I am a Disabled Veteran Looking to get into CNC wood carving. I would like to make some wood art/plaques for fellow Veterans in the VAMC,for them to paint… Until I save enough money to purchase an X-carve, I was wondering, since I am new to the whole CNC bit, Is their a way I can practice some on the EASEL software? Reading through info and watching youtube I think putting the X-Carve together wont be too difficult. Designing the product will be the challenge. I thought I could practice designing. Then when I purchase my E-Carve, I will be ready to go. This is my thought at least. I am just seeking some thought and guidance. GOD BLESS and thank you in advance.
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Yes you can. I did the same thing. Setup an account on easel and starting learning. I knew nothing when I began. And yes putting the x carve is not that hard. Read the assembly instructions. It will help a lot when you begin the actual build.
Also read through the forum. You can learn so much and the folks are great. I have my x carve for only about three months an I love it
Thank You. Gonna try that.
Hi Sam, welcome!
If you want to “simulate” what you’ve created in Easel you can download and use a program called CAMotics.
First, in Easel, you export a G-Code file of your work. You can find the export function under MACHINE > ADVANCED.
Then GENERATE G-CODE.
Then EXPORT G-CODE
That’ll save out a .nc file of your work.
Second, in CAMotics, open the .nc file you saved out from Easel.
Then, you should see a preview of your work. Then you just hit the PLAY button and watch it cut! =)
You can speed the cut up, slow it down, and turn items on and off. Fun stuff.
Enjoy!
Thanks @RobertCanning.
As far as I know, they never expire. But you cannot run any g code, nor can you save any files. You can carve the sample files that you can get from Vectric. Once you determine you like their program, you will have to buy a license from them. It can get pricey. Aspire is $2K by itself. However, if you order a Vectric product from inventables at the time you order the X Carve, they give you a discount on the software.
@Zach_Kaplan, In my research into different CNC machines, I believe I have made the decision to go with the X-Carve 1000. The people in the forums really impressed me with their fast responses to my questions, sometimes faster than my single finger typing speed could respond to their original answer. I even had someone, out of the blue, offer to get me some Military Designs to use in my Goal of carving Plaques for my fellow Veterans. Add that to the fact that your machine seems to be superior to all the other similar machines I could find online, I’m sold.
Now that I have decided on the X-Carve, I have been playing around in my Shopping Cart to see what My final cost will be. I know I wont be able to purchase the X Carve for awhile but my question is, will I need to purchase All of the additional hardware to get started? i.e… The Dust system, hardware, accessories and carving bits. Do you offer a military discount? I am just trying to get the cost down so I can get one Sooner rather than Way Later. While surfing the Forums about the Dust System, I came across your post and thought you sounded like you would be the most knowledgeable person to ask. Thank you and God Bless.
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@SamCampbell the machine will operate without the Dust Collection System however it keeps your shop much cleaner if you have it on.
Also different materials will produce more dust than others so the impact of what it provides can vary. For example cutting through a material like MDF produces a lot of dust while engraving acrylic produces much less.
I would be more than happy to donate machine time to carve some of your designs. Maybe there is way you could get some donations from your community to go towards a machine.
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@JDM. Thank you so much for the gracious offer, but I think I’m ready to order my machine. I am Just stuck between the 750 and 1000. A friend of mine bought the 1000 a couple years back and was kind of discouraged because of the slight play in the Axis rails. What is your opinion on the new X car? How much more rigid is the machine. Which one do you prefer, the 750 or the 1000? Most of my carving will be done with hardwood materials. i.e. oak and maple.
@Zach_Kaplan, what are your opinions? If I am carving hardwoods, which machine would be more rigid, sturdy? The 750 or the 1000?
The new version has a one piece rail for the carriage. I have the Gen 1 1000mm and I did the stiffening mods. I have no issues with flex even with aluminum.
I have the new extrusion that needs to be installed at some point when I can have my machine down.
As a general rule the shorter the span of the gantry the more ridgid the machine becomes.
That being said I have done hardwoods on the 1000mm and it worked fine.
If you have some projects you want to test we could see if someone can run them for you so you could compare the results.
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They do sell the sticker. I’ll see if I can find a link for you.
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I am sorry if I was not clear @samcampbell, they are correct the new gantry is far stiffer than the single maker slide or the double maker slide. I haven’t done a finite element analysis on the new gantry to compare the 750mm to 1000mm I was just speaking on a relative basis as you increase the length you increase the deflection. In college I took a class called Theoretical and Applied Mechanics - TAM - Theoretical and Applied Mechanics | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign where you calculate deflection based on force and length of a cantilever beam.
What I don’t have a good answer to without testing your application is whether there is a meaningful difference between the 750mm and 1000mm that would impact your requirements for your carves. I doubt it but I don’t know for sure.
We do sell the sticker @philjohnson
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