Onefinity Accessory Guide

Accessories
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Hello all,

I am new to the forum, new to CNC’ing, and about to place an order for a new woodworker. I have a couple questions. I have tried to search out other forums for the answers, but couldn’t find exactly what I was looking for, so sorry if it was covered in a previous post. I plan to order the probe, the suckit pro dust boot, and the wired joystick. I am planning to build custom guitar bodies and necks.
I know I will need additional bits, but are the Jenny bits worth buying with the machine, or would I be better off with something else? Looks like OF offers a Myers bit set and a 2 Moose bit set also.
Is the infinite suckit worth the upgrade? Is the pro worth the upgrade over basic?
What software will I need to make guitars and necks? Is it worth buying the software on Onefinity’s website, or going direct? If it is a subscription, does the discount on the OF website continue each year? I have heard that Fusion360 has a free version that could do guitars, but I don’t know enough about the software to know if that is true.
Is the only software I will need something like Fusion360 or VCarve to design, and then all the rest of the needed software is in the OF controller, or do I need something else to get cutting? I have read about CAD/CAM, Speeds/feeds calculator (something called GWizard), but don’t understand it all just yet.

Thanks for the help!

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Welcome to the community!

I don’t think there is a right/wrong way to approach…simply a lot of opinions and you make the best decision for what you want to accomplish. With that said…my approach was as follows: I bought a combination of cheap bits off Amazon (HQ Master)…when I broke the first two I didn’t care as they are so cheap. (You will have a “brain dead” moment especially in the beginning). I still use them on different projects as well as a couple Yonico that have held up nicely. Whiteside is my go to for “good” bits and I really like the RIP and Jenny’s and will move more towards them. Get a surfacing bit…I like the Whiteside. I would let the work you want to do direct you in the bits that you will need and simply start with an 1/8" Up, 1/4" Up, and a 60/90 Deg V…then add from there. Down will get you better finish on the top, but an Up can work in more situations at the start.

Regarding software…I went with Vectric and very happy I did. I looked at all and would encourage you to do the “trial” for each one you are interested in as you wait for your machine…you are going to have time. Purchase the software when you machine is close to shipping. I went with buying software thru Onefinity…the only reason was it was cheaper that way at the time of purchase. I use the Vectric Pro software and that is all I need to run the machine with what is already on the machine.

I have the Infinite Suckit…again it is all about options. To me, it was worth it…for others maybe not.

Great machine for the money and the support has been tremendous. I have so regrets in getting my machine and coming up on a year of use.

1 Like
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Aaron,
Welcome, this is a awesome and supportive community, lots of great question. Like @bjesswilson said I will give you my opinions because there aren’t really right or wrong answers.

-Bits? I went with the four pieces SpeTools set of amazon and they have been great. I also purchased the Amana Tool RC-2248 Mini Insert Spoilboard Surfacing, from from ToolsToday. It has been great and it was pretty easy to rotate the plates when I overheated an edge. They Myers and Jenny were sold out when I ordered. I have ordered other Amana bits to supplment as well but teh SpeTools but is still holding strong and for the price it is hard to beat.

-Is the infinite suckit worth the upgrade? Can’t say. Wasn’t an option for me.

-Is the pro worth the upgrade over basic? Yes. You will want the spares.

-What software will I need to make guitars and necks? I think you could do it with any of the big three. Austin Shanner has a series on this for Fusion 360. I haven’t watched it but his other intro to Fusion videos are great. Howevery I think about 80% to 90% of the people on here use VCarve

-Is it worth buying the software on Onefinity’s website, or going direct? For VCarve Pro I would say yes.

-I have heard that Fusion360 has a free version that could do guitars, but I don’t know enough about the software to know if that is true? I have been using Fusion 360 for the last few months and it is pretty good but I am going to give VCarve Pro a shot for some things.

-Is the only software I will need something like Fusion360 or VCarve to design, and then all the rest of the needed software is in the OF controller, or do I need something else to get cutting? Just VCarve or Fusion 360

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Thanks so much for the quick and informative reply Brandon and John! I imagine this will be a steep learning curve. Glad for this forum!

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Remember that if you use the free version you can’t sell the stuff you make on the CNC - it’s free for hobby users. So if the OP is going to sell his guitars he’ll need a paid version of Fusion or VCarve.

It’s tough to recommend one over the other because it will depend on how he plans to design the guitars and whether he needs the fully 3D tooling in Fusion with it’s precision drawing (with constraints) or if he’s going to primarily work in 2D space.

I’ve stopped using Fusion due to their constant diddling with the licensing terms & what features get disabled when you don’t pay “enough” for what they think the value is.

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Well over a $1000. Yes I am not saying I don’t agree with you. Fusion is super powerful for some things and than makes other simple tasks way more complicated than they need to be. I actually ended up purchasing a license for both yesterday because I realized I am going to need both in my work flow.

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I use DesignSpark Mechanical now for my 3D design work.

I don’t mind paying for software, but Fusion keeps mucking around with changes not just to the license restrictions but the UI and how things work. If you’re using it everyday that’s not too bad but for me as an occasional user it often means relearning things all over again as I try to figure out where they’ve moved something.

I used it for custom fuel tanks and the sheetmetal feature was great in automatically calculating sizes & fold lines based on the material k-factors. Was nice to be able to unfold the design and be able to take the resulting file to my CNC plasma. Found out that DesignSpark has similar functionality and they don’t muck up the existing stuff when they add features so it’s more of a learn-once thing.

