I’m looking to branch out on what I’m doing with my business. I love running my machine and creating things, but I don’t want to run it full time.
I think I have a pretty easy workflow figured out with my two software choices, Affinity Designer and Sheetcam, and that I could tech others how I use them to run the table.
Best part is Affinity Designer is one of the few perpetual license software choices out there. I’ve been using it successfully for artsy stuff as well as technical things, like my bumper for my 4Runner. I also have a way to view the kerf width while designing, that lets me adjust prior to toolpathing so there aren’t any surprises.
Disclaimer: I’m not a design expert, I’ve just figured out how to make all of this work together, and I’m almost certain that I could walk anyone through this workflow and have them producing ready to cut files.
I’m curious how many people on the board would be interested and excited about this? It would be a series of YouTube videos specific to the described workflow. I feel like there’s a need, I guess my millennial side is looking for positive reinforcement. There are a lot of people making videos of the crossfire pro out there, but I think I can offer the simplest “how to” with regard to making your cuts on the crossfire. What do you all think?
I would be interested in watching how to videos. I still have a good bit of time till my table gets here, so in the mean time I’ve been learning the cad part of things and will start with cam next.
I like the Idea as well, do you use the PC/Mac or ipad version(not sure if there is even a difference)? I dont have either currently but looking for something better than inkscape and seems very affordable.
Well, I’l try to get the intro done in the next day or two which will cover the settings and initial configuration. Then just do a simple bracket with it. Probably cover text in the next one.
It sounds good to me but I am not sure if I can get my brain to store more information. I have been thinking about SheetCam already. What is detailed in learning Affinity? I am going to check this out and see what is involved in it. I just learned Fusion and don’t care for it. I use my BOBCAD program for design, but it is limited bc I purchased only the CAD side do to the lack of funds at the time. Can you give some info about this program? I am using an HP with Radeon, and RYZEN. I am looking to upgrade though. It is a little weak for Fusion.
I think once you see how I use it you will pick it up. There’s a ton of features, but I use just a few of them for running the table.
With sheet cam, I’m in and out of it in less than a minute, mainly because of how I design with affinity and export as .svg files. I rarely have to go back and find “rogue nodes” as I call them.
If you have a curve, it will have multiple points along it that are in place to modify it’s path. Sometimes when drawing and not lining things up right, they cross paths and while it will look fine on your screen, when you tool path it in sheet cam you will get an error.
Also, it can be broken or extra lines, yes. Usually they are so small you can’t see them in your design but they get picked up in toolpathing (cam)
Thank you! I learned something new! I now know what a node is. Never ran into that before. In BOBCAD I just use the tool Clean up and optimize. Thanks again!
Just recorded the into/setup video and showed how to design a simple wheel mounting plate. Got to edit a bit and it will be up on my new YouTube channel.
I would like to learn I just put mine together and having trouble understanding how to draw something and then go to sheet cam and to mac3 to cut. I’m not too good with computers if you can explain it easier I’m in
A little bit of mixing functions here. Inkscape and Affinity Designer are both design tools - they create the artwork/drawings. SheetCam stands alone and is used to translate those drawings, as well as drawings from other sources, into the G-Code commands necessary to drive a CNC machine like the CrossFire.