Does VCarve Pro include the VCarve Inlay toolpath, or is that Aspire-only?

The answer

Yes. VCarve Pro includes the same inlay toolset as Aspire:

• The classic Inlay Toolpath (straight, stepped, pocket and hole inlays with automatic cutter radius compensation)
• The VCarve Inlay Toolpath, a single form that creates the Pocket and the Plug toolpaths together and does the angled-wall V-inlay depth math for you

VCarve Desktop has the classic Inlay Toolpath (the maker describes auto-inlay as a general VCarve feature), but not the VCarve Inlay Toolpath. The maker's edition comparison table lists "VCarve Inlays" as Pro only.

Using it

There are no separate Pocket and Plug modes. One form makes both halves in one calculation.

1. Select the closed vectors of your artwork.
2. Open the VCarve Inlay Toolpath form and set Pocket Depth, Glue Gap and Surface Clearance. The official documentation gives 0.001 to 0.01 in (0.02 to 0.2 mm) as common Glue Gap values.
3. Select the V-bit. Pocket and Plug must use the same V-bit to fit together.
4. Choose the Plug Destination Sheet. If it is the same sheet as the artwork, the plug vectors and toolpaths are placed mirrored from the original position. If it is a different sheet, they are mirrored and moved to the center of that sheet. The software mirrors the plug itself, so do not mirror the artwork by hand, or the plug will be mirrored twice.
5. Calculate. You get a Pocket toolpath and a Plug toolpath. Cut the pocket in one piece of wood and the plug in the contrasting wood.
6. Glue, clamp, cure, then remove the plug backing. The Plug Stock left on the back of the plug is Pocket Depth plus Glue Gap.

After calculation the Pocket and Plug toolpaths are no longer linked. To change the V-bit, the Pocket Depth or the Flat Depth, delete both toolpaths and recalculate. The Pocket form still lets you change Start Depth, for example to drop the inlay into the bottom of an existing recess.

For the underlying depth math, a community depth recipe (0.15 in / 0.145 in / 0.025 in, a common shop recipe rather than an official value), and troubleshooting loose or non-seating inlays, see the dedicated inlay troubleshooting entry.

Pro tips

• The automated form is convenient, but knowing the manual depth recipe lets you tune fit for hard species and worn bits.
• If fine plug details snap during roughing, step the Start Depth up across several shallow toolpaths (see the inlay troubleshooting entry).