Free, easy software for your FoxAlien Masuter
The Masuter Pro has a 400 × 400 × 60 mm working area and two spindle clamps, 52 mm and 65 mm, so it takes a small spindle or a 65 mm router such as a Makita. Surfacecraft is free design and CAM software in your browser, with a Masuter preset and feeds and speeds worked out from your bit.
For the Masuter Pro. Nothing to install. Mac, Windows, Linux and Chromebook. Updated .- Work area
- 400 × 400 mm
- Firmware
- GRBL
- Spindle
- A spindle in the 52 mm clamp, which GRBL controls (FoxAlien's settings allow up to 10,000 rpm), or a 65 mm router set on its own dial.
- Preset
- FoxAlien Masuter 4040
- Output
- G21 G90 G94 · M3 S… · one .nc per bit
What to know about the FoxAlien Masuter
52 mm spindle or 65 mm router
Tell Surfacecraft which one you fitted. With a router, enter its dial settings and every file says which number to set.
Room to nest parts
Lay out several parts on one sheet and cut them in one job, with holding tabs so the last part doesn't shift.
Preset ready
Pick the FoxAlien Masuter preset and the work area, top speed (2,000 mm/min, from FoxAlien's settings) and start code are filled in.
FoxAlien Masuter feeds and speeds to start with
Starting points for solid carbide 2-flute end mills, worked out for the FoxAlien Masuter 4040 preset and kept under its 2,000 mm/min top speed. They're the numbers Cut Studio suggests when you pick the bit and material.
| Material | ⅛″ 2-flute end mill |
|---|---|
| Softwoodpine, spruce, fir | 1,350 mm/min 6,250 rpm · 1.51 mm per pass |
| Hardwoodsoft maple, cherry, walnut | 1,025 mm/min 6,250 rpm · 1.51 mm per pass |
| Plywoodbaltic birch, birch plywood, cabinet plywood | 1,250 mm/min 6,250 rpm · 1.51 mm per pass |
| MDF / particle boardmdf, hdf, particle board | 1,500 mm/min 6,250 rpm · 1.51 mm per pass |
| Acrylicacrylic, cast acrylic, plexiglass | 875 mm/min 6,250 rpm · 1.27 mm per pass |
Chiploads come from bit makers' published ranges (Onsrud, Amana Tool, Whiteside), kept at the gentle end for hobby machines. Every machine and bit is a little different: listen for chatter on a test cut and adjust.
FoxAlien Masuter GRBL settings
The maker's own values, for when a setting got changed and the machine stopped behaving. Send $$ in your sender to see yours, and $110=2000 (for example) to set one.
| Setting | Value | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| $100 | 80 | X steps/mm |
| $101 | 80 | Y steps/mm |
| $102 | 1600 | Z steps/mm |
| $110 | 2000 | X max rate, mm/min |
| $111 | 2000 | Y max rate, mm/min |
| $112 | 500 | Z max rate, mm/min |
| $120 | 300 | X acceleration, mm/s² |
| $121 | 300 | Y acceleration, mm/s² |
| $122 | 30 | Z acceleration, mm/s² |
| $130 | 380 | X max travel, mm |
| $132 | 50 | Z max travel, mm |
| $22 | 1 | Homing on |
| $30 | 10000 | Max spindle speed |
| $31 | 0 | Min spindle speed |
| $32 | 0 | Laser mode off |
From the settings file FoxAlien publishes for the Masuter Pro 4080. FoxAlien converts a Masuter Pro to the 4080 by changing only $131 (Y travel), so that one is left out. Source: FoxAlien's Masuter Pro settings file.
From box to first cut
Surfacecraft makes the G-code. A sender runs it: the one that came with your kit, gSender or Universal Gcode Sender (all free), or Surfacecraft itself over USB with Pro.
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01
Create a free account Open Cut Studio in your browser. Nothing to download.
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02
Add your machine Pick the FoxAlien Masuter 4040 preset. Check the top speed against your manual.
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03
Make a design Draw text and shapes or import an SVG. Give each shape a depth, a cut and a bit.
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04
Check the 3D preview It's built from the real G-code, so what you see is what the bit will do.
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05
Download and run Load the bit the file's header names, zero where it says, and run it in your sender.
FoxAlien Masuter test G-code
A first cut to check your machine before you design anything: a 40 × 30 mm pocket and a 40 × 30 mm outline, both 3 mm deep, with a ⅛″ 2-flute end mill in pine. Made by Cut Studio with the FoxAlien Masuter 4040 preset, at the softwood numbers in the table above, and it runs in about 2 minutes.
Clamp a piece of pine at least 100 × 60 × 6 mm. Zero X and Y on its front-left corner and Z on its top, then run the file in your sender.
A set of four coasters
Make one coaster, copy it three times on a 300 mm board and cut them all at once. The 3D preview shows the pockets and tabs before you start.
FoxAlien Masuter software questions
Design and G-code in Surfacecraft, free in your browser. Run the file with a free sender such as gSender or Universal Gcode Sender, or send it over USB with Surfacecraft Pro.
Yes. Surfacecraft runs in any modern browser on Mac, Windows, Linux and Chromebook.
No. Choose the bit and material and Surfacecraft works them out from chipload, kept under your machine's top speed.
Yes. Designing, toolpaths, the 3D preview and G-code export are on the Free plan with no time limit. Pro adds sending jobs straight to the machine, more machines, AI tools and commercial use.
Free software for other machines
Your FoxAlien Masuter is ready. Now it has software.
Design and G-code are free, with no time limit. Send to your machine over USB with Pro.