Post processor for BobCad/cam?

[james]

Anybody know if there is a post for shopbot available?

Thanks,
James

[bjwat@comcast.net]

James,
Go to the BobCADCAM site and get the post there. It should say V17 Mill, Lathe, Wire Posts ~ ShopBot. I don't think that they have one for V18 and up. I use 18.

I would have e-mailed it to you but you didn't put your e-mail address in when you posted.

-Brady

[artisan]

Hey Brady...I had no idea you used Bobcad. I've been using Visualmill...and like it, but I've been playing with Bobcad, and I really like the grassroots approach they take (much like shopbot). Any thoughts? Are you happy with the program and would you recommend it? The latest Visualmill has come out at 4K and I am seriously considering switching because I like the Bobcad interface better and it seems to do everything visualmill does for 1/4 the price....D

[bjwat@comcast.net]

Darrell,
I bought BC last year since I needed an easy to use CAD program. AutoCAD as great as it is, intimidated me and I just wanted to get in there and draft up things quickly. BobCADCAM is a whole different animal than Visual Mill. I'd like to get VM in the future too since it has some nice 4th axis toolpathing options that are wizard driven. BC takes some time to program but you can do 3D with it. I paid $495 and got V18 with 12hrs of video training and a thick manual. It is very similar to Vector in a lot of ways. What I like most about it is the fact that it is quick and it has a lot of neat features like rotating and copying, plus the abilty to machine pockets and the like.

I got the VM demo and played with it a little bit...it is definately a different animal than BC. I would use BC for drafting and some simple 3D work and VM for toolpathing. At the moment I use BobCADCAM 18, Rhino2, PartWizard and MillWizard. I can do pretty much anything that I need to at the moment...although I may move into ArtCAM within the next 2yrs because I like the intuitive interface and the natural progression from PartWizard.

BobCADCAM simply takes more time to generate toolpaths than importing a DXF into Rhino, lofting it into 3D and then exporting as a 3DS...then the rest is up to MillWizard.

-Brady

[artisan]

Thanks Brady. Artcam looks to be the endgame for me as well...D