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Have a look at Sheetcam for all of  your CAM, nesting and scanning with its scananything addon.

Maybe so, maybe so.

But part of me wants to use a Pi 5 for *something*.

It would take the pleasure out of building and just turn it into a very tedious task.

I'm not sure I could make an image/picture that was not materially distorted but I will look into ways to do it.

I would like to run an option past you:

-- Tape the plans to the bed of the rig.

-- Replace the cutter/lens with a stylus.

-- I just saw a "CAM USB camera" online that gives you a view of the exact place where the (stylus) hovers over the plans. (I can not find it online right now...)

-- Then:

    -- Jog the steppers with a joystick to place the stylus over the "start" of the tracing

    -- Touch a button on the joystick to register the current location on the plans/bed

    -- Jog the steppers again to get to another point on the plans and press the button

Observations:

  -- Straight lines would be easy; curves would require help digitizing gracefully, but I have some thoughts

  -- The file of points would have to processed into a file of "cuts".

  -- Plans involving multiple parts would have to be digitized a part at a time. The parts would then need to be laid out on (a 4 x 8 sheet of stock say).

Thoughts?

Thanks,
Tom
  ​​​​

Much respect for the traditional way but I would like to come up with a 21'st century option. Digitizing from the image sounds good. I'll look into it.

Thanks,
Tom

I’d look for a CAD package that lets you import an image and “trace” it. Bear in mind that the time it takes you to do that it maybe just as quick to cut the various members the traditional way.

Thanks,

Hello cornholio,

I'm actually building both types of boats: model (1/4 scale) and real-sized; the first being a prelude to the second.

The RC boat starts with a "short kit" bought off of eBay - just the frame members (laser cut). I just have to put a skin on it.

I would dearly love a laser CNC machine to cut out the frame members for the real boat but many boat plans are not digitized (like mine) so the first thing I need to do is to turn a CNC machine into a giant "digitizer". Does experience doing that exist? It does seem doable and if I create the files I might be able to find someone to laser them for me for a price.

Thanks,
Tom

run the menu-config (menu_config) and set the locale.

This page (read the whole thing) may help
forum.linuxcnc.org/forum/search?query=LC_ALL&childforums=1

Hello,

I've got a home built router running a Raspberry Pi 4 with a Mesa 7196s via Ethernet. Running AXIS. Works fine.
Interested in trying the Rpi5 - loaded the image off the download page and the board can communicate with the Mesa board, but PnCConf keeps giving errors when I try to go past the first axis page - a long dump mentioning a problem with the locale.
Any suggestions? This is an 8GB RPi5 I just got from Digi-Key.
 

I'm going to assume model boat building, other wise I'd imagine you would have researched the larger machines required for human scale boats. If all you want to do is profile cuts, eg bulkheads and the like and you aren't using timber over 3mm or so I would suggest a 10w - 20w laser cutter might be the better choice. No need for Linuxcnc as the supplied controllers do a fine job, I have one myself. Far easier to deal with the "fumes" from a laser cutter than the sawdust you would get with a router.....and far gentler on the thinner timber components as the cutting forces are reduced to practically zero on the material being cut.
At a recent exhibition of local model boat builders I met a Hungarian gentleman who did some amazing work with a hand held rotary tool, timber was carved so thin as to be almost see thru. When asked whether he be human or magician, he puffed out his chest and proudly stated "I am Hungarian".
Tho I would suggest a honeycomb type bed and air assist to reduce scorching and a build up of residue in the cut.

Proper answer would involve asking what exactly you want to run.

Easier answer, as much as you can afford.

What ram should I get?

Storing files would be whatever size SD Card you get for the Pi, it has nothing to do with the 2GB/4GB/8GB variants (those are designating the amount of RAM on the device)

How many GB raspberry pi do I need? Would like to store some projects files on it.