[mikeschn]

Hi Guys,

I am looking at setting up a cnc lathe for my hobby.

The CAD is no problem

I'm going to use Mach3 Turn...

But I can't seem to find a good program that gets me from CAD to Mach3.

On the cnc router I am using Cut 2d, but Vectric doesn't have a lathe program that I am aware of.

Any suggestions on what I can use for CAM?

Thanks,

Mike...

[Bubba]

you might want to look into this thread here on the Zone:
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/uncate...cnc-forum.html

and the cam is located in the download section under the:

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/downloads.php?do=cat&id=4

section.

I haven't tried it yet, but for the price, worth looking at.

[mikeschn]

Hey that looks pretty cool! That's what I am going to play with this weekend!

Thanks!!! 👍

Mike...

you might want to look into this thread here on the Zone:
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/uncate...cnc-forum.html

and the cam is located in the download section under the:

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/downloads.php?do=cat&id=4

section.

I haven't tried it yet, but for the price, worth looking at.

[Bubba]

Please post back your thoughts good and or not so good.
Inquiring minds would like to know!

(my lathe isn't cnc'd yet)

[mikeschn]

My lathe is not converted yet either... Hopefully it'll be done by June.

But that doesn't stop me from playing with the software.

I tried loading in a dxf file today, but the drawing extents are too small for the dxf profile I imported (metric). Does anyone know how to change the drawing extents? I've looked over the documentation, and it doesn't say... (I'm not using cad4lathe, I'm using dxf processing)

Mike...

Please post back your thoughts good and or not so good.
Inquiring minds would like to know!

(my lathe isn't cnc'd yet)

[Dragon8]

My lathe is not converted yet either... Hopefully it'll be done by June.

But that doesn't stop me from playing with the software.

I tried loading in a dxf file today, but the drawing extents are too small for the dxf profile I imported (metric). Does anyone know how to change the drawing extents? I've looked over the documentation, and it doesn't say... (I'm not using cad4lathe, I'm using dxf processing)

Mike...

Some CAD systems do not store the drawing extents in a dxf file correctly until you have done a zoom extents.
Even without extents stored in the dxf, ezilathe does seem to get it right, unless the contained entities are not a type that ezilathe processes (splines).

[andre-dolphin]

Hello,

Very biased - but Dolphin have a very good lathe package and great prices for hobby users. Post processors for MACH are included.

CAD-CAM Software | CNC Software by Dolphin CAD-CAM USA

ATB
Andre - Dolphin

[Louis_Cannell]

Look at fusion360 free for hobby use and easy to use.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvunMxkyYnM

[mikeschn]

Well after talking to Stu (author of Ezilathe), it turns out that the problem was with my CAD package at work. NX didn't export the drawing extents to the dxf file. So Stu updated Ezilathe to adjust the drawing extents... Awesome!!! I guess that upload will be available to us shortly!

I also tested Ezilathe with TurboCad, and TurboCad's dxf files come in perfectly! Anyways I was finally able to play with Ezilathe, and I love it. It's great. Pick the tool. Pick the profile, push a button, and boom, your gcode is done!!!

The simulator verifies the machine path nicely. Can't wait to finish building my lathe now, so that I can start making chips. Thanks Stu!

Mike...

P.S.

[Stutank]

I have just Uploaded a minor Update, that addresses the Extents issue noted in this thread.
Also included in update is improved Zoom function in DXF processor (Now the same as Simulator) and Simulator now processes equations.

A sample program (Multiple parts.rtf) is included in the Sample Metric directory (Move to Ezilathe directory and open via the favorites page).
This is a demo of why equations can be useful.