I do some parts with Lazy Turn which is part of the Mach3 family. It imports DXF files but the file should only be the part outline above the centreline and does not require a line for the face next to the chuck/collet/headstock. It is limited in some of the things it does so is the least used option. I did something today just using Notepad to write a file for a profile which is easier for some simple things. The other thing I use is Mach3 wizards. I have modified the screens so that the Manual page has the four wizards I use most, turning, facing, boring and tapers, picked with one of the usually unused buttons at the bottom of the screen. This improves the functionality of a touchscreen as well,

If you want to keep a file from a wizard you just chose to edit the file and then Save As to a suitable location and with a suitable filename. Saved files can be put together in Notepad to create a more complex part. That is what is going to happen with the small file I wrote today, it will be put on the end of a facing wizard file so that the complete program will remove the bulk of the material with the section from the wizard then do the fiddly bit with the extra part I created.

I use AutoCad for drawing DXF files and any 2D cad program will do this including some versions of AutoCad that were given away free as magazine cover disks (as long as you have an old XP system to run it on).

Martin C

F360 has turning, I've only played with it a bit as I don't have a CNC lathe but seems quite straightforward to use though I am used to using their mill CAM.

Les

You can draw a half sketch in Fusion360, rotate the view along the Z axis to make a model then use Manufacture to produce the part. Using the built in Post Processor you need to choose your lathe operating system (Mach, Linux etc) from the list and then produce the code and download to your system.

Some knowledge of G code is a benefit as you may need to tweak some of the Feedrates, also if using more than 1 tool per program you will have to have G code for each tool unless you modify the program or take out a subscription which then caters for any number of tools per program.

Emgee

That's interesting Martin, I've not had any problems with the few things I have used it for, but I don't know offhand what versions I have used.

I need to make a ball handle in the near future so I was going to use Ezilathe on my friends lathe. I'll have to make sure it doesn't do the same to me!

Altho' everything I've done so far with it has been fine.

Keith.

Here are some screenshots showing the error I found in Ezilathe, there is the original DXF page, the Ezilathe simulation and the Mach3 run page showing the actual path produced.

I would also say that the Mach3 wizards as supplied are not perfect. I had to redo some of the facing wizard script due to faulty coding that had, for example, minus signs where it should have had plus signs. If anyone wants the corrected script let me know, it is just a short script so not a big file, I could probably post it in here if required.

Martin C