CRV Files to CRV3d

[Dash66]

Hello, all!!
I am on a facebook site and a very nice guy share a file with me. He sent it to me as a NRG file and I think it is a Mach 3 file. He went thru and resaved it as a crv3d file. I think this is an Aspire file. I have v-carve. Is there a way I can resave this file without bothering anyone from that format to a simple crv file?

Dash

[martin54]

If the file is crv3d then yes that is the aspire file format, aspire has an option to save files in crv format. Sure I have read on the forum that you can download the trial version of aspire open the file with that & then use the option to save the file in crv format.
If the file contains any 3d models then these won't be saved & will be removed but everything else should save OK

[mtylerfl]

I don't think anything saved from a Demo/Trial version can be carved, though.

[Dash66]

Well, Gentlemen, thats what I thought. I was worth asking you guys because yall are the Wizards....I thank you so much!!
Happy Carving,
Dash

[FixitMike]

I don't think anything saved from a Demo/Trial version can be carved, though.

You can load a saved .crv file and make a toolpath with a registered copy of VCarve or Aspire. At least on the same computer. I've not tried it with different computers.

[martin54]

As Mike says as long as the demo version of Aspire is installed on the same machine that the registered version of vcarve is on then it should be OK, there are limitations on what will be saved though as I said in the other post.

I'm only a wizard because I have made a lot of posts, most of them are probably in the gallery section telling other people what a great job they have done & wishing I could do work like it

[mtylerfl]

I think What Fixitmike and Martin said is right, under the conditions they outlined.

Please try it and let us know if it worked for you. I'm not sure whether a cry file saved out from an Aspire Trial is encoded in some way that would prevent your licensed VCarve software from using it. Anxious to hear what you discover.

[sharkcutup]

Loading the CRV3d file into the trial version of Aspire and then saving the file (.crv) for V-Carve does work (can be carved in V-Carve)! I have done this several times. But as several individuals have pointed out here the models are not saved -- just the vectors.

But one note I would like to make -- if you want vector outlines of the models saved make sure all the models have vector outlines before you save file to .crv for V-Carve.

I do not own Aspire (rather costly) but I have their trial version just for the above mentioned purpose.

Sharkcutup

[mtylerfl]

Thank you for the confirmation, Sharkcutup!

[sharkcutup]

Your Welcome!!!

Side Note -
Are you the Michael Tyler of all the carve .pdf files at Vectric?

If so --
Fantastic work!!! I have made/carved several of your projects!

Sharkcutup

[mtylerfl]

Yes. I make the Projects of the Month for Vectric as well as CarveWright. Twenty four projects a year, plus custom commissions, modeling and personal projects as time permits.

Thank you for the kind words and I'm very glad to know you've enjoyed making some of the projects!

[Dash66]

Good Morning all!!

As usual, I learn something new every time I log on. Thank you all so much!!

Dash

[Wallycarve]

I would like to connect with Mr Michael Tyler.
I have just discovered the Buffalo Nickel Coin Bank and am hugely impressed by
the quality of the coin scan that he uses in this project.
I have devoted a lot of my time trying to come up with
a method to reproduce some of my coins in wood as a 8" disc .
but my attempts have not produced the quality to match his 3D work.
I use Aspire 8.5 and Shark HD2 carver.

I am writing to see if you might share Mr. Michael Tyler's email with me or
ask him to contact me at goldrushwally@gmail.com . There is so much for me to learn from his project
and I would like to discuss it with Mr. Tyler if that is possible.
Wally

[mtylerfl]

Wally did contact me via email. I am posting a copy of my response here, in case it's of interest to anyone else as to my process.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Hi Wally,

Thank you for contacting me and for your kind words on the nickel project.

I did not scan the nickel. Rather, I downloaded photos from the US Mint website and elsewhere, then imported "the best" photos into Aspire. Using the photos as a guide, I drew all the vector outlines to create individual model components which were composited, merged and sculpted in Aspire to yield the final complete model(s).

I've also done a Lincoln Head penny coin bank (for the CarveWright company) using the same method described above - imported a photo for reference, then drew vectors for modeling, etc.

I do own a very high quality laser scanner (the NextEngine scanner). It does a fantastic job of scanning objects - except coins! The reason it can't produce a suitable scan for conversion to a carve-able model is that coins don't have enough depth in the relief for the laser to pick up well enough. We're talking mere thousands of an inch between heights of a coin relief. The laser simply can't discern the slight differences in those depths (in crisp enough detail) to turnout a good relief model.

When I originally got the scanner, I had "visions" of scanning all sorts of coins, then enlarging the scans to create larger relief models for CNC machining. Unfortunately, it is not well-suited for that particular purpose, as it turns out.

So, at some point I will model more coins "by hand" as I did the Buffalo nickel and the Lincoln penny, but as you can imagine, it is time-consuming (typically several hours). The results are certainly worth the effort and I'm very pleased with the outcome, but there is no satisfactory shortcut to the process that I know of.

So far, my conclusion is coins must be modeled by hand to achieve a high-quality model bound for CNC carving. Depths are adjusted/slightly exaggerated (not to scale) to achieve excellent carvings, yet still resemble the shallow bas relief appearance of a real coin. Many decisions regarding depths are necessarily made during the modeling stage.

I hope this helps. Please contact me if you have more questions I may be able to help you with. It is very nice to hear from you.

[Wallycarve]

Hello Michael,
Thank you for this note and all the helpful advice in it.
Like you, I have tried scanning coins but no useful files for carving were created.
I paid to have some scans by high quality Artec Spider scanner ,
I agree with you about laser scanners not being good enough yet.

I devoted many hours to model like you did but my results were far inferior to what you have produced
please see couple of samples enclosed.
Would you consider offering a course in how to model coins?
Again, Thank you for your kind remarks
Wally