Right now I'm using Inkscape (free) and Easel. But I'm only "testing" since I don't have any sort of machine or cutting experience.
I was tempted to buy the V-Carve software, but budget just didn't allow this time.
Would love Aspire, but man that pricetag. What are you using Aspire for currently? Do you have another routing tool you're working with? I didn't see anything in your shop about woodworking listings.
Re: Which is your favourite software for using with your router?
byFormer_Member
Not applicable
04-26-201510:40 AM
I have only been practicing the software too. I am inexperienced as well, however my father is mentoring me as he has experience using these machines. My husband is also going to give me a hand as he is a very talented furniture maker.
You can get a free 30 day trial of x-carve and aspire from vectric.com. I am designing items now, so that when the machine arrives I will be ready to go. V-Carve is very easy to use once you get a hang of it. I found easel hard to make anything.
I agree that designing with Easel is...difficult at best, and rudimentary as a CAM software.
But they're working on it. Right now, I'm pulling in files that i find on the net, running them through Inkscape a little, and saving as an SVG just use Easel as a "printer" program. I like that I can see the preview of what it will look like.
Then I tweak as necessary. But I don't think I'd be drawing lines and stuff in Easel. It's too tedious.
I will wait on my trial of V-Carve when I have a machine and played a little. I don't want to exhaust my free trial a month before my machine arrives (estimated ship date of May 25th...boo!) and then forget how to use it by the time the machine arrives.
Need to recoup some costs before investing in more software if at all possible.
Re: Which is your favourite software for using with your router?
byFormer_Member
Not applicable
04-27-201506:22 AM
Very good point Laura. It is rather costly. I'll probably end up receiving the machine at the same time as you. I was hoping it was going to get shipped on the 30th April, but no quite the case.
That's what I was thinking as well. We'll go through all the install headaches together.
The good part about being later in receiving it - hopefully others are putting theirs together and posting successes/failures and documenting for the rest of us.
