Hi Everyone, I am new to this so I apologize in advance if this question sounds dumb, but does Easel only work with the Arduino board/software that is sold by Inventables? I’m asking because I want to buy the X-Carve hardware, but I do not need a control board or stepper motors. I have a TB6560 control board and access to Mach 3. Will Easel work with either of these?
Thank you
Easel is currently setup to work with Grbl (Arduino Based) only. Easel typically does the CAM and the sending of the GCode. With Mach3, you don’t don’t want the sending part. Easel can export GCode to file. That might solve your problem.
@BartDring , Thank you for clarifying. I’m saddened to learn that Easel is Arduino based only. To be honest, I didn’t really understand that latter half of your response. Can you please further elaborate regarding the following: “With Mach3, you don’t don’t want the sending part. Easel can export GCode to file. That might solve your problem”.
Thank you
You can create a drawing in Easel, then have it generate the toolpath and export the gcode to a file. Mach3 can then load that file and run your CNC, including X-Carve.
@BillArnold That’s awesome! Thank you for the clarification. So basically, if I have my own control board (which for me I have the TB6560), then I can draw in Easel, export the G-code to Mach 3, then have Mach 3 communicate with the TB6560 to bring the project to life on the X-carve. Does that sound about right?
Yep!
Great 
thank you!
Hi Bart,
Can you please clarify? I am trying to export the gcode from easel to mach3. I have windows10, ugh. When I try to open the gcode file, only Microsoft word opens it: and I do see gcode (plz see part of it below). I try to save as but I do not see .cn extention. Any suggestions? Lets say you come up with a way to help me save the file in .cn extension, will the gcode work on Mach3 once I set my homing position on Mach3? Thank you in advance for you input.
G21
G90
G1 Z3.810 F228.6
G0 X0.139 Y19.017
G1 Z-4.000 F228.6
G1 X0.139 Y19.017 F762.0
G1 X-0.685 Y19.017 F762.0
G1 X-0.685 Y-0.240 F762.0
G1 X0.139 Y-0.240 F762.0
G1 X0.139 Y19.017 F762.0
G1 Z3.810 F228.6
G0 X16.603 Y19.071
G1 Z-4.000 F228.6
G1 X16.603 Y19.071 F762.0
G1 X14.736 Y19.071 F762.0
G1 X14.736 Y-0.068 F762.0
G1 X16.603 Y-0.068 F762.0
G1 X16.603 Y19.071 F762.0
G1 Z3.810 F228.6
G0 X7.647 Y19.256
G1 Z-4.000 F228.6
G1 X7.647 Y19.256 F762.0
G1 X7.222 Y19.256 F762.0
G1 X7.222 Y-0.241 F762.0
G1 X7.647 Y-0.241 F762.0
G1 X7.647 Y19.256 F762.0
G21
G90
G1 Z3.810 F228.6
G0 X0.000 Y0.000
G4 P0.1
I think Mach3 will probably run it. You will need to set the work zero and start the spindle before the job. I think Mach3 will open any type of file extension or you can manually change the file extension before you try to load it.
thank you
i need some help with easel .i am new to forums.i dont know if i am in the right place to ask my questions.can someone help me.
no i didnt try the search function.i realy dont know what i am doing when it comes to forums.my question was that i built my own cnc router and use arduino with the cnc shield .i have been useing easel for a while .and it worked good for a time. now almost every time i carve somthing the program stops in the midel of the carve and says how did it turn out. it leaves me with half of a project done.ill start all over again but most ofthe time it does not finish.it is starting to be a drag.
how do i know if the is somebody on the forum right know to talk to.and thank you ill give it a try
Also, you can add to your G Code an M3 command, available in your control board, that, will start your spindle. Also, you can run a routine found in OFFSETS, with the help of a script found in many places thought the net, to find your starting spots automatically and auto zero your Z axis. That is why mach3 is much more powerful. Good luck
