Converting Blender Mesh to CNC-Friendly Format Using BoardCAD

[Goran1]

Hi CNC techs, programmers, shapers and builders! Well I’ve tried just about everything and it’s time to throw this to the collective Sways genius!

I have several old board designs as mesh models in Blender I’d really like to get CNC cut. Does anyone know how to do this?

All the surf-specific CNC services I’m reaching out to are telling me they want files from surfboard CAD programs ie. Shape3d.

So I’m trying to convert my Blender model using BoardCAD:

First I tried to import as a scan of an .stl model with no success
Error: “NullPointerException: java.lang.NullPointerException”.
https://web.archive.org/web/20170114132949/http://boardcad.com/forums/topic/stl-import-through-virtual-scan/

Now I’m trying to import cross sections. To test at this stage I’m opening a new board model in BoardCAD, exporting a cross section, closing boardCAD, opening again with a new board, then importing the previously saved cross section. I get an error. I know the cross section file isn’t at fault because AkuShaper will import it.

There’s also a jython script console I’ve played with hoping to get a manual import but not skilled enough to figure that out.

BoardCAD is documented as having all this ideal functionality - STL scans, cross section imports, save for CNC cutting - for free but I’m not having any luck… wondering if it’s my machine (tried both windows and Mac, gave full file access), or version (3.0.1, LE). Does anyone else still use BoardCAD? Have an older working version to share?

Admittedly I’m being a bit cheap, it’s only a hobby so not too keen to fork out for other CAD programs - unless someone can advise on a cheap solution that’s sure to work?

Or is all of this unnecessary and I should be able to get Blender mesh directly to CNC without this conversion?

Apologies for the long-winded explanation, I’ve been chipping away at this for a while.

Thank you!

[ShaperSupplyCo]

Shape3D only costs $3.30 per month. It’s even cheaper if you pay for a full year in advance.

You can reach out to their support and see if you’ll be able to import your files.

Free is not always the “cheapest”, using a program like Shape3d will save you a lot of time.

shapersupply.com

[ambrose]

as far as collective genius soap,get the one that foams up really slippery.thenget oout a short blade utility saw and a sureform and an upside down picnic bench with the legs likeX’s scribble an outline on one side of a blank cut it out copy your test outline on a piece of masonite I recomend Perry Masonite the best used by all the real shaping savants.then goto work makink the curve acontinuious curve witha masonite sanding block{capable of bridging highspots an lowspots and there you havit saved 50 bucks and you can gloat back on the cape .oh yes put a blue sticker dot on your pocket protector real shapers will be more lkely to recognise your comitment.
in thewords of the prophet
just do it man then get a scan.consider it free.
Ive only seen a blender mesh
once and it was too dark to make it out.

[stoneburner]

Science, art, sculpture, cybernetics, thought.
It’s not the path.
It’s the outcome…