Hi all. I am new to all this. I have recently purchased a snapmaker a350. Do to age mid 70s i don’t understand the instructions. Can anyone recommend a software for cnc snapmaker that is easy to understand and follow and make something useful. It will have to be easy to follow.
Many Thanks
JB
Been trying to figure out how to answer this.
I guess one thing would be to know what type of things you’re trying to do. Signs/logos/sayings etc. is very different from doing reliefs/carvings.
Unfortunately the cnc part of the SM is the hardest part to learn. Luban is barely a beta and there aren’t a lot of software choices for that part. Fusion 360 is free for personal use, but the learning curve is steep.
I’ve heard good things about VCarve by Vectric but unfortunately (for me) it’s pc only. And it’s not cheap.
For certain things (signs, engraving logos) Easel by Inventables works really well. It does a great job of simulating and previewing what the end result will be. Only downside is the free version doesn’t do as much as it used to. To really use it you need to get the monthly subscription. Depending on my project needs I drop it and resume it. It has a 30 day trial.
There are a couple quirks to using it with the SM. This has been talked about in other threads, but I can get into it here if you want me to.
Getting back to Fusion. There are some tutorials and some threads on here that can help you figure it out. The steep learning curve with it, is more related to how much it can do and how many options it has that you can ignore that can be overwhelming. Once you figure out what to pay attention to it gets much simpler. This thread has helped a few people out: Interested in CNC Wisdom
This one may be too overwhelming for now: Some info on cnc tool changes and combo cnc/laser projects
This is kind of a good fun tutorial: KEVIN! | Inventables
I think if you’re patient and okay with breaking some bits and chewing up some scrap wood you’ll get the hang of it. Get some cheap pine, pallet wood or scraps from the lumber yard and start playing. You can crash the SM pretty hard without hurting it. (I know from personal experience) Run boundaries high above work piece and clamps at first. Keep a hand on the power switch when you start a job. Set your work origin way higher than where it should be and then watch and see if it’s doing what it’s supposed to. Don’t leave a job running unattended until you know you can trust it to run properly.
Come here with any questions or problems and we can get you through it.
-S
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