We use cookies to personalize content, interact with our analytics companies, advertising networks and cooperatives, and demographic companies, provide social media features, and to analyze our traffic. Our social media, advertising and analytics partners may combine it with other information that you’ve provided to them or that they’ve collected from your use of their services. Learn more.
Wasn’t sure which category this belongs under. To date I have been using only Easel and Inkscape. I am beginning now to look at other options. Specifically F Engrave, and Fusion 360. I would like to V carve and try some 3d milling. I have both of these programs installed and operational, although I don’t know how to operate either one.
Am I correct that F Egrave will not open an svg file, but will open and automatically “trace” a bitmap? I guess I’m amazed given how much work I’ve had to do to clean up tracings in Inkscape. I have read that Easel will import gcode from F Engrave but only after some tweaking. Is this correct? I’ve never tweaked any gcode before.
Regarding Fusion 360, it looks like it won’t open an STL file. I’m confused about how this works. I sort of expected to find an stl file I liked, download it, open it in Fusion, save the geode, import it with Easel and cut. Not sure where to start.
I’m aware of the Vectrics products and the free trials, but I know I’m missing a fundamental understanding of this process and want a better grasp of it before I purchase anything.
I’m sure I’ll have a lot. Back in the day I was actually a computer wiz. Back when DOS and dinosaurs ruled. Life changes haven’t allowed me to keep up as I would have liked. I feel like a tick on a show dog. I have no experience whatsoever with cad/cam. Every bit of this X carve experience while exciting, is a hammer fight, and sometimes I feel like I’m losing.
On the opening screen of f engrave is what looks like a logo of sorts. I checked the v carve check box at the bottom as if to carve that image. Saved the gcode and tried to import it with easel. I was not surprised to see an error message, but have no clue what to do with it after that. Should I open the gcode file in a text editor? I don’t recognize that file extension as something a text editor would open. If I should manage to open it, what the heck to I change to make it acceptable to easel? I’m straight up lost.
I do see a place in f engrave to change the gcode header and footer. I also saw a place (I think) in the thread you directed me to that mentions changing one or both of those. Is this where I would make those changes?
Naturally ugs is something else I haven’t tried. Maybe that would be the easier route, and perhaps more virsitile in the long run. I’ll search for the best version of it
One option if you have a clean SVG is to make a character in a font from it, then set that single character in F-Engrave — I did that for the dial in one project:
Can I use gcode generated by f engrave with picsender? I have successfully opened a png file in f engrave and selected the V carve option, calculated the toolpath and safed the gcode. So far, so good I think.
Loaded the gcode in picsender. Told it run (air cut) but it presents errors right away, as in line 2, or above. (my machine seems to be properly connected. I can jog it around, etc.)
Is this likely a post processor issue? How to I choose or even use a post processor?
I have made a semi successful cut. It seems that picsender did not like the header line sent from f engrave. I’m a long way from having it figured out, but I am moving forward.
I’m sorry I can’t. I had a last second success, but have left for my job. I’ll be away from my shop for a month. When I get back I’ll be diving in head first
