topic Re: G-code for CNC LATHE in Fusion Manufacture Forum

G-code for CNC LATHE

Anonymous — Tue, 08 Nov 2016 22:50:18 GMT

Hi,

I am manufacturing baseball bats and I am now purchasing a CNC lathe. I have been designing my bat models (templates laser cut in acrylic) in AutoCAD which worked alright.

But now, I need G-Codes to run the lathe.

What is the best way?

1- Design in AutoCAD then convert the file into another software to get G-codes?

2- Directly use another software to design bats into G-code format?

Any helpful method is appreciated.

Thanks,

Marc

Re: G-code for CNC LATHE

HughesTooling — Tue, 08 Nov 2016 23:18:27 GMT

Design in Fusion then use the CAM to produce the G code. If you make a parametric sketch in Fusion you'll be able to modify the sizes and the CAM will update. Designing in another program first would just waste time. Just draw half of the bat then revolve to make a body.

Help on Revolve.

Mark

Re: G-code for CNC LATHE

Anonymous — Wed, 09 Nov 2016 02:14:04 GMT

Hi,

Ok great. That's what I thought, too many steps when starting in AutoCAD.

However, sorry for being a newbie, but is CAM another software then Fusion? Or a function within Fusion?

Thanks!
Marc

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Re: G-code for CNC LATHE

HughesTooling — Wed, 09 Nov 2016 09:56:01 GMT

Fusion includes CAM. Here a introduction to turning in Fusion.

Coming from AutoCAD you will probably find working with sketches a bit frustrating for a while, make sure you go through the tutorials and don't try and make the sketch environment work like AutoCAD.

Mark

Re: G-code for CNC LATHE

Anonymous — Fri, 11 Nov 2016 13:34:30 GMT

Hi,
Thank you for the response. I actually found a video of a guy designing a baseball bat. Only difference, he copied the outline of an image, whereas I would make precise lines at every inch in the x-axis. Then I would create a spline and connect the dots. Finally, adjusting the splines to make the perfect profile. Then use the revolve function.

My question:
Is there a way to scale a sketch length wise only?

I have several bat profiles. And each profiles need to be in about 8 different lengths (going from 31" to 34")

I know I could use my measurements lines I've done at every inch and move each by a factor of 34/33 let's say, but you can see how lengthy that process is.

Now, it's important that the diameter dimensions do not change. Only in length. And it's not just the end of the bat that lengthens an inch, it's the entire bat (all proportions remain the same)

Is there such function?

Thanks
Marc

Re: G-code for CNC LATHE

HughesTooling — Fri, 11 Nov 2016 14:34:39 GMT

Sketch doesn't have an option for non uniform scale but you can scale bodies non uniformly. What I'd do is create a component, with it active create your sketch and revolve then create new empty components for each size in the main component, copy the body from you first component and paste one copy into all the other components. Now component1 will be your master, you can activate any of the other components and use scale from the modify menu and just that body will be scaled. If you need to modify the master just select the sketch in the master component and edit, when finished all the copies will update.

Mark

Re: G-code for CNC LATHE

Anonymous — Sun, 13 Nov 2016 14:43:17 GMT

Ok, so, if I'm understanding correctly:

1- I design one bat in one length.
2- I add components to that sketch that represents each bat length I will wanna create.
3- in each component, I sketch the bat again manually
4- i save that and then I have a complete model done in each length
5- for all other models, all i would have to do is modify the master sketch and all the components (different bat lengths) would adjust automatically.

Is this it?

Questions:
- if I use splines, whenever the lengths adjust automatically, I will probably have to make some adjustments?

Thanks!
Marc

Re: G-code for CNC LATHE

Anonymous — Mon, 21 Nov 2016 22:04:09 GMT

To add to those questions from my last post, I wanted to know if the gcode file that comes out of Fusion 360 will be compatible with any CNC lathe? The way my lathe works, is simply to plug in a USB drive. Will this be ok with Fusion360 ?
You

Re: G-code for CNC LATHE

HughesTooling — Mon, 21 Nov 2016 23:35:13 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Ok, so, if I'm understanding correctly:

1- I design one bat in one length.
2- I add components to that sketch that represents each bat length I will wanna create.
3- in each component, I sketch the bat again manually
4- i save that and then I have a complete model done in each length
5- for all other models, all i would have to do is modify the master sketch and all the components (different bat lengths) would adjust automatically.

Is this it?

Questions:
- if I use splines, whenever the lengths adjust automatically, I will probably have to make some adjustments?

Thanks!
Marc

You have pretty much all that wrong. You need to work through some of the tutorials because you have the terminology wrong and until you know the program a bit better it's going to be difficult to help.

