Synchronize meaningful tool names

[Emmess (Matthias Solga)]

I have one laptop I mainly work with, where I also maintain my tool database.
Occasionally I look up a project at my workplace desktop.
And I have one CC copy on the laptop what controls the CNC controler.

Now when tool changes are announced CM shows a name. I could not figure out yet what line from the database that is. It shows the number I think, and letters cannot be entered there.

What item should be named properly here

that it appears on the screen with the tool change?

Of course the CM chooses the proper, same bit what was designed to be used at the CC at my main laptop.

And what to do that the changes I make on my main laptop show in the CM on the machine laptop? Means how to synchronize the tool properties and names?

[mhotchin (Michael Hotchin)]

• Run CC
• Select menu item Help / About
• Hit “Open Data Directory”
• Go into “Carbide Create \ tools”

Your tools are in the files here. Copy these files to the other machine.

There are more complicated was to automatically synchronize, but the manual way works pretty well. Most people don’t define new tools so often that the manual sync is too burdensome.

[WillAdams (William Adams (Carbide 3D))]

How to sync your tool library with basically any cloud solution (Dropbox, OneDrive, etc.) - Windows only, sorry!

So, I have a dedicated laptop out in the shop to run my Shapeoko, buy my main production machine is a desktop here in my office. Since I’m trying to setup good consistent tooling information, I was frustrated that the hard work I put into setting up correct/comprehensive tool libraries on the laptop wouldn’t allow me to do all of my toolpath designing here on the desktop. If you haven’t discovered it yet, you can edit the CSV files (just plain “comma-separated values”) in Excel to take better c…

[Emmess (Matthias Solga)]

Any idea what field I have to change in the tools’ database to be displayed in the CM window? Would save me some experimenting …

[WillAdams (William Adams (Carbide 3D))]

When making a test tool:

The only information which makes it into the G-code are:

(TOOL 127: Test)
(Toolpath: Drilling Toolpath 1)
(Drilling Toolpath 1)
M05
(TOOL/MILL,12.70, 0.00, 12.70, 0.00)
M6T127

so for 3rd party tooling, Name and Tool Number should be worth experimenting with.

[Emmess (Matthias Solga)]

did not work. Tool defined with name, number etc.

and defined in the file accordingly:

yet does not appear when CC calls for it:

??

[WillAdams (William Adams (Carbide 3D))]

Correct, for third-party tooling, only the tool # comes through at this time.

ISTR there’s a feature request for this, so we’ll have to see what happens in future versions.

[Emmess (Matthias Solga)]

So I thought I could alter the C3D tool file. Have those in my CC.

Also could nicely import other files like CIC:

but cannot see C3D files anywhere in the directory.

Miraculous.

Will have to have a list what the tool numbers mean.

In the shop.

On paper.

Pinned somewhere.

Paper is so eighties.

[WillAdams (William Adams (Carbide 3D))]

FWIW, I’ve considered working up a meaningful numbering convention:

Methodology for numbering tools

It’s been a while since we discussed this. I began discussing a scheme for this at: In the course of writing: it has of course been necessary to refer to various tools — since I work for Carbide 3D I’ve been using their tool #s where available, and those of various other manufacturers where C3D doesn’t make a given tool. Naturally, that’s just a big, inconsistent mess… So, if one wanted to make a system for numbering tools referring only to the geometry of the tools, what might it look …

but mostly, I just use short and meaningful numbers which are tied-in w/ the Carbide 3D system, so the 1/8" 90 degree V tools I use for joinery are #390, the Amana 1/4" 45 degree V tool I just splurged on will be entered as #345, the 3mm square endmill is #103, the 8mm radiused tool I use for surfacing is #608, &c.

At some point, I’ll work up a way to label the containers they are in to match.

Perhaps using something like to:

SecureBits Storage System for Cutting Tools