Using a tool other than a V-bit

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jcannot
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Using a tool other than a V-bit

Post by jcannot »

Is there a way to use a tool other than a V-bit in the PhotoVCarve that is now a part of VCarve Pro 10.0?

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Adrian
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Re: Using a tool other than a V-bit

Post by Adrian »

Not in the current version. No idea if that will change in future updates.

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Re: Using a tool other than a V-bit

Post by GEdward »

In my version, 1.102, the tool data base lists V-bits, engraving bits and ball nose. So the answer to your question should be yes. I use the ball nose geometry quite a lot for lithophanes and photo reliefs. While there is no accommodation for tapered ball nose bits, which I use mostly, I have found that to not be a problem. I just enter the tip diameter dimension and let the software assume the tool has straight sides. I think perhaps it helps to use taper bits with the steepest possible sides for any given tip radius/diameter in order to achieve the most faithful reproduction.

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Re: Using a tool other than a V-bit

Post by GEdward »

My bad! After re-reading the original post it seems you are asking about the version of Photo VCarve that is included in Vcarve 10, not the stand alone version of Photo VCarve.

ChrisG
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Re: Using a tool other than a V-bit

Post by ChrisG »

Has anyone figured out how to add a ballnose cutter into the tool database for photovcarve on V10?

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Adrian
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Re: Using a tool other than a V-bit

Post by Adrian »

ChrisG wrote:Has anyone figured out how to add a ballnose cutter into the tool database for photovcarve on V10?
It's not really a matter of figuring it out. The software currently only allows v-bits to be used in the toolpath unlike in the full PVC. You could use a ballnose in the actual cut but of course the preview would show what it would look like with a v-bit instead.

loopacrylics
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Re: Using a tool other than a V-bit

Post by loopacrylics »

Seems like it will be a bit of trial and error until support for more tools is added. I also noticed I cannot change the line spacing lower than 100%.

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Adrian
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Re: Using a tool other than a V-bit

Post by Adrian »

loopacrylics wrote:Seems like it will be a bit of trial and error until support for more tools is added. I also noticed I cannot change the line spacing lower than 100%.
You can type any value you want into the line spacing box provided you're using a version of Aspire or VCarve at 10.011 or later.

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Xxray
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Re: Using a tool other than a V-bit

Post by Xxray »

loopacrylics wrote:Seems like it will be a bit of trial and error until support for more tools is added. I also noticed I cannot change the line spacing lower than 100%.
Seems to me there won't be support added, if both aspire and VCP could do everything PVC could do, it would nearly fold as a stand alone purchase option. They walk the same thin line with their other stand alone programs [cut 2&3d], some features must be left exclusive.
Doug

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ohiolyons
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Re: Using a tool other than a V-bit

Post by ohiolyons »

I guess I'll have to go back and look at the promo info for version 10, but my recollection was they implied we didn't need PhotoVCarve now.

I don't remember the asterisk saying most of the functionality.
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ohiolyons
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Re: Using a tool other than a V-bit

Post by ohiolyons »

Current product comparison page shows all functionality of PVC in Aspire. Not even the hint of an asterisk.
John Lyons
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Adrian
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Re: Using a tool other than a V-bit

Post by Adrian »

ohiolyons wrote:Current product comparison page shows all functionality of PVC in Aspire. Not even the hint of an asterisk.
Aspire is different to VCarve though.

The big difference between the PhotoVCarve toolpath in VCarve and Aspire compared to PhotoVCarve itself is that you can't use ballnoses to create lithopanes. In Aspire you can create lithopanes from scratch anyway so it does have the same functionality.

You can create lithopanes in VCarve too but you have to have a 3D model of the picture to start with as you can't create it.

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