Here's a quick screencast to give you some idea how you can make one component the copy the body to another component and scale without effecting the first.

A couple of help links the start with.

http://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/ENU/Fusion-Model/files/GUID-8AC7DE3E-DE63-4FCE-9FDA-948ECFC6A93F.htm

http://help.autodesk.com/view/NINVFUS/ENU/?guid=GUID-E37B0456-A867-429F-BF69-6A4626DD31E7

Mark

Re: G-code for CNC LATHE

HughesTooling — Mon, 21 Nov 2016 23:40:23 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
To add to those questions from my last post, I wanted to know if the gcode file that comes out of Fusion 360 will be compatible with any CNC lathe? The way my lathe works, is simply to plug in a USB drive. Will this be ok with Fusion360 ?
You

Fusions comes with a few generic lathe post processors, these can be modified for your machine. When you have toolpaths set up you just pick post processes and you can save the g code to your usb.

Take a look at this post for info on requesting help modifying your post processor, when you know what you want make a post in the CAM forum.

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/computer-aided-machining-cam/post-processors-101/td-p/5916925

Mark

Re: G-code for CNC LATHE

Anonymous — Fri, 02 Dec 2016 22:36:53 GMT

So thanks to your screencast, I've successful come to design a bat in 3 different lengths. One master component, then different components for each length with the body scale function. I need to do more lengths but before, I wanted to get familiar with the CAM function.

I know I will need to choose or create the appropriate tool and so forth, but I've come to generate a decent tool path.

A couple questions:

- What is the appropriate way to generate the proper tool path for each component? Whenever I do a Setup with my Master Component, it doesn't adjust to the different lengths. Do I need to create a different Setup for each component?

Attached are a few screenshots

Thanks

Marc

Re: G-code for CNC LATHE

brenin_thomas — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 04:45:48 GMT

Hey! My husband and I just bought a cnc lathe to make wooden baseball bats. We are struggling with the creating, posting and g code and everything to make the lathe successfully turn a bat. I know this is a long shot but did you ever figure it out? Any help is much appreciated!!

Re: G-code for CNC LATHE

seth.madore — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 18:45:36 GMT

A post from 2016 from a user who's requested their account be deleted is in fact quite the long shot!
Can you give us a bit more info into what struggles you're running into? What machine and control, what post processor are you using?

Re: G-code for CNC LATHE

brenin_thomas — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 23:27:21 GMT

Hi Seth. Thank you for responding. I really appreciate it. I just feel like all of this is way over my head. We have a 1516 eagle tec two axis cnc wooden lathe. I have created a bat in fusion 360 based off of ChatGPT instructions because I have nothing else to go off of. I chose a fanuc. (Whatever that is). But every time I put my usb in my machine, it gives an alarm. Sometimes saying x axis overdrive and sometimes saying illegal comp address. I don’t know what else to do. I wish I had somebody that could walk me through exactly everything from start to finish. Can you help me?

Re: G-code for CNC LATHE

JosephByars — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 12:57:22 GMT

So, Fanuc is the controller type. I googled your lathe, and it uses a Rich Auto control according to the product page, so that is why the Fanuc settings are causing immediate alarms on your machine. However, Fusions library only has a Rich Auto post for a CNC Mill. (A Post is what Fusion uses to turn your tool pathing into G-Code specific to your machine control.) I unfortunately do not know how to create new Posts from scratch. However, looking at some other forum posts on here, it seems someone had success using the Mach3 Generic Turning post for their Rich Auto control. The machine manufacturer should also be able to tell you which post to use with Fusion.

Re: G-code for CNC LATHE

seth.madore — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 14:39:01 GMT

Do you have any g-code programs you've run on your machine, or perhaps some sample programs that came with the machine, or programs from the prior owner of said machine?

Re: G-code for CNC LATHE

brenin_thomas — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 16:28:54 GMT

We bought the machine new from china so that’s why this has been such a struggle as well. ChatGPT told me that I should be able to take a dxf file straight to the machine without a g code. Do you think this is true? So you’re thinking I should be able to use mach3 generic turning?

Re: G-code for CNC LATHE

JosephByars — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 19:04:19 GMT

If the machine supports DXF programming that could work, I have only ever used it on TRAK series machines and Classic Control HAAS machines in my past.

I cannot guarantee the Mach3 post will work, just stating what I saw on a few other posts on this forum.

Re: G-code for CNC LATHE

seth.madore — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 15:06:20 GMT

What is the actual machine, and do you have a manual for it, preferably in PDF format for sharing?