficult and/or tedious to make by hand
11:26 PM Tom_L: skunkworks, most of them use assemblies for fixturing and multiple op placement
11:26 PM Tom_L: just makes it a little easier
11:26 PM Tom_L: for the visual mind