cncArtistMachines / LongMill and AltMill
Sienci Labs LongMill and AltMill
cncArtist for LongMill and AltMill: CAM for Mac, iPad and iPhone
Native Mac software for designing, simulating and cutting on Sienci Labs LongMill and AltMill. Free to download. $299 once to cut without limits. No subscription.
Why cncArtist suits LongMill and AltMill
Sienci machines run grblHAL and gSender, and cncArtist has a post written for exactly that pair. You design on the Mac, export, and open the file in gSender.
The AltMill preset assumes a manual bit change with a tool-length offset, and the post writes the tool change into the file.
What it writes, and how to send it
grblHAL · gSender post
File extension .nc. The post writes the tool change into the program, so a multi-bit job stays in one file and pauses where you swap bits.
How to send it
gSender, Sienci's free sender. Open the .nc file in gSender, connect to the machine, set zero and run.
gSender is a separate Sienci program; we describe how owners usually use it, so check Sienci's documentation for your version. cncArtist's posts are checked with golden-file tests: the output for a sample job is compared with a saved copy, so a change cannot slip through unnoticed. That is a software test, not a certification on any machine. Run the simulator and an air cut on a new setup before every first cut.
Presets for LongMill and AltMill
Pick your machine by maker and model and cncArtist fills in the bed size, Z travel, safe height and post. These are the makers' published cutting areas, and you can change any figure.
| Preset | Bed | Z travel | Post |
|---|---|---|---|
| LongMill MK2 30×30 | 792 × 845 mm 31.2 × 33.3 in | 114 mm | grblHAL · gSender |
| LongMill MK2 48×30 | 1257 × 845 mm 49.5 × 33.3 in | 114 mm | grblHAL · gSender |
| AltMill 4×4 | 1260 × 1248 mm 49.6 × 49.1 in | 170 mm | grblHAL · gSender |
Features that matter on LongMill and AltMill
Every line checked first
The simulator plays the whole job back in wood, marks gouges on the board and lists each problem with its toolpath or G-code line, before anything reaches the machine.
Guided zeroing at the machine
Walk up to the machine with your iPhone or iPad and follow the steps for X, Y and Z, so the zero you set is the zero the program uses.
Inlays that fit
Male and female parts are cut from one design, so the plug seats tight. V-carve, pocket, profile, 3D, two-sided, tiling and nesting are all in the same app.
Times that learn
Record how long a job really took and cncArtist adjusts its run-time estimates for your machine, so they get closer every job.
From design to first cut
- Pick LongMill MK2 30x30, 48x30 or AltMill 4x4 in Machine.
- Design and choose toolpaths. Feeds are set for your bit and material.
- Simulate, then export the ZIP.
- Open the .nc file in gSender and connect to the machine.
- Set zero, run a quick air cut, then cut.
Questions
Do I need Windows for gSender?
No. gSender has a Mac version, so the whole workflow can stay on a Mac.
What file does it write?
A plain .nc file from the grblHAL post.
Does it work on iPad?
cncArtist runs on iPad, but you still need a computer running gSender to send the file.
Coming from Vectric? Read VCarve for Mac.
Free to download.
$299 once to cut without limits.
Design and simulate as much as you like. Your first three jobs export free. Then one purchase unlocks cncArtist on Mac, iPad and iPhone. Commercial use included.
Cut 3 jobs free.
Every design tool, every simulation, and G-code for your first three jobs. No card, no time limit.
Once. Everywhere.
Unlimited export on Mac, iPad and iPhone with one purchase. Free 1.x updates. Family Sharing. Commercial use included.
Launch price $249 until 11:59 pm on Thursday, Dec 31, 2026.
No subscription.
Pay once, cut forever. A paid major version every few years, with an owner upgrade price.