[johnloque]

Hello,
i've been searching internet all the day, and i'm happy to find this forum.
So i'm a beginer in CAD CAM and CNC, but i'm planning seriously on buying a CNC router soon to make guitars as a hobby ...
I've read that it begins with a 2D shape or file and i've to give it thikness.
So i used illustrator because i know a little and i've got it to do the shape of a guitar body (electric) at the right size with 2 cavities to do in it. And know i would like to extrude it to 45 mm thick.
I tried many softwares, viewed many tuto's and i can't do it, because of different reasons, but mainly because the tuto's are not the same version of software and i don't have the same button or command or it does'nt work for me. I tried blender, freecad, vcarve (trial), rhino 6, freemill for rhino or rhino cam in trial version also.
I can buy some software, but i would like to see how it goes before buying something.

So what do you do in the real life when you have to do what i want ?

Many thanks for the help?

[ljvb]

Try Fusion360, it is free for non commercial use (hobby and personal), or free for startups (if you qualify as a startup, they recently changed the rules). The only real difference is some functionality that you more than likely would not use anyway is limited to the commercial version. There are plenty of tutorials on youtube, regardless of version.

Also... you started with Blender... seriously, that has a huge learning curve, even for experienced people.

Hello,
i've been searching internet all the day, and i'm happy to find this forum.
So i'm a beginer in CAD CAM and CNC, but i'm planning seriously on buying a CNC router soon to make guitars as a hobby ...
I've read that it begins with a 2D shape or file and i've to give it thikness.
So i used illustrator because i know a little and i've got it to do the shape of a guitar body (electric) at the right size with 2 cavities to do in it. And know i would like to extrude it to 45 mm thick.
I tried many softwares, viewed many tuto's and i can't do it, because of different reasons, but mainly because the tuto's are not the same version of software and i don't have the same button or command or it does'nt work for me. I tried blender, freecad, vcarve (trial), rhino 6, freemill for rhino or rhino cam in trial version also.
I can buy some software, but i would like to see how it goes before buying something.

So what do you do in the real life when you have to do what i want ?

Many thanks for the help?

[ger21]

What are you trying to do?
Create a 3D model, or create g-code to cut 45mm deep?

[johnloque]

Try Fusion360, it is free for non commercial use (hobby and personal), or free for startups (if you qualify as a startup, they recently changed the rules). The only real difference is some functionality that you more than likely would not use anyway is limited to the commercial version. There are plenty of tutorials on youtube, regardless of version.

Also... you started with Blender... seriously, that has a huge learning curve, even for experienced people.

Thank you for feebacks, i will try it...

[johnloque]

What are you trying to do?
Create a 3D model, or create g-code to cut 45mm deep?

I'm trying to make a 3d model from a dxf, or dwg or svg (2d), and after give the file to a CAM software, without giving $2k to begin...

[johnloque]

Actually, i began only 2 tuto's of fusion 360 from 2018, and i don't have at all the same options of menu, i don't find the extrude tool, i find it strange not to have a tool menu. I really wonder if i have the same soft...I'm on mac maybe it's because of that...

[johnloque]

As for Blender, i trained myself at home a couple of years ago, i forgot everything but with the new version i don't recognize the menus, and the tutos are from the older version. It's really a problem...
I thought it were simple to extrude a shape from outside...

[ger21]

The Fusion 360 interface has changed quite a bit in the last year or so, so older tutorials will look different. Can't really help you with the mac version.
But Fusion 360 is definitely the best free option.

[johnloque]

yes i believe you but if i can't extrude, it's very limited...
What software do you use for instance ger21 ?

[rcheli]

It is very easy to extrude in Fusion 360. The basic process is to create a sketch. Select the area you want to extrude and then click on the Attachment 442280 button. The grab the arrow and pull or type distance in the field. Lars Christensen has a great series of videos on F360. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5bc9c3S12g&t=764s

Good luck
John

[ljvb]

yes i believe you but if i can't extrude, it's very limited...
What software do you use for instance ger21 ?

While the menu structure has changed, the shortcuts remain the same (hit “e” for extrude)

[johnloque]

Ok i got it, but for my defense, it is so obvious that if you don't play the tuto in slow motion you don't know what has been clicked. It's so easy, ok i will look further...
Thanks

[johnloque]

It is very easy to extrude in Fusion 360. The basic process is to create a sketch. Select the area you want to extrude and then click on the Attachment 442280 button. The grab the arrow and pull or type distance in the field. Lars Christensen has a great series of videos on F360. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5bc9c3S12g&t=764s

Good luck
John

Ok thanks, and can you extrude a shape brought by a dxf or svg ? I tried to improvise, but it does not work...

[ger21]

What software do you use for instance ger21 ?

AutoCAD, Fusion 360, Lightwave, Aspire.
Different software for different things.

You don't always need a 3D model, unless you are carving the top, or other features.

[johnloque]

AutoCAD, Fusion 360, Lightwave, Aspire.
Different software for different things.

You don't always need a 3D model, unless you are carving the top, or other features.

So for making a shape of 45mm thick, like a guitar body, what do you use ? That's what i call (and not only me) 2,5 d! That's my question actually

[johnloque]

i switched to a fusion forum, thank you for the info! But i still don't have the answer !