But this obviously means you need to swap bits. To do a multi-pass cut (as I’ve been learning), you generally use a big fat bit on the roughing pass to remove a bunch of material, then a finer bit on the finish pass to make it look all nice. But it gets the job done.Īnd, it exposed the first issue that prompted this whole post: Since it provides for multi-pass cuts (requiring a tool change), how can I actually implement them? Touchplates Pros is that it does that well! Cons is that the UI feels a bit antiquated compared to most 3d software I use, and I can’t really find any robust instructions online (they do email you a tutorial a day once you get the trial though). And it does exactly what I’m after: Creates multi-pass (roughing, finish) toolpaths based on my 3d objects. MeshCAM does give you a nice fully featured trial period (couple weeks) to check it out. My issue is I’m on a mac, which is very limiting in the world of CNC as I’ve learned, so I can’t even test V-Carve MeshCam it is!
Reading the forums there appears to be several popular software packages out there that do what I’m after, two of which include MeshCAM ($250-$500) and VCarve ($350-$700).
#Free meshcam art full
Currently Easel does 2D (cutouts) 2.5D (cutouts at multiple heights) but not full 3D objects. Specifically, I want to model 3d objects in Autodesk Maya, and mill them on my X-Carve. While Inventable’s Easel ($ = Free) is great, I’ve quickly exhausted it’s capabilities. Following up on previous posts, this is more learning, saved on the web for my future reference. It’s been great having two weeks off over the holidays, and a newly assembled X-Carve.