[dlaery]

I am new this and I am purchasing a benchtop CNC Taig mill 3 axis and trying to decide on Cad/Cam Sofware. I have looked at Rhino 4 and BobCAD-CAM 23
I am going to make small molds, 2" x 4" out of Aluminum so I can make fishing lures out of lead. These molds will make models out of lead to put in silicone molds to make production molds. I do spin casting.
Here is what I am looking at and cost is part of the equation.
1.) Using Rhino for my 3D. For my Cam program, I would use a program called Freemill.
2.) With the BobCAd-Cam I would have both.
Say both options are the same price, which of the 2 choices would give me the most for my dollar?
To me, the BobCAD-Cam looks like the better deal, but I wanted to see if someone had reason that one might be better that the other.
Thanks for your help.

[ger21]

Never used BobCAD, but have used Rhino and Freemill. With Freemill, you'll spend a lot of time creating multiple passes, because it only gives you one. Rather than Freemill, spend a little and get either MeshCAM, or Cut3D. And I'd recommend Rhino.

[csousa]

I would definitely go for the Rhino4 and Vectric's Cut3D!

Rhino is the best deal for 3D modeling and with Cut3D you can mill just about any thing you model in Rhino.

[dlaery]

Hey thanks guys, I went ahead and took the plunge on the BobCAD Pro.
I wasn't sure about the Freemill, but I really liked the Rhino. I looked at Vectric's Cut3D and it looked good. I guess I went with the BobCAD because it had the CAD/CAM together and the support and training would be with 1 company. There are some limitations in BobCAD that I will have to work around, like if I put a socket in a piece and need to change the size, I will have to redo the socket, not just select and enter new dimension.
Oh well, now I have to learn the BobCAD. I hope I can cut something by this time next year
Thanks again.

[noisy]

I hope Bobcad works out for you. Personaly I prefer Rhino myself, I use bobcad at work and can't stand it, but I'm partial to Rhino which is what I use at home.

[Lemo]

I can't get along with BobCad and it's limitations. I use Rhino with RhinoCam now. The free and great RHinoCam support is fantastic. They even log onto your PC and show you where you are stuck when you let them.
Cheers
Lemo

[topduck]

Rhino for sure, Bobcad is a waste of money.