Most CNC design software that will produce the G-Code required by the machine driving software used in TheLab can be used to design your CNC project. Whatever you chose, design your project, generate the G-Code and load that into the machine software.
For project design and G-Code generation the software generally used in TheLab is the Vectric Vcarve Pro Makerspace edition, so that will be our focus here. There are two version of this Vcarve Pro Makerspace edition.
The TheLab has a Makerspace master license for Vectric Vcarve Pro. This version is a limited full license version which means in addition to being used to design projects it will also generate the required G-Code to be downloaded to the Shapeoko CNC machine. While it is a full version it supports a limited number of users.
This version is installed on one or 2 of the lab computers.
Vectric has made available a free version of Vcarve Pro for Makerspace members to use on their own personal computers. This is a fully capable “design only” version. This means one cannot generate the required G-Code for the CNC machine.
For member access to this home “free” version you must be invited by a Makerspace CNC area coordinator. They will send you an invite email which you can use to access the Makerspace version. You cannot get this version directly from the Vectric Vcarve site, you must use the invite. Once installed this version will show “Trial” in the upper left to the right of the product name until you load a file. we believe this “Trial” version does not expire, though we could be wrong.
The idea with the Makerspace edition is to design you project at home, save the project to a file, transport/load that project file on the lab machine that does have the fully capable version of Vetric Vcarve Pro. With this version generate and save to a file the G-Code for the design. Once the G-Code is created and saved to a file, it is sent/taken to the Carbide 3D Carbide Motion software which will actually drive the machine
Makerspace Discord members suggested pinned messages documents
We would encourage you to take a look at the pinned messages found within the Makerspace Discord channel “CNC”. These pinned messages offer for some very good tips/tricks and generally important info. Many thanks to those members that came before.
Mark Lindsay CNC - Tutorials for Absolute Beginners * Vectric V12+ for the Absolute Beginner: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLuYLaC3-QRMFBT-TzIbMyGtuBurt8GCQ
These are some sites/YouTube videos we have run across when trying to learn the design phase. Some are from Vectric others have been found via a prolific content provider Garret Fromme and others via searching for Vcarve videos online.
* Vectric's Vcarve Training Videos: https://www.vectric.com/support/tutorials/vcarve-pro/?
IDC Woodcraft: Garrets Fromme, seller of bits and associated supplies and videos tutorials, etc. Not Just Vectric centric
Kyle Ely recommended by Garrett Fromme @ IDC Woodcraft. Offers online Vectric training courses:
Mark Lindsay Vectric for the Absolute Beginner - Great series of videos on using Vectric software, starting with job setup…
Michael Mezalick:
NCViewer.com * - Preview G-Code router path: https://ncviewer.com/
Jonathan Katz-Moses
Timberfalls
Other things on the list to look at as time permits. Most are just links things that Might be interesting. In no particular order.