buildlog.net

All,

I am looking for an open source software program, preferably python based that can do through and blind dovetails as well as other common woodworking tasks without having to go through the cad/cam/post rout. I have seen cabium machines software https://www.cambiummachines.com/ but it isn't open source and it doesn't do everything that I would like it to. I would really like to set up my cnc router to do fancy joinery like you can do with the incra router fence system. I have one of those at my dad's shop and you can do some really stunning stuff with it. There isn't any reason why the cnc router can't do that stuff and even more. I shouldn't have to go through the whole process of cad/cam every time I want to make a new kind of decorative box joint.

Does anybody have any ideas or have seen an open source software that can do this? If not, I can write one in python with a TKinter GUI, but I wanted to check first to be sure cuz it could be a bit of work and time.

There might be something out there like that for ShopBot. It uses a proprietary scripting language in place of gcode, but I imagine you could swap that out. It might be tricky to get access to the right forums without owning a shopbot, though.

You might want to go over to CNC Zone and take a look at the dovetail SW development. Not fully baked yet, but looking pretty good.

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/diy-cnc_router_table_machines/169713-dovetails_anyone.html

Paul