[SCzEngrgGroup]

I've been looking at the CAM products on offer again to see what's new/different/interesting. I keep being drawn back to the BIG names as there's so much in them so found one I thought had pretty much everything I wanted and after looking at a few video's seemed pretty damn good.
It's Sprutcam(SprutCAM Your Safe Partner for wire EDM, lathe, milling, turn-mill, 2, 2.5, 3, 4 & 5 axis CNC machining - SPRUT Technology Inc.), now you may find the prices for this online and they are eye watering, but my god it looks good
Anyway, I've been speaking to a rather nice chap at the UK distributors called Dave, and effectively for hobby use you can get any version of the software for £850+vat, yes it's still expensive but is half the price of even the basic version.

Just thought I'd post to let Jdurkin and the other Uk guys following this that it's out there as another alternative on the CAM front.

I hope you try SprutCAM before laying out the money - It does an awful lot, and has some very nice features, but it also has one mother of a learning curve, and even many very simple, common operations can be very hard to figure out....

Regards,
Ray L

[Rikk]

Sounds fair enough, oldhams it is then

I may not even buy it we'll see, but I'm like a learning sponge I do something then want to do/learn more and if I can't I start getting bored. I'm lucky having quite a bit of disposable income so do a lot of silly purchases...like the mill in the first place

Just watching the video's and the in built simulation stuff makes me go all weak inside 8)

edit.
Himy, oh yea I have the demo now and also another 2 week extension when I need it so will play a lot, if I need more I'll just pop it in a virtual environment and play some more. But for me the learning is a lot of the fun...call me sad
Oh and I'll always have cambam for the quickie jobs

[digits]

I've been looking at the CAM products on offer again to see what's new/different/interesting. I keep being drawn back to the BIG names as there's so much in them so found one I thought had pretty much everything I wanted and after looking at a few video's seemed pretty damn good.
It's Sprutcam(SprutCAM Your Safe Partner for wire EDM, lathe, milling, turn-mill, 2, 2.5, 3, 4 & 5 axis CNC machining - SPRUT Technology Inc.), now you may find the prices for this online and they are eye watering, but my god it looks good
Anyway, I've been speaking to a rather nice chap at the UK distributors called Dave, and effectively for hobby use you can get any version of the software for £850+vat, yes it's still expensive but is half the price of even the basic version.

Just thought I'd post to let Jdurkin and the other Uk guys following this that it's out there as another alternative on the CAM front.

I've seen the demos, lusted after it, and seriously considered buying a Tormach 770, just to get their OEM version for $1000 odd! What features do/don't you get in the 'hobby' version? I'm currently using a combination of MeshCAM for 3D stuff and SheetCAM for 2.5D stuff, but I might be tempted to start saving hard for the hobby version of Sprut is it isn't too crippled...

[Rikk]

You can get any version you want right up to the pro version for that, the only caveat is that you can only use one post processor.

[jdurkin]

Few more purchases and updated in gray on spreadsheet

The main one being the screws.

Also bought a spitting saw arbour as was thinking this would do to trim the X axis ballscrew nut instead of grinding?

Not a big update but there ye go......

[SuperFlyLoser]

For Cad/Cam I ended up with Rhino3d and MadCam. Great environment and easy to learn. I am a student so I was able to get the "Educational" package from Novedge here: LINK

SFL

[Rikk]

WOW, just got my letter from parcel force for the mounts, £118. Will have to ask them if they supply lube with that I think.

[jdurkin]

WOW, just got my lettir from parcel force for the mounts, £118. Will have to ask them if they supply lube with that I think.

Mine was £60 rikk

Have ye bought couplins yet? Mcmaster in usa wont ship to me. I want oldam set screws ones but uk sites ive looked at only do metric

For example: screw ends are 3/8 which is about 9.5mm and uk supply 10mm

So im a bit lost on a uk supplier that does couplings in imperial

[pete from TN]

QUOTE=HimyKabibble;1056213]I hope you try SprutCAM before laying out the money - It does an awful lot, and has some very nice features, but it also has one mother of a learning curve, and even many very simple, common operations can be very hard to figure out....

