[bozidar22]

Thank you vtcnc for the information. The RC guys sure do get creative and innovative.

Were did you get the dxf inport/export plug in.

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[blowlamp]

you buy it for $400 from Trimble...

correction; $495.00

Come up with another $500.00 and get Rhino. There is a good reason there is no following for sketchup. go dolphin cad/cam if you can't afford rhino.

If you have ever done true 3D modeling in SketchUp and tried to cut it on a CNC you quickly find out it has many faults. Just get a pro package and take the time to learn it. If all you have is a 3 axis wood cutting machine and you do standard cuts with something like cambam, you can get by for a while. If you have a 4 or 5 axis machine and you cut for tolerances for aircraft or cars, forget sketch up. You are always 1/64 of and inch off.

For the sake of others reading this, I'd like to point out that CamBam is supremely capable at what it does and shouldn't be thought of as a stop-gap piece of software.

Many people use CamBam on its own, or alongside or in preference to, very very much more expensive packages, because of its unique features, capability and utter reliability.


Martin.

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[blowlamp]

I'm sorry! CamBam is very good at cleaning up crap spewed out of various crappy CAD programs and is a real lifesaver! If I gave the wrong impression I am VERY sorry! My comment was more like "CamBam will save yer sorry butt from itself for using kiddie crap software like SchunchUp"

I highly recommend CamBam for all 3 axis machining and use it every day!


snz

Maybe I was a little quick off the mark in my reply
No apology from you needed as far as I'm concerned, I misunderstood what you were saying.

I'm pleased you're getting on well with CamBam. I don't think I could have made half of what I have, without spending a ton more money on software.

I'm just a satisfied (and probably over-protective) user.


Martin.

[vtcnc]

Thank you vtcnc for the information. The RC guys sure do get creative and innovative.

Were did you get the dxf inport/export plug in.

you buy it for $400 from Trimble...

correction; $495.00

.

Wrong.


@Bozidar22 I use the free version of Sketchup. I can import and export dxf. Just add plugins to do anything you want in the free version.

Here's just one example of a Sketchup plugin site. There are many. If you scroll down the page of available plugins you will see the dxf handlers.

Trimble SketchUp
also

CAD addict: SketchUp: List of Plugins

Smustard(TM) - the Companion to Sketchup(TM) - Plugins and Scripts

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[vtcnc]

I use Sketchup 7.1 where dxf import and export with that plugin works fine.

That is also the version that the Phlatboyz plugin provides G-code output. I have Sketchup 8 as well, they can coexist. But I seldom use it -- haven't felt the need.

I suppose I could work in 8 and just save a SketchUp file and open it in 7.1, if I wanted to export it there as a .dxf. But why bother?

Not sure why you're so angry.

[ger21]

There is a good reason there is no following for sketchup

Sketchup has a huge following, probably far bigger than Rhino (because it's free).

Huh, you haven't updated yet have you? they prohibit the plugin for export so you'll pay. I just tested in the new free 8 and its doesn't work.

I just downloaded and installed the latest version of Sketchup 8, and this plugin, and I can export no problem.

I personally don't recommend Sketchup for CNC use, but it works fine for a lot of people.

[vtcnc]

Here's an example of something I've recently been working on with Sketchup.

It is a lost foam process pattern, and a casting for a bearing bracket for a CNC machine I'm building.

The pattern was drawn in SketchUp, then exported into a .dat file for use with Jedicut on a CNC 4 axis hot wire foam cutter. Jedicut is also free software.

The pattern was cut, and coated.

I then cast the first part with scrap aluminum using a charcoal furnace.

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[vtcnc]

As far as I know I'm an adult, as others I know using SketchUp.

[vtcnc]

Also when people flame you on forums, one thing I do, is just be truthful with them. Usually people wil accept that eventually.

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[vtcnc]

Downloaders and tinkerers were pretty much responsible for the existence of the personal computer on which you write, and the one you use for CAD, and most likely are a sizable population within the development ranks of Rhino. I have no idea whether they were serious in that. Some might have had a sense of humor at the time.

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[vtcnc]

The problem starts when you do something like "Follow Me" on a path with something like a circle. First, if the circle is high point count it shows ugly edges in around the bends. OK, clean those up, fine. But then you measure the circle at the end of the path and its no longer a circle!

To add insult to injury you go on the forums and start asking questions about how to over come this and you get flamed!

I wonder if I can find a way to solve this problem for you.....

[vtcnc]

Try 70's, You ain't using a mainframe, you've got a box with a microprocessor in it with solid state ram memory, and probably Windows on it. Came from a PC. Tinkerers made that possible. You know amateurs like Jobs and Gates...

Okay, so, in SketchUp, I set up my template for Engineering, in inches (judging by your writing you're in the US and making smallish parts -- correct me if I'm wrong). Now I go to Tools>Model Info> Units and set precision to 0.000.

I don't use the Follow Me tool, so bear with me. After that, I draw a circle somewhere flat horizontal and let's say I give it 200 segments. Then from its center I draw a line segment up perpendicular, then attached to the end of that segment, another off at an angle. That's going to be my simple path.

So then I pick the Follow Me tool and click on the circle, and then drag it up the path along the two segments and end at the end point.

So you're saying that the final face of that solid is not as circular as the original face? Just want to make sure I am getting the problem correctly.......

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--- I'll leave these images to show what crap Sketchy Up is...