# CAD, e machine shop or other



## chuckorlando (Nov 13, 2014)

I got e machine on the comp. I have been using ezcam from my teacher but the student addition dont allow you to save files. Draw it and it just goes away.

So I decided to try emachine. So far, I dont like it much but I suspect that might have to do with not knowing the functions well.

In ezcam you have a off set function. So if you want a part 2in wide you throw up a line, hit off set, type the amount and hover next to any line and it throws it up there. Can emachine do this?

If you want a circle between two or 3 points you click the function, click the two points and it snaps the correct diam in the correct place. Can emachine do this?

If I want to set up my quadrants I click "line" then type 0x, 0y, hover over the axis and it snaps to center. Can e machine do this?

In ezcam I can draw one circle, hit "copy", type how many copies and the direction and it throws them there. So draw one circle, copy 4 in one direction and you have a row of 5. Copy them 5 ,off set in the right direction and add 5 rows of 5. Then copy them 5 rows(all in one quadrant) and multiply them copy across the Z and now you have 25 holes in every location. Mirror that and it will go as far as you want.

Can emachine or any other cad that wont kill my pocket to bad, do all this? I can literally draw faster with pencil then this cad. 

This drawing you only have to draw one quarter of one of the halves. The xz 0 is center of the part. It takes absolutly no time to draw this in ezcam. Although I neglected to offset the holes I had only been learning it for 2 days. 
	

		
			
		

		
	





	

		
			
		

		
	
I currently would not do this in emachine


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## Karl_T (Nov 13, 2014)

I use the free version of  Draftsight. It works exactly like autocad, which i learned many years ago.

http://www.3ds.com/products-services/draftsight/download-draftsight/

To make Gcode I take .dxf files from the above program into NCplot. I see they have a free .dxf to Gcode converter in beta test right now
http://www.ncplot.com/


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## chuckorlando (Nov 13, 2014)

I dont care if it's free or not. I'll gladly pay for ease of use. Ezcam is exactly that, very very easy. I simply cant afford to buy a 2k seat. Although they may have cheaper versions.

I was learning solid works on my own via a friends student number but that seat expired rather fast. He was in the class with the other teacher our teacher hated solid works. It is awesome program, but kinda a mess for making simple stuff. And to expensive.

I'm just killing my self here. Not sure if it's from my limitations or it's

I'll look into that. Thanks


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## chuckorlando (Nov 13, 2014)

This is very much how ezcam works. Kinda what I am looking for as far as function. I have not looked a their cost but I suspect it's not the cheapest.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypgL7pdnPj0


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## Karl_T (Nov 13, 2014)

Just a warning, if you call BobCad, you will get the hardest full court press sales pressure you've ever experienced. Some like BobCad, some don't. Haven't heard of anyone enjoying the high pressure sales tactics.


$2K is still cheap. My son is  pro CNC programmer. He used Tebis. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tebis
Cost is $80K a seat plus $2K a quarter for support. He uses mastercam for the quick one ofs. It only cost $20K.

Karl


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## Holescreek (Nov 13, 2014)

We've switched to Draftsight where I work too for everyone that's not an engineer. It even supports the old autocad commands for us old farts.


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## chuckorlando (Nov 13, 2014)

Draftsight seems promising from the youtube vids. emachine is not gonna work for me I dont think. Watching vids it just seems a bit tedious to do things


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## chuckorlando (Nov 13, 2014)

No worries as I aint calling. It turns me off when they dont post a price. They have prices for the cheaper ones but thats it.





Karl_T said:


> Just a warning, if you call BobCad, you will get the hardest full court press sales pressure you've ever experienced. Some like BobCad, some don't. Haven't heard of anyone enjoying the high pressure sales tactics.
> 
> 
> $2K is still cheap. My son is  pro CNC programmer. He used Tebis. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tebis
> ...


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## Karl_T (Nov 13, 2014)

chuckorlando said:


> Draftsight seems promising from the youtube vids. emachine is not gonna work for me I dont think. Watching vids it just seems a bit tedious to do things



Remember its a clone of 2D autocad. Get a tutorial book for an old version of autocad and go through it, one chapter a night. There's a reason autocad is the most copied cad out there. With a bit of experience you can draw 2D things faster with this system than anything else.


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## chuckorlando (Nov 13, 2014)

I assume ezcam may also be a copy then. They seem to have many of the same features. I down loaded draftsight a bit ago. We will see how it goes.

Thanks all. And keep the info and options coming if you got them





Karl_T said:


> Remember its a clone of 2D autocad. Get a tutorial book for an old version of autocad and go through it, one chapter a night. There's a reason autocad is the most copied cad out there. With a bit of experience you can draw 2D things faster with this system than anything else.


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## chuckorlando (Nov 13, 2014)

down load failed... Lets try it again


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## kevin (Nov 22, 2014)

For those of us who are looking for free CAD software, here is an overview I prepared:

https://sites.google.com/site/lagadoacademy/miscellaneous-projects/free-cad-software---overview


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## John Hasler (Nov 22, 2014)

kevin said:


> For those of us who are looking for free CAD software, here is an overview I prepared:
> 
> https://sites.google.com/site/lagadoacademy/miscellaneous-projects/free-cad-software---overview



Note that Freecad, Librecad, Qcad, and Openscad are Open Source and included in the repositories of most major Linux distributions: you can install them directly with your package manager without downloading from the Web.  Also, Librecad is the successor to Qcad.


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## kevin (Nov 24, 2014)

John Hasler said:


> Note that Freecad, Librecad, Qcad, and Openscad are Open Source and included in the repositories of most major Linux distributions: you can install them directly with your package manager without downloading from the Web.  Also, Librecad is the successor to Qcad.



Good point John. One caution about installing from your Linux distribution repository: It may not include the latest and greatest available version, so it's still worthwhile checking the home pages for a particular piece of software to make sure you are getting the latest features and bug fixes. Also, the free software is also availble (in many cases) for Windows and Mac.


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## John Hasler (Nov 24, 2014)

kevin said:


> Good point John. One caution about installing from your Linux distribution repository: It may not include the latest and greatest available version, so it's still worthwhile checking the home pages for a particular piece of software to make sure you are getting the latest features and bug fixes. Also, the free software is also availble (in many cases) for Windows and Mac.



You will also get the latest bugs as well as potential difficulties installing.  The package in your distribution repository was put together by people expert in packaging software for your distribution.  The generic one on the program's home page may have been produced by people who have never used your distribution.    Many authors of Free Software for Linux will tell you that they would prefer that you get their software via your distribution rather than directly from their site unless you are prepared to deal with complex installation and configuration problems.

I use Debian and can always get the current or very nearly current version of any package from the Sid repository if I feel the need for the latest and greatest features.


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