Regards,
Ray L[/QUOTE]

Ray,
Do you have Sprutcam and ifso which version and if you don't mind how much did you wind up paying for it? Thanks and peace

Pete

[Rikk]

Going to order the couplings on monday, I'll just get slightly smaller than needed and bore/drill them to size.

[Rikk]

Did your ballscrews arrive? Mine literally just turned up
Also ordered the couplings yesterday from arceuro, I order 5 6mm ones and one 10mm, just need to open them out to fit.

[SCzEngrgGroup]

QUOTE=HimyKabibble;1056213]I hope you try SprutCAM before laying out the money - It does an awful lot, and has some very nice features, but it also has one mother of a learning curve, and even many very simple, common operations can be very hard to figure out....

Regards,
Ray L

Ray,
Do you have Sprutcam and ifso which version and if you don't mind how much did you wind up paying for it? Thanks and peace

Pete[/QUOTE]

Pete,

No, I thought about getting it a few months ago, and did the 3-day eval, but just found it too difficult to use. It is very powerful, and if you're willing to make the investment in learning it, I suspect it's very nice. But the documentation is not great, and it uses a lot a unique terminology, so it's unlike anything you've used. Price is about $900, and that doesn't include the full 3D features.

Regards,
Ray L.

[jdurkin]

Did your ballscrews arrive? Mine literally just turned up
Also ordered the couplings yesterday from arceuro, I order 5 6mm ones and one 10mm, just need to open them out to fit.

Hi rikk
Just got mine yesterday, all look very good.
Did ye stop the nipples for an oil feed on the nuts?

Not ordered couplings yet but may follow your lead.
I take it the 10mm is for the 34 nema on the Z?




Recon im stripping mine in a week or 2 as still got some
work to do on my workshop
Cheers for the update

[Rikk]

Great stuff

Yea I got the nipples, just looking at the one shot system at the moment, forgot that yesterday when I ordered the couplings so it's more P&P...oh well

The nema 34 is 12.7 mm shaft so that's the 10mm, the shafts on the ballscrews are 9.5mm and the nema 23's are 6mm, so all being well I ordered the right thing

Just speaking to a local engineering company who did some previous work for me to mill out the pocket in the saddle. I'll probably strip it saturday, get the Z done as that "should" be easy. Hmmm saying that I also need to take a chunk off one of the ballnuts, need to find out what needs doing and I'll get that done before Is trip it....would make more sense

[digits]

Great stuff

Yea I got the nipples, just looking at the one shot system at the moment, forgot that yesterday when I ordered the couplings so it's more P&P...oh well

The nema 34 is 12.7 mm shaft so that's the 10mm, the shafts on the ballscrews are 9.5mm and the nema 23's are 6mm, so all being well I ordered the right thing

Just speaking to a local engineering company who did some previous work for me to mill out the pocket in the saddle. I'll probably strip it saturday, get the Z done as that "should" be easy. Hmmm saying that I also need to take a chunk off one of the ballnuts, need to find out what needs doing and I'll get that done before Is trip it....would make more sense

Is there any reason you didn't just order the couplers bored to the correct size from somewhere else?

The first time I bought couplers, I bored them myself in an attempt to save a few quid, but they were a bit off and even a little misalignment is quite nasty once you've got them on the ends of motors and screws etc...

If you're good with a lathe, and can work out how to clamp them accurately without deforming them, you'll probably be fine though.

[Rikk]

Never seen anywhere with the option of that, I just assumed it was normal to bore/drill them out as I had to do that with the belt drive pulleys I have on there at the moment.

[digits]

Never seen anywhere with the option of that, I just assumed it was normal to bore/drill them out as I had to do that with the belt drive pulleys I have on there at the moment.

You might not like the prices, but RS for example have various sizes, and IIRC you can buy each half separately and then just add the appropriate rubber bit.

[jdurkin]

You might not like the prices, but RS for example have various sizes, and IIRC you can buy each half separately and then just add the appropriate rubber bit.

Have ye got both web address's Digits please?

[digits]

Have ye got both web address's Digits please?

Have a look here - you might want a stiff drink and a chair handy

Buy Couplings with next day delivery | RS Components

[jdurkin]

Have a look here - you might want a stiff drink and a chair handy

Buy Couplings with next day delivery | RS Components

Us british get all the deals heh digits!
Finnish this Bud then Ill have a look......

cheers