What's New in Easel

Rapid Connect from Browser (Early Access)

Easel can now directly connect to your CNC machine without the need to install any software (the Easel Driver). This means you can now connect from more devices, including Chromebooks and older Mac or Windows computers.

Note: This functionality has completed early access testing and is now available to everyone.

How to Use

If you are using Chrome, Edge, or Opera and do not have the Easel Driver installed, you will get a new screen when you click the Carve button that looks like this:

This will open a list of ports where you can authorize Easel to connect:

Automatic Reconnect

Some machines identify themselves uniquely to your computer and Easel will reconnect to them automatically. Others will ask you to re-authorize the connection each time you plug in. You still have the option to install the Easel Driver if your machine falls into the latter category.

Firefox and Safari Not Supported

This feature relies on behavior only available in Chromium-based browsers (e.g. Chrome, Edge, Opera). Firefox and Safari are NOT supported.

Already Have the Easel Driver?

If you've already installed the Easel Driver but want to use the new rapid connection functionality, you have the option to uninstall the Easel Driver.

GRBL ESP32 support

We have added Grbl ESP32 as an option for all machines. Grbl ESP32 is the Grbl port that ships with certain controllers, including XPRO. The option is marked as "(Beta)", just like FluidNC.

You can select this controller and motion method when setting up your machine.

Freehand Drawing

You can now draw freehand shapes directly in Easel, giving you a faster and more natural way to create custom geometry. Just select the Freehand tool from the Pen Tool dropdown and start drawing on the canvas.

As you draw, your strokes are automatically converted into editable paths. You'll see a live preview as the line follows your cursor, making it easy to sketch fluid shapes or rough ideas without worrying about precision upfront.

When you release your cursor, the shape is finalized and you can adjust it like any other - move nodes, refine curves, or apply sharp corners. This makes it easy to go from a quick sketch to a polished design.

Give it a try and see where it takes your designs!

Simplify shapes

You can now simplify shapes in your design to reduce the number of points, making transformations easier and toolpath generation faster. Just right-click a shape and choose Simplify from the menu.

In the Simplify modal, you’ll find a slider that lets you control how much the shape is simplified. Drag it to the right for a more aggressive effect. As you adjust it, you’ll see a live preview along with before-and-after point counts.

When you click Apply, the selected shape will be replaced with the simplified version.

For even better results, try using the Separate option first to break a shape into smaller parts, then simplify each one individually.

Simplification works especially well with natural, organic, or smooth shapes. For more technical designs with sharp edges, it may introduce some distortion. It’s worth experimenting to find the right balance.

Try it out today!

Resume Carve for 3D Designs

Resume Carve now works for 3D designs. Available to Easel Pro subscribers, it works just like Resume Carve for non-3D designs.

Step by Step Walkthrough

To resume a carve that got interrupted, first select the "Resume Carve" option from the new dropdown option on the "Carve" button:

This will launch a carve walkthrough much like the one you're used to, except that there will be a new step to select the starting point for the carve right before you kick it off:

Warning: When starting a carve in the middle, it is important to exercise extra caution to make sure you are choosing a safe starting point.

Offset Linked Measurement Lines

Linked measurement lines can now be offset from their original positions. This makes it easier to continue designing while keeping measurements visible but out of the way.

How to use it:

1. Create a linked measurement line (a line that connects the bounding box edge of one volume to another).

2. Click the linked measurement line to select it.

3. Drag it in the direction you want to offset it.

The measurement will stay linked to the same volumes while not getting in the way of your design.

Milling Direction

Easel Pro now supports the selection of Milling Direction for each cut. It works for both fills and outlines:

Default: The direction of cuts is variable.

Climb (CCW): Forces a counter-clockwise toolpath. This method typically creates a cleaner surface finish and is easier on your bits.

Conventional (CW): Forces a clockwise toolpath. This method can be useful for preventing tear-out on certain materials and reducing backlash.

Easel Project Chat

Ask questions and give feedback directly on a project with the Project Chat feature.

When you share your project or publish it to the Gallery, other makers will be able to view your project in the Sandbox and send messages via the chat panel. Simply click the chat icon in the top right corner to open the chat panel, and send a message to start the conversation.

Note: Messages are public and will be visible to anyone with access to the shared project. Commenting access can be revoked by setting shared projects to Private.

Gallery Follows

You can now follow users in the Easel Gallery!

Simply click the Follow button on a user's gallery profile page to stay up to date on their new published projects:

You'll be notified in the Activity tab whenever a user you follow publishes a new project:

You can also check out the following and followers tabs on each user's Easel Gallery Profile Page to see who other users are connected to:

Shape separation in Easel

Hello, We are pleased to announce an option to separate shapes into individual components directly in Easel. This feature reflects our ongoing commitment to providing you with more powerful and intuitive editing tools directly within your workflow.

Simply right-click any shape and select Separate from the menu, or find the tool under the Edit menu.

• Fill Shapes: Non-touching shapes will be split into individual components.
• Outline Paths: These will be separated into independent paths, even if they overlap.
• Text: Text objects will convert into individual letters. The selection is preserved so you can immediately group them to maintain their alignment.
• Groups: You can also separate entire groups of shapes using these same rules.