Step 5: Don't mill another thing

Or: Getting an actual shape from a drawing to the mill

OK so we've had the mill write something using the default LinuxCNC example code, but LinuxCNC is not for designing anything, it only runs G-code generated by a CAM or CAD package.

So, we've got more software and can now try and generate something “original” - in this case we're going to trace a picture in Inkscape, save it as SVG and use PyCAM to turn it into G-Code as described here.

Wrinkle
Inkscape translates a bitmap image by outlining both sides of the lines, which gives an unexpected double-edged result in the same way PyCAM does with regular fonts. There's ways around this which we'll no doubt get to later.

Step 5a: Find a shape

We went on the internet, and we found this!

Step 5b: Load it into Inkscape

Load into Inkscape, right-click, something something… trace bitmap!

Save as SVG.

Yes I forgot what I did here, will update later if I remember!

Step 5c: Load into PyCam

The wrinkle here is Inkscape has dutifully traced the inside & outside of the shape as two separate lines, so we're getting two separate tool paths:

Also note the shape is wherever it was on the A4 page in Inkscape - miles away from the machine's “home”. If only there was an easy button to fix that…

That's better - the shape now sits at X0,Y0,Z0.

Step 5d: Stop writing, it's bedtime!

Back later - stay tuned!