Tool Database

[Vmastros]

I have not been using my CNC router much lately. I may have forgotten a few things. I'm trying to do an inlay. I go to the inlay setup to do the male inlay toolpath. I click on select to select the tool. The first image is the DB that shows up. If I go to the Toolpaths button on the top bar, I get the second image. OOOOOOOOOOOkay. I cannot select a tool from the second DB.

Also, this issue is inconsistent. Sometimes the second DB comes up when I hit the select button on the creating toolpaths screen. What am I missing? How do I select the default DB?

[Adrian]

You have different material selected. The first image you have MDF selected so you are seeing all the tools you have setup for that material. In the second image you have Softwood selected so you get that set of tools.

[Vmastros]

Thanks for the reply. No matter what material I select the DB is the same.

[Adrian]

But you have two different toolpaths. The database will only show the tools that are relevant to the toolpath being used.

You can right click in the tool list window to turn on showing all tools but you still won't be able to select a tool that isn't valid for the toolpath.

[Vmastros]

Adrian,
I know you have forgotten more about Vectric than I will ever know. I would think the larger bits would not be available not the smaller bits. I have attached my project file for you to review. It seems to me that I should be able to use a V-engraving bit to get the detail on the inlay but I can't.

The 3d view of the toolpath shows a poor result. I know I need a smaller bit to do the detail but it is not available. Thanks.

[adze_cnc]

The built-in inlay toolpath in Cut2D / VCarve / Aspire is for cutting vertical-sided inlay sockets and plugs. Thus, it doesn’t allow the selection of v-bits or engraving bits,

Perhaps you are confusing the built-in inlay toolpath with the tapered inlay method developed by Paul Zank in 2006 and described at this post: A Simple Way to Make Inlays ?

The tapered inlay method takes advantage of the “V-Carve / Engraving Toolpath” and some start depth and flat depth tricks. As such will accept angled cutters such as v-bits, engraving bits, and tapered ball end bits.

[Vmastros]

I'm still a bit confused as to why I get one DB when I click on the bar at the top and a different DB when I go through the toolpath tab menu. I went back to an old inlay I did and looked at the toolpath. The tool that is shown on the toolpath does not show up when I click the select tool button.

I would think all of the tools would show up the ones which are not available be grayed out. Did something change when I installed the new version of Vectric. Did I mess up the migration? Thanks.

[Adrian]

As I explained the tools you see when you go through the toolpath are the tools that are allowed for that toolpath.

If you access the database directly from the top menu then there is no link to a toolpath so it shows all the tools you have setup.

If you want to see greyed out tools that are not available rather than not shown at all then you change that as I said by right clicking in the tool tree on the left of the database window and unselect/select the options to tailor the view as you like.

As for an old toolpath not selecting a tool in the database it will only do that if all the parameters still match from when the toolpath was originally created. If you've changed a tool setting via the Edit in the toolpath or changed it in the database outside of the toolpath then it will no longer be seen as the same tool and won't match up.

[Vmastros]

ok, thanks.