Has anyone used this free mdf door program. I see that it produces shopbot code as well as G code and dxf. Just wondering if there are any major glitches.
Thanks,
Forrest
I figured with the addition of shopbot guys someone would have used this program. It seems to be geared a little toward shopbot. Maybe ecabs will have better mdf doors and panels in V6 and it won't matter anyway.
Hi Forrest,
Don't hold your breath on MDF doors in version 6. We all know how hard it is to program when Thermwood programmers are currently pulled in all directions. There is a list of features listed somewhere for ver 6 but doors is not one of them
Maybe the writer of the free door program would be willing to make it open source. There seem to be a lot of ex computer industry guys on the Thermwood forum so maybe one would like to take it on as a project.
There is always enroute, Mastercam and artcam but add the cost of those programs plus the post processor and you can see why so many are waiting for Thermwood to do something. Those programs mentioned are not parametric.
Best of luck
Here's hoping. I have CV right now to do mdf doors and panels but it would be nice to do them from ecabs. I'm trying to ween myself from CV and go solely with ecabs but there are just a few features I can't be without. I can't even remember how often I've ask for more mdf capabilities. It seems it would have been a priority from V3 on. I also found with the current economy that clients are going more and more with routed doors over 5 pc. wood. So I guess I'll keep holding my breath.
Forrest
By the way the guys who created the door program mentioned on their website incorporating it in other software.
Hi Forrest,
Yes I agree with you about the MDF doors. They are a big thing for us down under with most people having them either vinyl/foil wrapped or two pack painted. There are some easy doors it can do but even with them there is a few quirks that make it unusable.
We are like you, use a legacy software to do our doors but the trade-off is you can't record or use your off fall as the legacy program creates all the Gcode.
I'm half Ecabinets and half CW so I feel like Jekyll and Hyde sometimes. My main excuse for not switching is the costing which I'm not that happy with but I think I have a alternative database program that is a little different from the rest which will speed up my estimating.
I think Damon Nabors was looking at a similar program if not the same. Not sure if he has used it as he bought Enroute or Artcam to do doors.
Unless they changed the program in the last few months. It will not work. I emailed the program to Justin prior to his layoff and he could not get it to work either.
Neville Bastian wrote:Hi Forrest,
Maybe the writer of the free door program would be willing to make it open source. There seem to be a lot of ex computer industry guys on the Thermwood forum so maybe one would like to take it on as a project.
It is open source. When you install it it creates a directory with the source C files.
Guys...
I hope you dont mind me sticking my head in here, but I may have some info for you on this subject. The program Free Doors was written by Mike Richards and is open source. The GUI was written and is maintained by Bruce Clark. Free but not open source. There may be ways that those so inclined may be able to adapt this to Thermwood and its version of G Code. I spoke to Mike today and he told me that converters have been made and he didnt think that it would take more than a couple hours to fit this to your application. There are also a couple requirements about modifications and subsequent republishing that I wont get into.