FLEXCABS... ????...?????

[dray]

Another month has gone by the wayside. Has anyone recieved a demo of this software or?

Anyone know if it is an "actual" product or vaporware? I have been waiting on it for a looong while now and havent heard from anyone.

I am thinking of buying another PRS Alpha one strictly for cabinetry and the other as a test bed/mdf door cnc. But I am still refusing to pay KCDW's extortion but Im wearing thin...

Im jumping between cabinet parts pro and numerous softwares to get every cabinet done.

I have to draw in my trial version of kcdw then on paper then onto cabinet parts pro then properly nest in artcam. then add custom parts, then open free doors and do my doors lol..

Its Madening!! I tell ya!
For me to upgrade to kcdw its $15k I just cant bring myself to buy kcdw "full version" instead of another cnc

[mitchjr]

Flexcabs..............

It is real and I am one of the beta testers. I got to say that there is more work for them to do. This is on a good note. There are no real tutorials just yet, but what we have tested, has worked well and this does promise to be a great product. One must remember that Pat is writing this software and he is using the 4 letter word alot.........TIME. All good things happen in time. I think it is going to be worth your wait. I remember when I paid for the artcam 9 upgrade and did not get it until 3-4 months later. It was well worth the wait. That is kind of what is going on here. People are testing and they are fixing and doing it fast. I just got home from the Vectric user group and Flexcabs was a topic with some of us. We who are testing like what we have been testing so far. From the photos of your work, This product may be a real time saver for you. You may want 2 more machines.

[bleeth]

Danny: Many botters have ended up doing their drawing in an inexpensive Cad program such as Turbo-cad or Design Cad and set up their own parametric libraries for typical parts in them. They can then be easily taken into Artcam for nesting and machining. These programs also have excellent rendering modules that make them a good sales tool as well. Remember that flex-cabs is a cam program (assuming Patrick is only discovering, like many developers, that tweaking a program takes longer than anticipated)and you still have to design it somewhere.

[dray]

Well first of all I have no idea what a parametric library is. Not to mention I have a real hard time with cad lol

[bleeth]

A parametric Library, as it applies to cabinetmaking, is a library of various parts assembled as you build a cabinet (For example, sides extending full length and dadoed for a 1/4" back and nailers and stretchers of a typical size. Some of the dimensions are fixed, like the size and depth of the dado, thickness of the substrate, 4" stretchers, etc. Then, when you select them for your furniture, by applying the variables (width, depth, and height of the unit), the result is the cabinet parts you want so it doesn't need to be 100% redrawn. This is basically what the cabinet programs like KCDW do for you, but naturally they charge you well for setting this up for you.
I feel for your difficulties with cad. It's like learning a whole new career all over again.

[dray]

Thx Dave.. I have been making parametric libraries and not even knowing it!

I have been calling them "canned parts" haha.

I have a whole library of dxf's I made for cabinetry add-ons to use in conjunction with cabinet parts pro, and parts wizard. Adjustable shelve holes, dado's, extra parts, plinths, stringers etc. I just resize and go.

I'm smarter than I thought! haha

As far as cad goes, I'm not the least bit interested in learning it as long as I can avoid it. I picked up Kcdw very fast because it allowed me to express my cabinetry the way I saw it in my head at an alarming rate.

But the whole cad thing gives me a headache. I love cabinetry and all aspects of finish carpentry but I like it because it is hands on.

If I have to draw each piece up that goes into a cabinet I may as well build it. It seems just as time consuming, but there is no reward at the end except a picture.

[dray]

any new word on this software?

[thewoodcrafter]

Patrick is still working on it as far as we know.
Release 1.11 was a few weeks back. The next release was to be fully functional as far as I remember.
Generate code from imported lists.
I think Patrick may have bitten off more than he could chew on this one but as far as we know it will happen.
Software development is very time consuming, usually measured in man years. Not that this one will take that long.

[dray]

I can imagine how consuming it must be, just curious as to the status on it .

Thx Roger