Update for 3D Testers

Hello! David Molina here, UX researcher for the Easel team. We’re about to begin development of the next version of the 3D carving feature. I want to use this post to gather in one place all the feedback you have been kindly posting. What are your thoughts? What difficulties have you had? What has worked well? Please add all your comments here.

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I would like to see a preview pane that shows the predicted outcome based on the bit size used.

I had difficulty figuring out the thickness of material needed to cut the uploaded stl file.

I would appreciate an overview of how to use the 3D feature - possibly dialog boxes that pop up when hovering over buttons or setting fields.

Why not include a sample file and walkthrough encouraging changing parameters to see behaviors?

Thanks!

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  • A preview would be helpful. Especially in determining the bit required. I found myself carving a 3D relief that was sized too small with a bit that was too big.

  • Navigation was a bit trickier. It was hard to get the stl in the right location. Just spitballing, but it would be nice to have the 3D carve as part of the normal interface and not a separate workspace. Here would be some thoughts / benefits.

    • Ability to use traditional carving tools in Easel
    • Easier to locate where 3D relief will be relative to other features
    • I would see the 3D carve as still being a separate operation and would carve “overtop” what you already have

Mockup:

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Agreed, our long term goal is an integrated solution along these lines. However, there’s a number of complex problems we still have to solve to make that work so for now 3D workpieces are going to remain separate. We do have some stop-gap ideas to help alleviate the placement/alignment problems you mention so stay tuned.

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Am I missing something or is it only useable in inches?

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You are not missing anything, it is only usable in inches.

OK, thank you, just thought I’d check rather than be dumb

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Not Having mm will be hard for some of us…

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Coming soon!

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The major obstacle for me is not having the ability to set the machine home in the center of the project (or anywhere else other than 0,0 for that matter)
MeshCam allows the user to pick one specific area for machining rather than trying to cut out the entire project with one bit and one roughing path.
I think adding an option for “machine region” parameters, and a bit home would make a significant improvement to this software.
So far the experience I’ve had is pretty good, and I would be happy to abandon my middleman CAM once all the kinks are smoothed out!

I can’t seem to find any STL files smaller than 68MB in my files and 20 MB is Max through Easel

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any recommendations on where to find any decent STL files that’s under 20 MB… that might be interesting?

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you can go here to lower the size of your files https://myminifactory.github.io/Fast-Quadric-Mesh-Simplification/. Inventables recommended it to me.

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Thank you sir!

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Yes i hope this is something that will be addressed by them.

Results of 3D Test
Not sure why it cut out the material…I Didn’t see any inverted options 3D Test Results

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UKjfgwIuwYCwKyNpGbIhAgZaauLIgCPV/view?

usp=drivesdkhttps://linksharing.samsungcloud.com/aV6lczwcd4qv

Good evening. I am currently awaiting some bits to start my journey into 3D carving. In the meantime I have been playing around with the program learning how to adjust the settings, manipulate the files, etc. So far haven’t had any issues. Seems pretty easy to navigate. I have a few files now that I have worked on and look forward to carving my first 3D carve.
Ray Kiser
Bicentennial Woodworks

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to smash files to a usable mb 20 and under use mesh simplification myminifactory its a github page just google mesh simplification by miminifactory and now you can carve them not the best but better than a sharp stick to the eye. heres the link
https://myminifactory.github.io/Fast-Quadric-Mesh-Simplification/

your welcome enjoy
So the minimum file size allowed needs doubled at the least.
i have some extremely amazing relief models around 800+mb no other program limits file size
so please increase that soon so we can carve with real detail
thank you and your welcome sticky that mesh reducer its free and works better and faster than most sites or programs
good luck

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@StephenPaul you mentioned doubling the file size. In your experience, would something around 100 MB provide enough triangles in terms of detail for a carving which would fit within the machine sizes typically used?

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