D Noon
Plastic
- Joined
- Sep 16, 2009
- Location
- Carlsbad, CA
Gathering information for possible dive into CNC router table in a few months...
Background: retired 10 years ago from aerospace engineering, exposure to (and used) about half a dozen different CAD programs over the decades, but none in the last decade. So I know the frustration and annoyance of the learning curve, but I can likely still adapt. Now doing woodworking (a lot of carving), but contemplating CNC router table to reduce stress on damaged/arthritic joints.
Need: the most demanding task is a 3-D surface carving, to fair precision. The surface I envision to be defined by 2-D curves and profiles at key locations, and then the software would generate a smooth mesh to create the surface. I would also like to be able to make a pattern on that defined surface to engrave or mill to a set depth. I guess after I make a solid model, I'd need to do some CAM work to define tool paths and stuff.
I have looked around a bit, but am not familiar with all the different packages and what ones can and can't do the job, and would rather not go thru the mostly wasted effort of downloading free versions of them just to see. Fusion 360 at $300/mo might be OK; I'd rather not do the annual license thing, and maybe Rhino or BobCAD would work. These all look like high capability, complex packages; I don't know if there's something smaller/simpler/cheaper that has the functions I need.
Any advice??
Background: retired 10 years ago from aerospace engineering, exposure to (and used) about half a dozen different CAD programs over the decades, but none in the last decade. So I know the frustration and annoyance of the learning curve, but I can likely still adapt. Now doing woodworking (a lot of carving), but contemplating CNC router table to reduce stress on damaged/arthritic joints.
Need: the most demanding task is a 3-D surface carving, to fair precision. The surface I envision to be defined by 2-D curves and profiles at key locations, and then the software would generate a smooth mesh to create the surface. I would also like to be able to make a pattern on that defined surface to engrave or mill to a set depth. I guess after I make a solid model, I'd need to do some CAM work to define tool paths and stuff.
I have looked around a bit, but am not familiar with all the different packages and what ones can and can't do the job, and would rather not go thru the mostly wasted effort of downloading free versions of them just to see. Fusion 360 at $300/mo might be OK; I'd rather not do the annual license thing, and maybe Rhino or BobCAD would work. These all look like high capability, complex packages; I don't know if there's something smaller/simpler/cheaper that has the functions I need.
Any advice??
