cncArtistMachines / Shapeoko
Carbide 3D Shapeoko
cncArtist for Shapeoko: CAM for Mac, iPad and iPhone
Native Mac software for designing, simulating and cutting on Carbide 3D Shapeoko. Free to download. $299 once to cut without limits. No subscription.
Why cncArtist suits Shapeoko
Shapeoko owners usually start on the free software that came with the machine and outgrow it: no 3D finishing you control, no inlays that fit, nothing to check the code before it runs. cncArtist is the step up that runs natively on the Mac you already use, and it writes the file Carbide Motion expects.
There is no Windows box, no Parallels and no subscription. Free to download, $299 once.
What it writes, and how to send it
Shapeoko · Carbide Motion 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
Carbide Motion, Carbide 3D's own control software. Open the exported file there and run it as you would a file from Carbide Create. A GRBL sender such as gSender or Universal Gcode Sender is the usual alternative.
The Shapeoko 5 Pro runs a newer controller than earlier models. cncArtist uses the Carbide Motion post for it; run an air cut and check the file in your sender before the first real cut. 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 Shapeoko
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shapeoko 4 XXL | 838 × 838 mm 33 × 33 in | 95 mm | Shapeoko · Carbide Motion |
| Shapeoko Pro XXL | 838 × 838 mm 33 × 33 in | 100 mm | Shapeoko · Carbide Motion |
| Shapeoko 5 Pro 4×4 | 1240 × 1240 mm 48.8 × 48.8 in | 120 mm | Shapeoko · Carbide Motion |
Features that matter on Shapeoko
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.
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.
Longer than your bed
Tiling splits a long sign into sections that line up across the joins, and two-sided jobs flip on guided registration.
Holder check
Before a deep pocket, cncArtist checks that the collet and nut clear the walls, not only the bit.
From design to first cut
- Open Machine in cncArtist and pick your Shapeoko from the Carbide 3D list. Bed size, Z travel and safe height fill in.
- Add the bits you own, then design and choose your toolpaths. Feeds and speeds are worked out from the bit, the material and your machine.
- Watch the whole job in the simulator and fix anything it flags.
- Export, and copy the .nc file to the computer running Carbide Motion.
- Load it in Carbide Motion, set zero the way you normally do, and make an air cut first.
Questions
Does cncArtist replace Carbide Create?
It does the same job, and more, on Mac, iPad and iPhone. You still use Carbide Motion (or another sender) to run the file.
Can I bring my Carbide Create files?
Export your vectors from Carbide Create as SVG or DXF and import them. cncArtist does not open Carbide Create's own project files.
Does it do tool changes?
Yes. The post writes M6 tool changes into the file, and the 5 Pro preset assumes a manual change with a tool-length offset.
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.