[40fordcoupe]

OK I'm not even a Newbie yet. I havn't been able to download EMC2, but I have made a personal committment to migrate from Windows to LINUX.
Anyway I have tons of stuff to convert so I want to do this well enough to survive the process.
I hate to give up Mach3, but EMC2 looks pretty good.

Anyway Question; What is a good LINUX CAD package to use with EMC2? 3D is not an immediate concern.

BTW A friend is downloading EMC2/UBUNTU for me, my server blocks me when I try to download a file that large.
Thanks,
Bob B.

[lumberjack_jeff]

I do cad on my windows machine then transfer it to the machine controller.

I was a complete CNC noob too, and now that I have most of the bugs worked out (I hope) I really like emc.

Sheetcam does have a linux distribution and it's a free download, provided your parts don't require more than 160 lines of g code.

[40fordcoupe]

I do cad on my windows machine then transfer it to the machine controller.

I was a complete CNC noob too, and now that I have most of the bugs worked out (I hope) I really like emc.

Sheetcam does have a linux distribution and it's a free download, provided your parts don't require more than 160 lines of g code.

Thanks Jeff,
After doing more research that is what I decided to do.
Establish a dual boot Windows/Linux system.
Also I will check out sheetcam after I get to a stable EMC2 system.
If there are too many things on my plate it usually falls on the floor.

Bob B.

[40fordcoupe]

Just an update for anybody that might be thinking about Linux CNC.
After my past experiences installing software I try to avoid it if possible.
Installing Linux from UBUNTU was very easy and it runs a lot faster than XP.
My wife has decided that she can do without Windows too.

I should have my copy of EMC2 within a few days.
More later,
Bob B.

[svenakela]

Welcome to the open minded side of the world.
I've been working with Unix/Linux since ages and I do as much as I can to stay there. And it wasn't very hard to get my wife going for Linux either, she's been using it for a long time now. Unfortunately there isn't any decent CAD/CAM for Linux except some simple Python apps. They do the work for most hobby people, but I need to run advanced modelling and got stuck in the M$ world.

I suggest you read the PDF's that are included in the EMC ubuntu release, you'll find them in the CNC menu. They will get you up and running. If you have any of the standard/hoppyist step and dir drives you are good to go.

[40fordcoupe]

I suggest you read the PDF's that are included in the EMC ubuntu release, you'll find them in the CNC menu. They will get you up and running. If you have any of the standard/hoppyist step and dir drives you are good to go.

Thanks Sven,
I did go to page you suggest and have downloaded several pdf manuals. At the moment I am reading the Integrators Manual. I can see it will be a big help in getting me up and running.

Too bad you are stuck with windoze for design. I still have my cad programs on XP, but have no plans to even try windows 7. IMHO Software decisions should not be driven by some gigantic company's business plan.:drowning:
Thanks,
Bob B.

For me insanity is not a problem, I enjoy parts of it.

[outofoperation]

Anyway Question; What is a good LINUX CAD package to use with EMC2? 3D is not an immediate concern.

Hello Bob,

if 2D is good enough for you, have you tried "Qcad"? It´s available in the Ubuntu repositories.

[40fordcoupe]

Hello Bob,

if 2D is good enough for you, have you tried "Qcad"? It´s available in the Ubuntu repositories.

Thanks, I know just about enough to get myself into trouble.
I tried installing what I thought was the correct package and got this message;
"Error Dependency is not satisifiable:libqcad0"
I don't have a clue what to do next.
Bob B.

[40fordcoupe]

I don't have a clue what to do next.
Bob B.

OK - Me Bad - I went back and tried the synaptic package manager and installed Qcad along with the documentation. I have it open now.
Bob B.

[svenakela]

Last time I tried QCad it didn't work very well. It's a long time ago and hopefully it got better. I need 3D though, and therefore I'm stuck on the dark side.

EDIT: On the other hand, the apps I use for 3D modeling is just fantastic.

[chester88]

may be helpful:
http://wiki.linuxcnc.org/cgi-bin/emcinfo.pl?Cam
synergy has a 30 day free trial:
http://www.webersys.com/

I haven't used it. Just trying to help

[epineh]

I don't know if this will be helpful but here is a link to using Vcarve in Linux...

http://www.vectric.com/forum/viewtop...31c7c772f6c46c

Cheers.

Russell.

[woodworm]

Try blender, it is a vary advanced 3d modeling program, and in the repositories for ubuntu.

[woodworm]

I tried to use cut2D and cut3d in wine, cut2d works but I cannot save the .tap files, cut3d just stalls.
Any sugestions?