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Is DesignSpark the same kind of software as VCarve in that your design it there and then send to the Onefinity controller and it cuts it out? Is it easy to use comparatively? You mentioned that I could not use a free version of software if I intend to sell anything I make. Why is that and does that apply to DesignSpark?

Thanks Jim.

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Okay, lots of stuff in your question. Let me unpack it a bit.

You’re missing a step there. In VCarve (and others like CarvecoMaker) you define the toolpaths and then “calculate” them. That creates the GCode that the OneFinity uses to run & create your project. That’s the “program” the controller needs. The GCode is generated based on the post-processor that’s selected in the design program (VCarve, CarvecoMaker, Fusion, etc).

You need a post-processor for the target machine (the OneFinity) that is matched to the design software. They’re not interchangeable. So if you have VCarve, you need a post-processor for VCarve and OneFinity. Same for Carveco - you need a different post-processor that is for Carveco & OneFinity.

There are machines that can be driven directly by VCarve - my Shopbot Desktop had a version of VCarve that I could send to the machine vs. creating separate toolpath GCode files and then loading them into the Shopbot’s control software. I can go directly from toolpath calculations and effectively pre-load the Shopbot’s software. The OneFinity doesn’t work like that. But it’s also about $7000 cheaper than the Shopbot :smiley:

DesignSpark is a design software like VCarve but more like Fusion 360. It lets you create real 3D models with constraints so the model is sized exactly down to the 3rd decimal point (or more if you really want precision but the machine can’t cut any more precisely). VCarve is a “2.5D” program that you can get 3D designs out of - by using two-sided designs where you flip the material to carve out the backside. You can get precision out of VCarve, it’s just not as automatic as DesignSpark or Fusion.

Unfortunately, DesignSpark doesn’t have a OneFinity post-processor. You might be able to use a Grbl post-processor like Easel does, but I don’t know for certain it will work. Or you (or someone else in the user group) can modify a post-processor to match the OneFinity (I did that for my CNC plasma).

Or you can save the file as an SVG or DXF and import it into VCarve, define the toolpaths, calculate them and then use those files to drive the OneFinity.

I found it easier to use than Fusion 360 but any 3D design app is more complicated than a 2/2.5D like VCarve. I use them for different things. If I weren’t making fuel tanks and having the software “unfold” the tank so I can cut it out of flat steel, I wouldn’t need anything except VCarve to do what I do on the CNC router.

Technically I think you can sell $1,000 worth of stuff you make using Fusion 360 to design if you have a Hobby license. A couple of years back it was $100,000 allowed for a “small business” license. But they’ve been ratcheting back the rights they allow for the free licenses. They’re also removing access to features that they’ve decided a non-commercial or hobby user “doesn’t need”.

There’s nothing in the software that can track to see if you’re selling more than $1,000 of products, but you agree that you aren’t and that if you do that you’ll buy a commercial license. You have to do that every year. If they found out that you were selling more, they could take you to court for violating the license agreement. The likelihood isn’t huge but it is an ethical issue that you have to come to terms with. I won’t violate their license terms so I moved to DesignSpark for my tanks. Same functionality but no license restriction.

They wrote the software so they get to decide on what terms people can use it. For free, they limit what they want to let you do. They figure if you’re making real money from their software that you can buy their commercial license. The get to do that. You agree to the terms of the license when you sign up.

DesignSpark is open source based and doesn’t charge for the license and the license doesn’t constrain what you can do with what you make from your designs (you just can’t sell the software).

So, long answer to a seemingly simple set of questions :smiley:

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Thanks Jim. A lot of great info. I had to read your post at least 3 times to get to a point where I think I understand it! :grinning: So in caveman terms the output language that comes out of DesignSpark doesn’t talk to the input language that the OF needs, whereas VCarve, Easel, and Carveco do. You must use DesignSpark with a different machine then?

Have you had any experience with Easel? A few YouTube videos mention they are using this. I just placed my order for the OF yesterday, so I have time to learn whichever platform, or try multiple. Are there any certain computing requirements? Windows vs. Mac I should look for to put these on?

What I plan to make on it are guitar bodies and eventually necks once I learn more. I have built 8 so far by hand, so just looking for a faster, funner way to make and sell more. I will have 3 main designs, which I already have wooden templates built with measurements for all the cavities/holes. I would just have to put them into the design program. From the limited that I understand, I think I can do the bodies on a 2 or 2.5D system, because they are cut outs and carve outs (flat tops) but the necks would require a 3D?

Thanks again for the info

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Yes. I use it for my CNC plasma.

I haven’t used Easel. Folks I know who have used it have often made the switch to either VCarve or Carveco Maker. You might want to grab the free Carveco version & check it out. They seem to be supportive of the industry as well as continuing to develop the software.

You could actually do that with either VCarve or Carveco. The necks of guitars don’t generally have undercuts. So you can use the “3D shaping” path tools to cut the necks as well. You’d do a rough shaping cut using something like a 1/4" end mill followed by a 1/8" ball nose finish pass. With a small stepover on the 1/8" you can get a pretty good finish carve. You could follow that with a 1/16" ball nose finish pass to get an even smoother finish but the machine time isn’t worth it in my opinion. I’d stop at 1/8 and touch it up with hand sanding.

You set up the project as a “2 sided” design and once you’ve milled one side you flip it over and let the machine mill the other side.

A friend of mine does custom guitars on his CNC (he built from scratch) and uses VCarve for the whole thing.