Lowrider 2+Rambo v1.4 = use 360 and estlcam?

Now that we’re able to cut some chips and understanding portions of modeling a sketch via fusion 360.
I wanna be able to make some
Household decor.
I have noticed that in fusion it’s harder designing a text style piece of art. Such as maybe a script text > welded together etc. light burn is what I was using for my laser as it’s grlbl. However, that doesn’t talk with my lowrider board.
In a long story short, Is there a way to be able to use fusion 360 and estlcam on my lowrider without ruining the communication between both of them?? Mainly as if I purchase estlcam I can use that to control my laser which will
Save paying for two different softwares.
Thoughts?
If someone knows a good thread of how someone performed this! Love to check it out

Thanks and happy milling
Super stoked I’ve gotten to make some chips with the lowrider!!!
:metal:

Continued:
Mainly wanna be able to sketch up text or something via estlcam. Then go ahead export to my (program#).gcode and load it into the controller and set my work coordinates and let her rip! That’s the goal but, let
Me know if it’s a possible scenario and the complexity of it!

Inkscape / illustrator is the typical tool for this. Export a DXF or SVG.
Software workflow

Yes, I use fusion for design, estlcam for CAM. I do not use fusion CAM.

I do not do any sort of design in estlcam at all.

Your order of operations seems a bit off. Software workflow should clear that up.

@vicious1 appreciate the work flow doc to follow and check out!

Based on a quick search of estlcam and such saw few guys saying it reconfigured their board and wanted to avoid anymore issues like that.

As for Inkscape I’ve played around with it a little bit and seems can some a lot with it if you know
How to use it. Green there too, other problem is from there I saved an svg file
Insert it into fusion and the scale size is off. Even if the dimensions were set in fusion (mm).

With that estlcam since I have fusion hobbyist, I’ll Prolly buy the estlcam for the gcode. Anything I need to do. Besides get my license code and download it? Special tasks getting a model designed in fusion to be exported over to estlcam???

Brandon,

Since I’ve been delinquent in responding to my previous posting, and you’ve thouched on the topic again (which I cautioned about), let me reply here.

When you set up Estlcam it is used only as a gcode sender. The controller re-program is a concern with the Repetier Host program, not Estlcam.

Here’s a good tutorial on Estlcam: https://all3dp.com/2/estlcam-cnc-beginner/

Reptier Host has a companion program called Reptier Server which, if installed, may attempt to reprogram you controller. When you download that software package, if it comes with the Server don’t install that! only install the Host portion. It’s been so long since I installed that software I can’t remember exactly what the steps are, but just don’t install the Server.

Software here:https://www.repetier.com/
Documentation here: Installation and configuration - Repetier-Host doumentation

I hope that clears up the confusion I created.

Mike

There is a very easy, completely fool proof method for keeping estlcam from flashing your rambo: just don’t use estlcam while your rambo is connected to your computer. Or, just don’t connect your rambo to the computer. It can’t flash through gcode files.

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If you are comfortable in Lightburn, then design your signs and decorations in Lightburn, then export the SVG from Lightburn and use it in your CAM of choice for your router work. The SVG will work in both Fusion 360 and EstlCAM. Fusion 360 does not handle complicated vector graphics very well (all the constraint calculations get in the way), so at times I use Lightburn, save the SVG, and import it into Fusion for the CAM. The only problem I have is that for some reason the units don’t import correctly, so I always have to scale the vector graphic in Fusion 360 before beginning the CAM setup.

If you are trying to do everything within Fusion 360, I often find it easiest to build a 3D model of the finished piece. I can use multiple sketches to build up the final model, and the results are fused together because the extrudes are joined.

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@jeffeb3 only reason I’d wanna maybe get the rep host is being able to use the screen to control the router. I noticed my button is getting a little soft in the clicks and feel like at some point it’s gonna give. Then I’m pretty much dead in the water without a back up lol.
I do like the solution that I can use estlcam without hooking it to the comp and then just exporting g code directly to my sd

Not to dissuade you from getting Repetier-Host running, but if you live in the US, replacement screens are only $15 on Amazon. You could pick one up now and have it ready for when/if the screen fails. Or if you think it will hold up for some time, you can purchase it from Aliexpress for around $8.