RE: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: Routine Chat Times

Guys:

I bit on the $15.00 VectorCAD CD and am learning on how to use it to make
some drawings. In the near future, I'll be ordering the goodies to put CNC
on my Sherline mill. I've pretty much decided on Sherline's motors (because
they're double ended) and conversion kit and Camtronics 2Amp tri driver
board. So, I think that the hardware's pretty well specified. Next, I'll
need a G-Code generator and G-Code interpreter.

For the G-Code generator, can you comment on the differences between the
free ACEconverter from Yeager and the CAM part of the package from Vector?
Assuming that my initial work will be 2D, what would I be missing if I used
VectorCAD to generate DXF files and ACEconverter to convert them into G-Code
vs buying the added license for VectorCAM? While we're at it, I've seen some
mention of BobCad on the list. How would you compare the G-Code generated by
VectorCAM to the G-Code generated by BobCad? What about prices? What kinds
of things should I be concerned with when I evaluate G-Code generators?

For the G-Code interpreter, I've got an old Zenith notebook. It's a
486DX2-50 (Has built-in math co-processor, uses double speed clock in CPU
compared to bus) with a printer port. I'm thinking of either TurboCNC or
EZ-CNC. One's a DOS program and the other's for Windows. The notebook has 16
Mbytes of memory (Generous at the time I purchased it, paltry now) and can
run either DOS (several versions - MS, DR, Concurrent DOS) or Windows 3.1 on
top of either MS or DR DOS. The screen is a generous 640 x 480 pixels and
offers color. The advantages of the Zenith notebook are two: First, I have
it in hand and second, it is a notebook and will more easily fit into the
space that I have for my metalworking shop. I don't think you can expand the
Zenith past 16 Mbytes even if you could find the memory for it. One
advantage to TurboCNC is that it comes with source code and I've got some
experience writing Pascal code. I also managed to get a copy of Turbo-Pascal
Version 7.0, which is the version used to write TurboCNC. What are the
things I should be concerned with when I evaluate the G-Code interpreters?

Any and all comments would be appreciated.

Thanks,

-- Jerry Jankura
Strongsville, Ohio
So many toys, so little time



-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Smith [mailto:sos@...]
Sent: Wednesday, July 04, 2001 10:28 PM
To: CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: Routine Chat Times


And he says "I'll call you in two weeks". Five days later "hey Steve, how's
it going?".

Steve Smith

Alan Trest wrote:

> Thanks to Tim Goldstein in Denver for the added insight (off list)
>
> I have pretty much made up my mind to go with Vector. The only other
> intresting software package I have seen is the Deskam series. I have
> not downloaded the demo yet, been busy trying BobCad and Vector. At
> this point any other package condsidering price - vs - features and
> performance will have a very difficult time beating Vector.
>
> Lets just say my call from the BobCad salesman was a typical High
> pressure sales call and leave it at that.
>
> Thanks to all,
>
> Alan Trest
> Pensacola, Florida
>
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