STL to toolpath

Hi,

I have an original Kickstarter Handibot and am running out of capabilities with the shipped VCarve Pro software.
Is there an inexpensive software to transform STLs to toolpaths?

I read up on the different Vectric product offers, but frankly it would be hard to justify the spend for a hobby unless some of their software was suppose to be included in the Handibot delivery that I missed (Partworks3d?).

The other areas I researched were open source CAM offerings, maybe someone has guidance on what works and what doesn't with the Handibot:

• CamBam
• HeeksCNC

Any insight would be very helpful!
Thanks.
-Erich

Erich:

Have you upgraded to VCarve Ver. 8?

If not, call Shopbot and do so. Well worth the upgrade cost and has the ability to work with STL files as well as a lot of other improvements.

Another thing you might look into depending on what you are wanting to do are the free tools from AutoDesk.

Thanks, Mark. I'll give them a call.

Too bad there aren't any open source options out there unlike
the thriving 3D Printer ecosystem with lots of options.

I agree with you Erich, it would be great if we had not just open source (free) software but also the community that the 3d printer guys have.

As to the community, though, check out the main shopbot forum, it is active and around 60% of what is discussed relates right back to the handibot as it is just a very small shopbot.

One more piece of software you might want to look at is Deskproto, not free either but very powerful when used with the indexer. I basically have a 3d printer now that will work in any wood or other soft material. The only things it will not make that an FDM 3d printer will is really strange shaped stuff and manifolds (hollows).