Cabinet design software, Please Help!

[dtwharton@earthlink.net]

I am planning on using my shopbot for cutting cabinet parts. There are several expensive packages out there. It also appears that you need a software program between the cabinet program and parts wizard to get the bot to work.

Any experience out there with this type of use of the shopbot? Do I really need 15,000.00 worth of software to make my shopbot cut cabinet parts?

[aring@ee.net]

Answer to your question is no, you don't need 15,000 worth of software, any cad program will work. Just create a library of cabinet parts then cut and paste to nest your parts.

Currently I use Cabinet Solutions to draw the cabinets and generate a cut list, then I use Autocad 2002LT to create my templates. Then import into Part Wizard to generate a cut file, Sounds like it would take a long time, but after you create a library (cabinet sides are generally the same from job to job depending on how custom your job is)it doesn't take that long.

Parts Wizard is also a simple Cad program but lacks the extras.

Bottom line is "How much is your time worth?" spend 15,000 and hope the program has a post processor to generate shopbot code or use multiple programs and a little more of your time.

[erik_f]

I started out with Bobcad/cam...and am now looking to change to a more powerful program...I think Rhino will do everything I want and more for the future...as far a cam program to write tool paths...I've been checking out rams...www.rams3d.com...seems (http://www.rams3d.com...seems) like a very nice package...I'm waiting for feed back from the forum...and have downloaded the free demos of both programs. But all together it would set you back less than 2k...alot of money...but I spend close to 1K on bobcad and now am looking form something else...so take your time...if you can...

Erik

[erik_f]

I ended up going with the Rhino and Visual Mill program package from Mecsoft for $1500...the VisualMill software is pretty slick...I didn't give rams much of a chance after I started playing with the VisualMill software...its very nice and flexable...

[eddygk@gmail.com]

Check out Extreme Software. They have a pretty economically priced design to CNC packages.

www.xpcnc.com (http://www.xpcnc.com)