I first encountered a CNC router in January of last year and have been fascinated ever since. I had never herd of Gcode, Grbl, Mach anything, post processor etc and i jumped right in. I built my own machine!
I jumped on the internet and started searching. Now i have to find a way to connect software and machine. I came across Newfangled Solutions and mach 3. After downloading the free version and some setup my machine made some moves.
 
Mach forum is great, and everyone is willing to help.

After all my research i said to myself that there has to be a better way, a simplified process. All the pages and pages of do this do that then go here and still not have anything Gcode to work with the machine.

I found a program by accident with a simple learning curve that will give you a free trial for 32 and 64 bit windows systems and not have to spend a lot afterwards.

Check it out



https://deftware.itch.io/pixelcnc


Ken

That looks really cool!!
Thanks for pointing that out.

Thanks for the reply.

lumber60

I first encountered a CNC router in January of last year and have been fascinated ever since. I had never herd of Gcode, Grbl, Mach anything, post processor etc and i jumped right in. I built my own machine!
I jumped on the internet and started searching. Now i have to find a way to connect software and machine. I came across Newfangled Solutions and mach 3. After downloading the free version and some setup my machine made some moves.
 
Mach forum is great, and everyone is willing to help.

After all my research i said to myself that there has to be a better way, a simplified process. All the pages and pages of do this do that then go here and still not have anything Gcode to work with the machine.

I found a program by accident with a simple learning curve that will give you a free trial for 32 and 64 bit windows systems and not have to spend a lot afterwards.

Check it out



https://deftware.itch.io/pixelcnc


Ken

I know Pixelcnc but that is NOT the only way to learn CNC unless all you want to do is carving art or  making signs.
You cannot make precision engineering machinery parts or jigs for your Wood Router for large furniture with pixelcnc for example.
ALSO
1.Learn how to write G-code manually.
2. Spend GBP1O to get and learn HEEKSCNC

If you just like to do engraving & artwork FREEWARE from Scotch Works:-
like
F-engrave
Dmap2Gcode
G-Code Ripper
used in combination will be superior to using pixelcnc

I HAVE STATED IN NO WAY THAT THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO LEARN CNC OR MAKE LARGE FURNITURE!!
IF I WANTED TO MAKE PRECISION ENGINEERING PARTS OR FURNITURE I PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE  LOOKING AT CNC ROUTER PROGRAMS FOR CARVING OR SIGN MAKING " MAKE SENSE?'' 
I WOULDN'T SHOP FOR TIRES TO PUT ON MY HORSE!!!!

P.S.
I DO WRITE GCODE !!!! GET IT , GO IT, GOOD!



YOU STARTED SOMEWHERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

lumber60


 

Sorry - no offense intended.

This forum has many guest public readers so comments are often meant to help the wider audience.

On PIXELCNC
1.   Will NOT run on PCs without OpenGL 2.1 graphics card and Physical RAM of 2GB RAM. Even my Windows 7 and my Windows 10 laptops won’t work because they do not support OpenGL 2.1 but only Open GL 1.1 and OpenGL 2.0 respectively.
2.   Trial version limited to 65,536 pixels 256x256 or 512x128 pixel
Lower than even VGA resolution which is 640x480.
3.   Not good enough to engrave (V-CARVE or B-Carve) beautiful Text from Fonts.

Not to worry,

If anyone goes to the PIXEL CNC download page the system requirements are there as well.
Fusion 360 for example has system requirements as well as many others do. I think most of us will check that before trying or buying.
Be it MACH 3 or 4 free trial version they have minimum requirements to. So it is a good idea to know your computer properties and it sounds like you do.
Most systems purchased today should support OPENGL.
I am currently running PIXEL CNC on 2 laptops and 1 pc and all 3 are 10 plus years 0ld and support OPENGL and window 7.
1 laptop with 32 bit windows, another laptop with 64 bit windows, and the PC with 64 bit windows is exclusive to my CNC table.


 I use all 3 to create  Gcode for my projects.
I also use inkscape to generate projects and import them to PIXEL CNC, works great! Mach 4 runs the code perfectly.

OK, I have rambled enough.

lumber60

Do you know if there's a list of demo limitations somewhere?

Go to link
page down to FREE TRIAL and the info will be just below


https://deftware.itch.io/pixelcnc

if you need more info let me know

lumber60

Update, I wasn't sure about one of my operating systems and this is what I found.
My 64 bit laptop is running windows 10 pro  according to properties as well as PIXEL CNC 64bit version and doing a good job of it.

lumber60