Beginner CNC software

[Michael Burnside]

The only editing I do is customizing the post processor for my CNC. Usually this is done directly in the CAM software (Vcarve is very easy to do this). I add custom park positions or actions between tool changes, etc but otherwise I don’t edit g-code directly. Sometimes I will review in VIM and though I’m familiar with the language feel it is unnecessary. Plus crashing my 35k machine being careless, editing the code doesn’t sound fun. If I want options or different behaviors I do this in the CAM/CAD software.

[Alex Zeller]

I'm still using the free version of Fusion 360. The plus side of it is that so many people use it for so many things there's an unlimited amount of information on how to use it. The down side is they change it often enough so a few year old video might not look exactly the same as the version on your computer.

[John TenEyck]

I'm still using the free version of Fusion 360. The plus side of it is that so many people use it for so many things there's an unlimited amount of information on how to use it. The down side is they change it often enough so a few year old video might not look exactly the same as the version on your computer.

That's what put me off on it. I bought a book to help learn it, and it was so different from the version on my computer that I couldn't get anywhere. I watched videos, same result. I'd have to take a class with an instructor in order to learn it. It looks really powerful, but I got nowhere using the available learning tools. I found SketchUp easy to learn for the basics using a written tutorial but haven't mastered compound curved surfaces with it. V-Carve was really easy to learn the basics, perhaps because of the excellent on-line tutorials. I'd upgrade to Aspire if/when I have more reason to do 3D work.

John

[Alex Zeller]

I might have been more tempted to switch to V-Carve but I've been making fully assembled projects (3D) in Fusion. For most projects it's just one piece of wood and I may carve the top or possibly the top and bottom. But I have done several pieces of furniture where I had 4 or 5 pieces that fit together. Being able to have all the pieces assembled makes it much easier to see what it'll look like. I'm not sure if I could do that in V-Carve Pro and Aspire's price is just too much for me to justify. If I had to pay a monthly fee for Fusion it would be different but free for a hobbyist for software that can do almost anything is hard to beat.

[Michael Burnside]

The personal use is ok, but it does have some limitations, quite a few actually and no 4th axis support. I find $70 per month outrageous compared to Adobe's creative suite cost.

[John TenEyck]

I use SketchUp to do all my furniture/cabinet design work, anything that has parts that fit together, same as you do in Fusion. Then I import the parts into V-Carve to cut them, or at least I did in the beginning. Then I found that the imported parts had problems, like circles in SketchUp are actually straight line segments and V-Carve will leave them like that even if you tell it to convert them to true circles. V-Carve is exclusively 2D for design work, and it sometimes sees the back edge of a part being imported from SketchUp so straight lines often aren't truly straight where it switched from seeing the top edge to the bottom. After a few of those learning experiences I almost always now redraw the parts in V-Carve after figuring out everything in SketchUp. Not efficient at all, but faster than trying to find/fix the problems after importing them or, worse yet, not finding them and machining parts that aren't correct.

John

[Alex Zeller]

I played with SketchUp some but at the time didn't have unlimited internet and that was the only way to try their free version. For those who do like using a computer it really helps when designing a project. If SketchUp and Vetric could combine their products to make it seamless going from a design to doing carves with Pro I think I would jump on it. But I've also had issues trying to import 3d and vector images. Often the lines, which should be smooth arcs are anything but. On some project's I've actually redrawn lines to smooth them out.

To the OP, there isn't one that's best. You really need to decide do you want to pay a large chunk and own it or pay monthly. Fusion 360 is the only one that I know of that's really free as long as you are doing personal stuff. It'll allow you to design and create the code. The others you will end up paying. I believe Vetric allows you to upgrade so you can split out the cost. Vetric's software looked like the best option if I was paying for me. Someday I think I will move to it.

[Carl Beckett]

Onshape is free - and online user sharing community: www.onshape.com

Very similar to Solid Works, Fusion 360, et al. But web based and runs smoothly in a browser.

I prefer it over Fusion.

[Richard Coers]

100% new to CNC and starting to do my research.

My first concern is being able to learn the software to design projects. Is there a program (FREE would be fantastic) that I can download on my Windows laptop to have a try at CNC programing? Maybe something that would simulate the cutting process. Dont want to invest in a machine and not get the hang of programing.

