At 11:07 AM 4/5/2012, Matt Bennett wrote: >The CAD and CAM steps are some of the most difficult to take in the >open-source/free world. Sketchup is a good start, but incomplete, at least >when it comes to moving to g-code (at least from what I've found- I would >*VERY* much like to be shown to be mistaken here). I've had a small CNC mill for a long time now - its a project that=20 was started by someone else that I inherited when he left. Now one=20 of my co-workers runs it when needed. It works pretty well and I'll most likely do things the same way with=20 the ShapeOko when I purchase mine. Driver software: Artsoft Mach 3 running on a Win XP pc with USB CAM software: Vectric Cut-2D Both of those are shareware and cost perhaps $300 for the pair. Yeah=20 - its not freeware but they both work exceptionally well. My drawing software (CAD) is CorelDraw X whatever. Its simple to use=20 and darned quick to bang out box cutouts. It outputs directly to PDF=20 format, which Cut-2D inhales natively. By all means, I'll look at the Arduino driver system that was=20 mentioned on the ShapeOko page - I'm always looking for better and=20 less expensive ways of doing things. But if worst comes to worst,=20 loading an old PC with those software packages is a sure-fire way to get go= ing. dwayne --=20 Dwayne Reid Trinity Electronics Systems Ltd Edmonton, AB, CANADA (780) 489-3199 voice (780) 487-6397 fax www.trinity-electronics.com Custom Electronics Design and Manufacturing --=20 http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist .