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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Posts
    20

    Free alternatives like Mach3

    Apologies if this is posted in the wrong forum, there are so many I tend to get a little lost.

    My question is, does anyone know of any CNC control software like Mach3 that's free? I've finally built my CNC and have installed Mach3 on a laptop and I'm running there demo version. This seems to run great but I really can't afford a license for it so I'm after something free if possible.

    Any help would be great as this is the final piece after months of designing / saving / building and I'm well over budget already.

    Many thanks,



    Steve

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Posts
    2141
    How about LinuxCNC? It will require a Linux PC to run it, but you can get by with an older PC that you can probably get your hands on for free.

    If you don't want the fancy UI, maybe you can run GRBL on an Arduino.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Posts
    35538
    I made enough money using the free version to pay for a Mach3 license within a month of having my machine running.

    Other than Linux CNC, there's really nothing else out there, unless you want to use an Arduino and GRBL.
    TurboCNC for DOS is $60 I think. CNC Zeus for DOS is $100. KCAM is $100 too I think.

    You might be able to still get CNC Pro for DOS from there Yahoo group. That was free.
    Gerry

    UCCNC 2017 Screenset
    http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2017.html

    Mach3 2010 Screenset
    http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2010.html

    JointCAM - CNC Dovetails & Box Joints
    http://www.g-forcecnc.com/jointcam.html

    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Posts
    156
    Master CNC Utilities is free. Software Index

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Posts
    13
    hello all
    just any one help me about from where i can get cnczeus software and controller

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Posts
    35538

    Re: Free alternatives like Mach3

    You can get CNC Zeus here: https://github.com/lumen0/cnczeus

    It runs from the parallel port, and does not use a controller.
    Gerry

    UCCNC 2017 Screenset
    http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2017.html

    Mach3 2010 Screenset
    http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2010.html

    JointCAM - CNC Dovetails & Box Joints
    http://www.g-forcecnc.com/jointcam.html

    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)

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