[40fordcoupe]

Hello Everyone,
I'm now trying out QCAD, I can see that it has a lot of useful functions. So far for me the learning curve has been pretty steep. I'm going to keep on trying, but to a dummy like me it doesn't seem very intuitive. I'm going to have to unlearn what I know from previous CAD packages. Anyway thanks to everyone for all the help.
Still trying.
Bob B.

[TOTALLYRC]

Hello Everyone,
I'm now trying out QCAD, I can see that it has a lot of useful functions. So far for me the learning curve has been pretty steep. I'm going to keep on trying, but to a dummy like me it doesn't seem very intuitive. I'm going to have to unlearn what I know from previous CAD packages. Anyway thanks to everyone for all the help.
Still trying.
Bob B.

Hi Bob,
One reason I didn't make a conversion to Linux from Windows was the lack of a CAD program that I liked. As far as I am concerned and from a practical standpoint, if if there isn't a program that I can use then it doesn't exist.
Don't think that you are stupid, I also found QCAD to be very unintuitive to use. While it may be a great program, I have better things to do than learn how to do it the way the author thinks is best.
For Windows I use VIA CAD which for me is an excellent program. I tried to get several different program to run in crossover office but was unsuccessful. I no longer have Linux installed on any of my machines so I didn't try Viacad under crossover office.

As far as CAM software is concerned I have no ideas as to what the Linux guys use. I will watch to see what is suggested.

Mike

[40fordcoupe]

Thanks for your input Mike.

IMHO It is kind of a catch-22. I have only been using Linux for a couple of weeks and I really do like it. I must admit an anti-Microsoft bias. It is hard for me to accept that every time they come out with a new version I have to discard a perfectly good computer. Why should my upgrades be driven by the business plan of a mega-corporation?

If Qcad doesn't work for me, I will try using WINE.

All that being said, I'm older than dirt and want to keep learning new and challenging things.
Since I'm not running a business enterprise, I can afford to put some time into it.
Worst case I will keep one XP machine that is not tied to the web.

But then hey, what can you expect from an old guy who likes "fat fender Fords?"
They we still making them when I was in high school.
Anyway I do thank you for your input.
Cheers,
Bob B. aka 40Fordcoupe

[TOTALLYRC]

Thanks for your input Mike.

IMHO It is kind of a catch-22. I have only been using Linux for a couple of weeks and I really do like it. I must admit an anti-Microsoft bias. It is hard for me to accept that every time they come out with a new version I have to discard a perfectly good computer. Why should my upgrades be driven by the business plan of a mega-corporation?

If Qcad doesn't work for me, I will try using WINE.

All that being said, I'm older than dirt and want to keep learning new and challenging things.
Since I'm not running a business enterprise, I can afford to put some time into it.
Worst case I will keep one XP machine that is not tied to the web.

But then hey, what can you expect from an old guy who likes "fat fender Fords?"
They we still making them when I was in high school.
Anyway I do thank you for your input.
Cheers,
Bob B. aka 40Fordcoupe

I also like the 40 fords. If I didn't have my 65 mustang coupe, I would be looking for a 40 ford.

A long lost friend of mine was working on a 427 cammer installed in a 35-40 coupe. It was going to be one hell of an awesome ride.
It was almost 30 years ago the last time I saw him so I don't know how it turned out.

I am installing Win7 in place of Vista,XP, and 2000, not because of any problems, but because I bought the family pack for 3 computers and will probably just have all three computers in the shop running Win7. Since Mach3 works under 7 and Deskcnc looks like it will also, I will have all 3 computers running the same software to make life easier.

I find that the more I try to learn, the easier it is to learn. I don't want the mind to slow down to the point that all I can do is sit in front of the TV and vegetate.

Keep up the good work.

Mike

P.S. I am currently using Deskcnc as my cam program but I am looking into upgrading to Onecnc xr3. It seems to be the most bang for the buck. I need to work some more overtime to pay for it but I think it will pay for itself in the first 6 mo of use.

[lumberjack_jeff]

check out HeeksCad and HeeksCNC

http://code.google.com/p/heekscad/
http://code.google.com/p/heekscnc/

I've used heekscad a tiny bit and find it similar to sketchup.

[40fordcoupe]

OK I have stuck with QCAD for a while now and am beginning to like it. I can see that it will do what I want it to. It is different than what I was using, but hey that is not a bad thing.
The longer I can go without booting up XP the better.

Off topic - google hemijet and you will see a 39 Ford Coupe with a jet engine in the trunk.
I happen to like the stock version, but this thing is awesome.