Wow, a lot has happened since a move had me shut down my shop in 2011!
I didn't stop experimenting with CAD and CAM software from then until now, had a couple of years trying out a "small business" version of Fusion 360 after Autodesk took over Eagle and made it subscription and cloud based application (hate that). Hoping all along that someone there would have made it possible to base a license and fee on parts count rather than board size - I only work on old school tube circuitry, mostly single sided, occasionally double-sided, never multilayer. Alas, must put more time into researching the alternatives. Autodesk unceremoniously discontinued its small business accounts, not even informing their folks who provide phone support for missed payments...
All that aside, I've dropped in on this forum a few times through my hiatus and was quite worried that CAMBAM was gone, or going away. When I got past melting aluminum sheet material, I created a lot of prototype chassis and engraved PCBs that worked beautifully - but showed off the limitations of my then underweight CNC machine. I replaced that machine with one that is much more solid and powerful in 2018 and have only managed to run a few jobs created using Fusion 360 and its gcode generator - not as successful as my CAMBAM ones. Yes, it was nice to be able to create and preview in 3D for all of my folded flat pieces, but CAMBAM had produced more successful code in 2011 than Fusion was in 2018. I was just getting back to looking for and at updates to CAMBAM when another move was imposed for my shop, then the world shut down.
I am so pleased to catch up on forum entries since I was last on. I'm now a few weeks away from having a functioning CNC shop, with a long list of projects to cut. I'm logged onto my Windows PC as I type this - CAMBAM is the main reason I still run any of my HP desktops on Windows, most of the time they're running MacOS. I'm going to try creating the designs I need within CAMBAM, instead of using another CAD package. At least then I'll bypass the "cleaning up" the files I would import stage.
Huge thanks to all who have kept CAMBAM going, this is much appreciated. I notice the price is still incredibly affordable for new folks who need a good CAM solution. I will continue to use and recommend it!
Sincerely!!!
Donn from BC, Canada
