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Thread: Two Year Old Camaster Stinger III

  1. #16
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    Congratulations, Ronald! You're going to enjoy having that machine in your shop.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  2. #17
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
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    Somewhere in the Land of Lincoln
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    IMG_20191005_174752.jpgIMG_20191005_175353.jpg
    Here are a couple photos from when I first looked at the machine.

  3. #18
    That's a great machine! Congrats!

  4. #19
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    Mar 2010
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    Somewhere in the Land of Lincoln
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    Thank you. I got it home Friday afternoon. Haven't been able to do much yet. Had to go to work Saturday afternoon. I did fire the computer up and do the windows updates. Looked at the VCarve Pro but clearly that will have a learning curve. Probably a long one I did go to the library and request some books on using a CNC Router on inter library loan. I need to reach out to the original owner for his information. It appears there are updates for the VCarve Pro 8.5 that are free. I will probably upgrade to version 10. Can't wait to experiment with it more.

  5. #20
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    VCP 8.5 is fine to get started learning on, but V10 will add a bunch of things that will make your life easier as you get to more involved things. Do remember that you'll need the license transferred to you with the correct process as I mentioned previously before you can buy the upgrade. Vectric uses electronic registration to be able to track licenses and effect upgrades/uplifts.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  6. #21
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Hayes, Virginia
    Posts
    14,760
    The computer operating system that operates my CNC Router and Laser Engraver is never updated. If it is running properly I leave the operating system alone. I don't connect it to the Internet unless tech support needs access. In fact my router isn't even connected to my local area network. When I have an active production job ongoing I never update any software.

    Ronald, congratulations on the new router.

  7. #22
    I really doubt that you can find any real good books that are going to be very helpful because different CNCs use different software to operate them and the design software is all different and updates so fast that unless it is a new book it will be outdated. For operating the machine, research and ask questions on the Camaster forum. Mick is one that puts out some good videos. On the Vcarve pro, you need to go to their learning section and open a video on one screen while you follow along with the actual program on another. It is a tedious process that seems to take forever but you will actually learn faster by going thru each video that they offer.

    One of the best youtubers that I have come across who gives good explanations and comes up with good ideas is CNCNUTS Peter Passuello

    Just take it slow and simple in the beginning and increase your knowledge as you go. Don't get discouraged if you break bits or end up with a lot of scrap wood because of stupid mistakes. We all do it in the beginning. I still break bits when I am stupid and move the machine when things aren't clear. When you are using machines with this much rigidity and power, one bump of the wrong key can snap a 1/4" bit like a toothpick with no warning. It is all about the basics. Once you get those down then you will start seeing progress quickly.

  8. #23
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Conway, Arkansas
    Posts
    13,181
    Congrats!!! What an awesome machine!! I hope it serves you well.
    Thanks & Happy Wood Chips,
    Dennis -
    Get the Benefits of Being an SMC Contributor..!
    ....DEBT is nothing more than yesterday's spending taken from tomorrow's income.

  9. #24
    Quote Originally Posted by Keith Outten View Post
    The computer operating system that operates my CNC Router and Laser Engraver is never updated. If it is running properly I leave the operating system alone. I don't connect it to the Internet unless tech support needs access. In fact my router isn't even connected to my local area network. When I have an active production job ongoing I never update any software.

    Ronald, congratulations on the new router.
    Yes, I agree completely about this.
    The PC that I use to control my CNC is Windows Vista. Never been hooked up to the internet and never will because it works fine. (My CNC is a different brand).

    Why all this paranoia? Well, I had a 2 year old Windows laptop that I used to surf the net. A windows 10 update was pushed to it (Windows no longer lets you turn off updates).. Long story short, Windows stopped working on this machine. Found out it was a "driver issue" , but it would not tell me which piece of hardware had the issue, and Windows would load and then go to "Blue screen of death" within 10 seconds, so no way (that I am aware of) to fix it. I reverted the Windows updates, but that only buys me enough time until Windows loads the bad update again. Had to put Linux on the laptop to make it a usable laptop again.. So, long story short, you want the PC that controls your CNC to be stable. Otherwise, you risk possibly permanently damaging it.

