Re: Quick and Dirty One-Offs?

Bill,

I'd suggst a different approach...

Since you already know Acad; use it. Ace converter will do a
reasonable job of turning your geometry into gcode, and it's free.YOU
will need to learn how to offset your toolpath from your part
geometry, which will be good experience, IMO. Several other programs
exist as add-ons to acad for making toolpaths, at various
capabilities and price points, if you want to throw some money at
the "problem".

Either way, you can see how the "new" (gcode) relates to what you
ALREADY know (the Acad "lines"). This will make for faster learning
of the new concepts, IMO.

An added benefit is that you will begin making useful things nearly
immediately; which will inspire you to do more...

Sometimes I think we all forget that learning something complex
doesn't have to be an "all or nothing" proposition; you CAN just get
the tip of your toe wet, and gently ease into the "waters"... Before
you know it, you'll be swimming! (Much better than finding out you
don't know how to swim AFTER you've jumped in with both feet!...)

Hope this helps,

Ballendo


--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, "Bill Kichman"
<billkichman@c...> wrote:

> Let me rephrase....I also want to be able to do multple items, but

am

> starting from ground zero, with an Autocad background and am using

Mach2 to

> control my machine, and have access to VisualMill. Since Autocad is
> available I probably should learn through that, but it probably

makes sense

> to get "down and dirty" with g-codes, manually at first, so I

understand

> them well. This is the reason for the original post, I want to

learn on a

> sample one-off design and progress to a "production run". Am now

collecting

> references to get a bit more knowledgeable with g-codes.
> R. William Kichman, P.E.
> Kichman Engineering Associates
> 103 Old Furnace Road
> Cornwall, PA 17016-0643
> tel/fax 717/270-0714
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Charles Hixon" <cehixon@y...>
> To: <CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2003 2:05 PM
> Subject: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: Quick and Dirty One-Offs?
>
>
> > William, another thought comes to mind, for "Quick and Dirty One-
> > Offs", it doesn't really make sense to learn G-code, just turn the
> > cranks. I am learning CAD CAM because of the need to make small
> > runs of identical items. If I had to make one off, I wouldn't be
> > here. Charles Hixon
> >
> >
> > --- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, "Bill Kichman"
> > <billkichman@c...> wrote:
> > > What are you using or recommend for quick parts design for cnc
> > milling?
> > >
> > > R. William Kichman, P.E.
> > > Kichman Engineering Associates
> > > 103 Old Furnace Road
> > > Cornwall, PA 17016-0643
> > > tel/fax 717/270-0714
> >
> >
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