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Well that google sucks, hard.
There are no "instability issues" ever, you set it properly once and it keeps on working for years and years without issues, ever!
"steep learning curve"??? Yes of course, for someone with no prior experience, but so is tying shoes when we are young.
"compared to commercial CNC controls", i have no clue what they are comparing it to as from extensive experience i concluded the opposite, although some do come close to actually pointing issues in the right direction, some will absolutely make you take a hammer and destroy the thing.
"many users report frustration with the complexity of setting up a reliable system" Oh YES! This is absolutely true due to reasons:
1. They do not follow instructions! Read some random topics here, like setting up networking for Mesa cards, or servo tuning, most people will read and configure things and move on, but there are some that skip steps and come back complaining nothing works.
2. those who managed to set things up are not here complaining, they are making chips and using their machines, and most do not bother registering here, so google can not include those, and that is the majority of LinuxCNC users.
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In short, LinuxCNC is extremely reliable, very easy to set up for normal machines thanks to several wizards that are included with it, but there is NOTHING easy for retrofitting a 15 Ton industrial machine without prior experience in electronics, and yet, there are plenty of members here who did just that with no experience at all, they just followed instructions from very experienced and capable members of this forum.

Hello cornholio,

Sorry for asking questions bass-ackwards.

I have the need to build a real boat but honestly I don't want to cut it out by hand so, I have been thinking of building a CNC machine.

Doing some research I found and looked at LinuxCNC for part of the software chain but the references I saw were pretty negative (see a citation below from Google). I was not sure of the veracity of the citation(s) but I really want to pursue the CNC route so I really needed LinuxCNC.

I looked at the forum and it seemed there have been persistent problems with Pi 5. Given my background I offered my help getting it to be more stable (forum.linuxcnc.org/9-installing-linuxcnc...dux?start=260#317739).

So I really like the time I do Linux and driver/kernel work and, I really want to build a boat and I would love to help here.

Tom

----

From Googling "linuxcnc reviews and complaints":

Reviews of LinuxCNC often highlight its powerful customization capabilities and open-source nature, but also point to a steep learning curve, potential instability issues, and the need for significant technical knowledge to properly configure and troubleshoot, especially when compared to commercial CNC controls; many users report frustration with the complexity of setting up a reliable system, especially for beginners, and concerns about real-time performance depending on the hardware used. 

Tom, if you had of set out your goals from the beginning, without having to play 20 questions, you would have had an answer in far far less time.

[rant]
This is what makes me somewhat miffed on the forum, getting information out of people to provide a concise answer is like pulling teeth. It's like everything is a state secret. Have people forgotten the art of asking a question ?
[/rant]

Hi rodw,

SheetCAM looks like it gets the nod. Many thanks.

It does have you start by scanning the plans on a (big) scanner and into an image file (.JPG, etc.). For that, maybe I can buy time on a scanner. I do own the plans and the scan would only be for my use.

On top of buying time on a cutting machine maybe I can get my boat realized (and keeping me busy) without actually having a CNC machine.

To reiterate my very first post: I have a fair amount of *nix/device driver and kernel experience and if a need comes up let me know how I might help.

Thanks,
Tom

TomAlborough wrote:

Maybe so, maybe so.

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

You can only accomplish your object in life by complete disregard of the opinions of other people.
Aleister Crowley

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.