  10. #25
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    I'm of the opposite inclination. I update my computers, including the CNC control machine, regularly and mine is on the network because I use that network to transfer files back and forth between my office in the house (a Macbook Pro) and the CNC machine. (Windows). What I don't allow is "automatic" update of the CNC machine. I've had zero issues with this, mostly because I don't load anything on the machine that's not actually needed. But it's a personal choice.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  11. #26
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Medina Ohio
    Posts
    4,516
    I just had a update on my control computer even though I have updates turned off and it messed up my control software I had to roll back and reload my software. Bad thing was I went to start the cnc and everything looked fine but only the x would move and the y hum but not move the z was dead. I changed drivers and the y would just barely move. I thought it was the board so I ended up changing everything out but that didn't work so I checked the logs and saw an update.

  12. #27
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Marquette, MI USA
    Posts
    519
    I have a half dozen control PC's running in my shop, split between Centroid and WinCNC controllers. Like Keith I don't "keep" them connected al the time, but other than one older model on Win7 that I don't want to update to Win10, all are Win10 Pro and are updated on a regular basis. Windows firewall on and active on all, but no antivirus. I send files via sneaker net or by enabling WIFI and grabbing the NC file from my design computer. WIFI is then disabled as I do not wish to have an update run while cutting, but have not seen where an update causes the disastrous effects mentioned above.

    Keeping the control computer updated is recommended with the majority of the better controllers. This is the opposite of what I used to do and recommend, which was to: "Never upgrade the computer OS, never upgrade the control software". Ain't technology grand??
    Gary Campbell
    CNC Replacement & Upgrade Controllers
    Custom 9012 Centroid ATC

  13. #28
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Broadview Heights, OH
    Posts
    711
    You might want to consider the upgrade path to Aspire. Aspire is like Vcarve pro except that it allows you to do full 3D modelling by building up a model from piece parts that you create. The learning curve is somewhat steep, but it works very, very well. I use the two rail sweep with it all the time. I run a Shopbot and it is a fantastic program. I think if you have the license key for 8.5 then you will get an upgrade break on Aspire. The really great thing about any of those programs is there are weeks of tutorial videos on Vectric's website. Additionally, while they don't offer phone support they will answer as many questions as you can send them by email. I taught myself how to build a complicated 2 sided 3D model this way. You can send them your file with toolpaths and they will get back to you within a few hours or next day (they are in England) with answers. Charlotte drew the short straw with me and I pestered her for about 3 weeks daily. Always professional and always willing to share.

    In my opinion, the success of any CNC work starts with the software, Almost any machine will do what you tell it to, one line at a time, getting the code created to make what you want is the really hard part. I think Vectric has done a fantastic job making that as easy as it can be.

    Just my opinion.

    Pete

    Quote Originally Posted by Ronald Blue View Post
    Thank you. I got it home Friday afternoon. Haven't been able to do much yet. Had to go to work Saturday afternoon. I did fire the computer up and do the windows updates. Looked at the VCarve Pro but clearly that will have a learning curve. Probably a long one I did go to the library and request some books on using a CNC Router on inter library loan. I need to reach out to the original owner for his information. It appears there are updates for the VCarve Pro 8.5 that are free. I will probably upgrade to version 10. Can't wait to experiment with it more.

  14. #29
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    65,688
    Quote Originally Posted by Pete Taran View Post
    Aspire is like Vcarve pro except that it allows you to do full 3D modelling by building up a model from piece parts that you create. The learning curve is somewhat steep, but it works very, very well.
    VCarve Pro and Aspire are the same software. The latter just has the full 3D Modeling capability turned on, etc. I do agree that the learning curve on the modeling side is what it is, but for all the initial stuff, it's identical regardless of which version. What's nice is that one can uplift to Aspire at any time from VCP "merely" for the difference in the then-current cost for the products. It's not clear on Vectric's website if the uplift to Aspire from an earlier release of VCP is the same cost or not, but I suspect it is. One would have to check with them on that. (I did the uplift from VCP to Aspire in January (V9.5x) and then got the V10 upgrade for free this past month)
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  15. #30
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Somewhere in the Land of Lincoln
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    I haven't had an opportunity to do much yet but I also have the Photo VCarve software. I'm not familiar with all it's capabilities. I know obviously you can use photos as the "pattern" but not at all up to speed on all it's capabilities.

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