Second what is a good model or brand to look into as far as a beginner home hobby workshop. Nothing expensive, just something to get my feet wet and see if it is something I want to invest in a larger machine.

The days of learning programming are pretty much over as everyone says. I don't see any advantage of spending money on a little machine and different software. It would just be throwing money away. You may just be at the point of using the free software, then have to learn a completely new software with a full size machine.

[Jim Becker]

I agree with Richard to the effect that the free/captive CAD/CAM applications that come with some hobbyist machines is a dead end if one intends to embrace CNC, but that's regardless of whether or not they stick with a budget machine or upgrade to something more substantial. Using "brand name" software means it's almost universally usable no matter what machine might come along down the road and that makes it worthy for both whatever investment is required to acquire/access it as well as the effort required to learn and use it. While I'm certainly capable of learning new software, I'm very happy that I learned the Vectric software from the get-go and it's been consistent even when I upgraded it to the "flagship" level. I'm only using that as an example since there are several really good choices available that one can learn and stick with.

[Lawrence Duckworth]

100% new to CNC and starting to do my research.

My first concern is being able to learn the software to design projects. Is there a program (FREE would be fantastic) that I can download on my Windows laptop to have a try at CNC programing? Maybe something that would simulate the cutting process. Dont want to invest in a machine and not get the hang of programing.

Second what is a good model or brand to look into as far as a beginner home hobby workshop. Nothing expensive, just something to get my feet wet and see if it is something I want to invest in a larger machine.

I'm curious how your search is going. I tried downloading this free trial on my Mac Pro https://www.vectric.com/free-trial ...wondered if it worked for you or if this is a windows only type deal..

fwiw..my research has turned up more machine choices than I thought were out there So far I like what I see with the Shapeoko, Shark, Onefinity, Axiom... I'm not looking for a Pro machine...I'd like to get 'in' complete for $10,000 or less.

[Jim Becker]

Lawrence, the Vectric software requires Windows, so you'll need to be running that on your Mac Pro via Bootcamp, Parallels or some other virtual machine setup. I run Aspire on my Macbook Pro via Parallels on Windows 11 currently for all my drawing and toolpathing work outside of quick changes or quick utility projects on the Windows machine that controls my CNC machine. And yes, I and many others have implored Vectric to move to the libraries that will support cross platform deployment for both Windows and MacOS, but they do not feel there is a large enough market to support MacOS natively, despite the fact that a number of competitors do. But I really like the software and use it how I use it with no issues. That will likely not be possible should I need to move to an Apple Silicon machine in the future, but that's a long way off for me.

[Lawrence Duckworth]

Lawrence, the Vectric software requires Windows, so you'll need to be running that on your Mac Pro via Bootcamp, Parallels or some other virtual machine setup. I run Aspire on my Macbook Pro via Parallels on Windows 11 currently for all my drawing and toolpathing work outside of quick changes or quick utility projects on the Windows machine that controls my CNC machine. And yes, I and many others have implored Vectric to move to the libraries that will support cross platform deployment for both Windows and MacOS, but they do not feel there is a large enough market to support MacOS natively, despite the fact that a number of competitors do. But I really like the software and use it how I use it with no issues. That will likely not be possible should I need to move to an Apple Silicon machine in the future, but that's a long way off for me.

Thanks Jim..The Axiom machine I'm looking at closely doesn't come with software so Im thinking of buying Vcarve Pro and playing around with it before actually buying the machine..

[Bill George]

You can download and use the Trial version of the VCarve programs for Windows.

Why does everyone want "Free" when it takes time to develop and do the program correctly, would you work for free?

I used Parallels on my MacBook Pro for years with zero issues and then they forced me to upgrade. I had too many issues and finally dumped and went the BootCamp Windows 10 Pro route, Yes I have a 2 year old Intel processor model of the MacBook.

[Michael Burnside]

One thing not mentioned is that Vcarve takes very little resources. I’m a certifiable computer nerd and I setup macs for my family because they are simpler, but I’m a PC guy myself. You can get a Geekom, Nuc or Minisforum mini PC for sub $500 that will drive Vcarve no problem. I don’t even use my full custom built PC, I use a Geekom mini for all my CNC work.

Just wanted to mention this if you thought it needed serious hardware or you wanted a PC standalone for you CNC work, browsing YouTube, etc