Starting My Build, Thinking of Linux - Toledo, OH

[TheDave]

I've been actively lurking here for about 2 years now and am finally starting my build (sort of). I actually started about 18 months ago - I partnered with a contractor who was going to get jobs form all the home builders in the area. So I got all excited, ordered steel, and built my table. Then my contractor friend went out of business, and I don't know anyone in the building industry.

Rather than going ahead with the build anyway, I decided I needed to really take a hard look at what I want to do with the MechMate and see if it was financially smart. I simply can't afford to sink $5,000 into a hobby - this has to be a money maker for me.

I do lots of woodworking projects as a hobby and I can see where the MechMate can really be useful for taking over some of the repetitive and time consuming tasks. More importantly, I have woodworker friends that also can see the usefulness. So my immediate approach is to take on those jobs for people I know. I have already realized that I can very likely recoup all of my costs in a year.

However, I don't have the money to build everything right now. I'll just have to proceed very very slowly with my build.

This has forced me to think about what I can work on right now with very limited funds. I've decided to take the approach of tackling all the software first. I plan on building a Linux box (a whole job in itself) and go that route. Big learning curve for me, but I have the time and need to learn it sooner or later.

I'm also going to do the kitchen table project using motors ripped out of old printers. I have 2 perfectly working printers in my junk pile at home. Sad that it's cheaper to buy new printers than to buy new ink cartridges for the old ones!

I'm very happy that I have a direction and I'm starting to finally build my dream machine! But this is gonna take a while...

[domino11]

Good to hear you are starting Dave! Good luck!

[KenC]

The first step is always the hardest.
BonVoyage!

[TheDave]

Thanks for the encouragement! This weekend I'm getting a few old computers people are donating to me, so I should be able to start installing Linux. I'm leaning towards Ubuntu, but we'll see.

[bradm]

Use Ubuntu if you're heading for EMC2; that's where it runs seamlessly. See the left sidebar at EMC2 where you can even download a bootable CD that will bring you right to an EMC environment.

[TheDave]

Thanks Brad - I have the Ubuntu bootable CD but didn't realize I could get one that boots into EMC!

And I'm happily surprised with my donated computer! It's a dell Optiplex GX50, 512 MB Ram, 40GB hard drive. Tonight I'm starting the Ubuntu install!

[smreish]

That gx50, 512, 40g was is the same machine that ran MM#5 with not a problem at all. I did however add the new parallel card due to the on board one was giving me occasional random "fits". Other than that - worked fine.

Sean

[TheDave]

Install of EMC bundled with Ubuntu was a breeze! EMC seems pretty easy to use as well. Lots to learn, but I'm getting there.

I have AutoCAD R10 (and the old 486 DX I installed it on!), so now I'm looking for a Linux CAM solution. I've downloaded SheetCAM, any other suggestions?

[TheDave]

Wow, I've just found the link someone posted for freeCAD.com. Lots to look through! I'm still curious to see what other Linux based CAM programs others may be using.

[KenC]

I think you might be able to run Autocad R10 in WINE.

[smreish]

AutoCad v10....ah the days of DOS autocad command prompts. Now, those were the days! LOL

[KenC]

That was when I started with Autocad...

[riesvantwisk]

Dave,

for simple dxf to gcode there is to no surprie dxf2gcode in the Linux area there is a lot of work going on with heekscad and they even work on cutter simulations.
Heekscad also have CAM capabilities...
I never worked with freecad, but it looks very nice. It uses the opencascade libraries, heekscad does aswell.

I myself work on a port of QCad called CADuntu (name might change later) since teh QCad CE edition was not maintained anymore, some people started to port it to a newer framework (called QT4) I did aswell... I can now compile and run it on Windows, Linux and OSX and I am in the progress ironing out issues. SHortly after I am planning to add CAM operations to it aswell.. Simple pocketing work and profiling.

Ries

[TheDave]

Thanks for the suggestions! I had never heard of WINE, looks like a good solution! That old 486 of mine won't last forever...

[KenC]

http://www.winehq.org/
http://appdb.winehq.org/objectManage...ication&iId=86

[TheDave]

Thanks Ken!! There's only one problem - I notice the Games category in the AppDb. Looks like I can get out that box of DOS games, too! This may derail my MechMate project for a little while....