[dirktheeng]

I have a cnc router and have used it heavily in my shop because it is an extremely useful tool. However, it is not really the quickest and easiest tool to use. To make a simple cut, I have to go through as many as 3 programs, make a few calculations, set up the workholding, etc, etc. It was getting old for simple work. I was just about ready to go out and buy a sawstop and a router table, but then I thought, why not make a simple program that will make the router into a very easy tool to use for the most common kinds of woodworking operations (jointing, straight line cuts, profiling, slotting, rabbits, datos, dove tails, mortis’ and tenons, etc). Basically, anything that can be defined by a very simple and small set of numbers. I can quickly go through the settings, generate some g-code and go. I don’t have to draw, do tool paths, and then go to the machine and hope I didn’t make a mistake.

I know that this has to be an impediment for others too, so I decided to write the code in python and make it open source so anybody can use it, contribute to it, and modify it to suit their own needs. No more closed source tools that only do just a few things. Also, this is free as in speech and beer for non-commercial applications (for the 21st century woodworker hobbyist).

Here is the first tutorial:



It's nothing that will do complex stuff, but most simple operations aren't that complex. I hope to get more use out of my cnc and save time doing it.

code is evolving and is available at github.

[dirktheeng]

Here's a demo showing how easy it is to use the cnc as a jointer with the software.

[dirktheeng]

I finished the straight line cut tutoral. Check it out:

[dirktheeng]

Here is a demo of the straight cut. just one of the many operations this could be used for.