Bench Path StudiosHow to get the beta

Invite-only Windows export pilot

CNC software should tell you what is about to happen.

I’m building Bench Path Studios because the jump from a drawing to a moving router is where new users get left alone. It puts the board, bit, cut depth, clamps, and tool changes in one review before anything moves.

Show me how to get itWhy I started this ↓

0.1.0-rc.3 candidateFree pilotNo accountNo telemetry

Why this exists

The drawing was never the scary part.

The rough part comes later. Is the stock size right? Did I pick the wrong bit? Do I set Z again after the tool change? Is a clamp in the way?

Those answers are often scattered across menus, warnings, and setup screens. Bench Path Studios puts them in the order you need them and keeps the real numbers close by.

Explain the next step. Don’t hide the numbers. Don’t let a warning disappear without saying how to fix it.
The parts I am fixing

Five places CNC software should slow down.

These are not bonus features. They are the moments where a board, bit, or afternoon gets wasted.

  1. 01

    Picking a bit

    See a picture, what the bit does, what it is good for, and what can break it.

  2. 02

    Setting Z

    Test the touch plate, measure it, probe, remove it, and check the result.

  3. 03

    Changing tools

    Keep X and Y, replace the bit, set Z again, and confirm before the job continues.

  4. 04

    Checking the path

    Watch cuts and fast moves separately. See the tool change and clamp areas before carving.

  5. 05

    Starting the machine

    Confirm the board, zero, bit, clamps, dust collection, router state, and real power switch.

A normal job

Four screens, in the order you use them.

No mystery dashboard. Finish one job, then move to the next.

  1. 1

    Design

    Draw, add text, trace an image, or import an SVG, DXF, or 3D relief.

    What are you making?
  2. 2

    Prepare

    Enter the real stock size. Choose the cut, bit, depth, and tabs.

    How will it be cut?
  3. 3

    Review

    Watch the toolpath. Check clamps, fast moves, depth, and every tool stop.

    Does anything look wrong?
  4. 4

    Export

    Save checked G-code, a printable setup sheet, and an optional spindle-off rehearsal.

    What files do you review next?
Getting the beta

RC3 status: qualification in progress · no public download

Invited testers receive one exact verified build.

The RC3 installer is not public while its signature, clean-Windows behavior, rollback, exports, and moderated novice flow are being checked. You did not miss a download. Invited testers will receive the exact filename and SHA-256 after the owner signs GO.

Check the official download page
  1. 1

    Open the download page

    Click the green button above. If no download is listed, the beta is not ready yet. Close the page and check again later.

  2. 2

    Choose the setup file

    Look for a name that starts with Bench Path Studios Setup and ends with .exe. If you see the word Assets, click it to show the files. Skip the file with portable in its name for your first test.

  3. 3

    Find the file on your computer

    Your browser usually shows the finished download near its top-right corner. If you do not see it, open the yellow folder on the Windows taskbar, then open Downloads.

  4. 4

    Install and open Bench Path Studios

    Double-click the setup file. Click Next, leave the suggested folder alone, click Install, then click Finish. Open Bench Path Studios from the new desktop shortcut or the Windows Start menu.

Stop if Windows shows an unexpected warning.

Do not choose “Run anyway.” Take a picture of the warning and send it with your beta feedback so the installer can be fixed.

Want to remove it later?

Open Windows Settings → Apps → Installed apps. Find Bench Path Studios, click the three dots beside it, then click Uninstall.

The first beta group

I need testers who will complete the core flow without coaching.

Make a small sign with no machine connected. Save, quit, reopen, review the toolpath, and export the checked files. The moderator records where you hesitate; machine connection is unavailable in this pilot.

Open the beta feedback page

Your first 20 minutes

  1. Start a simple sign without reading a manual.
  2. Choose material, a bit, and a cut.
  3. Watch the whole preview.
  4. Try Back, Undo, Escape, Save, and Open.
  5. Uninstall and tell me what was left behind.
Leave the machine disconnected.

The first beginner session is about the software. Nobody needs to power a router to help.

What you are signing up for

This candidate has a deliberately narrow job.

It is being qualified for project creation, review, and checked export—not machine operation or paid publication.

Price
Free, invite-only pilot
Computer
Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit
Internet
Not required by the desktop app
Machine control
Disabled until a later hardware pilot
Primary outcome
Checked G-code and setup sheet
Questions I expect

Before you volunteer

Do I need to own a CNC?

No. RC3 is tested without connecting a machine.

Can RC3 control my machine?

No. Serial enumeration, connection, jogging, probing, and job streaming are disabled until a separately qualified hardware pilot.

Does the app upload my projects?

No. There is no account, telemetry, advertising, update ping, or built-in cloud service. Files stay where you save them.

What do I send back?

The moderator will ask for the saved project, checked G-code, setup sheet, and notes about any point where the next action was unclear.

Current status

RC3 qualification is in progress.

No tester link will be issued until the exact signed build passes the pilot gate and receives an owner-signed GO decision.

Check pilot status