Cnc router software

[Heejin Lim]

Hello, what software do you use to route channel letter backing and faces, acrylic letters and monument sign alum faces? Will VCarve work or do you have any other recommendations? Please help since I have never use router. Thank you for your time

 

[fixtureman]

I use Vcarve and that works for me.

 

[Heejin Lim]

I use Vcarve and that works for me.

are you able to program to round the corners, make the faces 1/8" bigger for channel letters? Also, for acrylic letters, can you have stud mounting holes which do not go through all the ways?

 

[Z SIGNS]

Aspire

 

[Ian Stewart-Koster]

Most people use the software that comes with their router - for starters.
Fabricating acrylic letters is a huge learning curve, not simply a press-button job.
If you've never used a router before, I suggest you set your sights on simpler things, until you get some experience with your own machine, and your own software. You can't buy a bicycle and expect to be able to drive a truck in the same day...

We use Corel + e-cut + whatever else it takes to do the job -hammer, nails, heat gun, glue, hand-held router, laser... Every job is different.

Enjoy the learning curve!

 

[letterworks]

Cut 2D (cheaper version of Vcarve) will work for any channel letter needs, half drills for studs, offsets for backs, etc. Having seen e-cut but not used it, I'd probably still use vcarve / cut 2d esp. if you are starting out as it's (probably) easier to get help with getting it to talk nice to the router. It's $400 for cut 2D (and no subscriptions either!)

 

[John Miller]

We use Aspire. Good program, fairly easy to learn but V Carve is probably all you'll need.

 

[letterworks]

Can it make the returns too? Or just running coil through a notcher?

no, and I gather E-cut does do that. But lead in and lead out cuts, finish pass cuts, multiple depth cuts, etc, etc are easily done in vcarve. OP didn't mention the returns.

 

[Sumon Sarker]

We Use vector Pdf art work to Artcam (gcode) to Mach3 (CNC RUN). Also for the face 2-3 mm bigger than the backing . 2 mm Router bits for the channel letters.

 

[fixtureman]

I trick the software saying I want an inlay cut and input the radius if the bit