Problem changing tool type

[fritter63]

Ok, the backstory:

I got a set of engraving bits from Toolstoday and downloaded their "master tool" file which contains .tool definitions for Fusion 360. Then I imported the tools into my cloud library.

But when I tried to use one of the engraving bits for doing an engraving, I got an error about it not being a valid tool. Turns out it was defined as a "countersink" bit, not a chamfer. BUT.... when I try to edit the tool, the selections drop down for type does NOT include chamfer mill (or many of the others). What gives with this?

See attached screen capture:

[Richard.stubley · Accepted solution]

Hi @fritter63,

I've just downloaded the library and seeing the same issue.

the reason you cant change the tool type is its trying to swap it between a "holemaking" tool to a "Milling" tool, this unfortunately cant be done.

Its quite odd that they are defined as a countersink, a chamfer tool would be how I'd expect this to be defined.

My suggestion would be to make this tool yourself as a chamfer tool, just look at the geometry they have defined and use that.

[fritter63]

That is exactly what I did as a workaround.

Not exactly a user friendly solution....

[johnswetz1982]

I think that is a toolstoday problem not a fusion problem. Though there have been several threads about being able to use more tools for more operation types.

[fritter63]

The incorrectly coded .tool file is the fault of tools today for sure.

The inability to do simple, reasonable, editing of an existing tool falls on Fusion.

[christopher.cooperVHK2N]

Regarding the tooling discussion on this thread, in the tool type dropdown the options to change tool are restricted to the existing tool type. This is not the case in the old library, do users thing that it is useful in the new one? 

Obviously in this case it would have been but I cannot think of many other user cases.

If it is useful then I will create a task for it

Thanks.

[johnswetz1982]

I didn't look at the problem further. I just assumed that the data models were incompatible to be able to switch tool types after the fact. If the old library could do this I think the new library should be able to. I have seen several threads similar to this were tool was defined as countersink and not useable for engraving.

[jdholbrook33]

For many of my parts I used a "corner rounding" bit to give them a nice edge.

Now I want to change to a chamfer mill but keep the tool number since I'm using it on many parts and would have to go back through the whole list to change.

How to change my "Engrave / Chamfer mill" to a "Spot Drill" without having to go through each and every part that uses it?

Why can't we just change it at the tool edit window?

Why do you have to lock a tool into a certain type?

Going to cause me a lot of work...

[christopher.cooperVHK2N]

@jdholbrook33 as tools in projects are copies of each other even if you could change the type through the dropdown you would still have to do it for every project though right?

I was wondering if exporting the tool library out as a .csv file and changing it in Excel would help?

Fusion 360 Help | Export and import a tool library | Autodesk

Thanks Chris