I hope this is in the right place. I’m interested to know what software I should have on hand when my forge arrives. I expect to do both engraving and making “parts” for things. I don’t really own anything at the moment, so I"m a PC guy and the slate is clean. :slight_smile: thanks all, chris

Look at these. [image] What software to learn first Everything Else hey guys, so excited, just pulled the trigger on a pro model for our shop. Im excited by the ease of use showcased on the website and in forums. I have no experience with lasers and was wondering if peo…

Beyond the software, I’d suggest having some “stuff” to cut and engrave. Pick a couple of projects (Google “scrollsaw patterns”) and you’ll find a lot of stuff that you can use in whatever software you choose - then get some 1/8" and 1/4" wood and acrylic. Those are the simplest things to start with…

What kind of software are you familiar with? Have you done some image processing with Photoshop or something? MSPaint work? Do you understand the difference between a bitmap and a vector image? Can you use a scanner to put an image on your computer and then turn that image into something you can man…

I will suggest Fusion 360 as it seems pretty simple to learn, use, and is free for individuals, makers, and I think really tiny businesses. Check it out. I could be wrong. It wouldn’t be the first time. I also grabbed 123Make but haven’t gotten to playing around with it. I also have Paint Shop Pro…I…

I was looking for some free or reasonably priced 3D CAD software last week. I’m totally newbie so I can’t recommend but I’ll just throw one more name in. DesignSpark Mechanical is free and seems usable. I don’t have any project on hand so I’m not motivated to try it extensively, but so far it’s m…

[image] jamesdhatch: then get some 1/8" and 1/4" wood and acrylic When you buy acrylic, make sure you’re getting cast, not extruded - and it’s worth ensuring you can tell the difference, as we’ve had suppliers try to swap one for the other. Plywood is very hit-or-miss and you can’t tell if i…

Baltic Birch ply I’ve gotten from Amazon & Woodcraft have been very reliable with almost no knots or patches and apparently consistent gluing (no voids or glue pockets). Amazon has convenient 12x12" squares and Woodcraft has various sizes all the way up to 60" full sheets. Amazon has also been very…

Glad it’s worked for you! If it has a manufacturers’ label on it, you should be good. Just be sure you buy from the same supplier each time - a given amazon listing may come from different suppliers, and we did not have good experience with their baltic birch the one time we bought it from them.

I’ve had good luck with estreetplastics for acrylic…just wish their shipping was a bit more reasonable😏

If you have a local safety glass provider they should be able to provide samples for you to pick from and no shipping! We use a company called justice glass supply for all our safety glass and clear acrylic we need. Not sure if they would offer colors or not.

Software suggestions

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karaelena June 10, 2016, 9:25pm 2

Look at these.