free/cheap CNC router control software?
 

A friend bought a CNC 3 axis router(I think it has a pivoting table too), the problem is it comes with CNC software that was released in 2000, IRRC its mastercam 8.


I haven't had time to use it, but according to him the software is dated and a PIA to use...



Does anyone have any suggestions on other software that's out there??

check out cnczone.com

Mastercam is one of the most powerful, and expensive packages out there. Tell him to keep it on the machine, and get the license transferred into his name. He may want it later. Yes, it requires training to use - lots of improvements have occured in the last 11 years to make it easier for dummies (those not trained in CNC) to run CNC.

I have not run mine in so long that I can not remember what software I have. Fairly easy to use, but its limited in capacity. Not sure if you will find freeware that will run a rotary table also.

MasterCam isn't for running the machine, but rather for programming the tool paths - it is awesome programming software for sure. You would need a cnc controller program to run the machine via computer - Mach is quite popular for windows operation...powerful and inexpensive (free for up to 1000 lines of code, which isn't much once you get going, but allows you to get to know the software for free). artofcnc.com is their website I think.