Circular Array Explaination

gdon_2003 · July 17, 2026, 5:42pm

I am trying to make a circular array. I dont understand the X and Y positions in the Circular Array tool.

I created the circular object with two rings inside it. The rings are the diameter of rings on a face plate for my lathe. I am going to create a 15" disk and have the face plate in the center and machine the 6 holes on each of the two inner rings.

The inner ring is 1.071" radius and the outer one is 1.661" radius. I want a 0.1120" radius hole evenly spaced for 6 holes.

What I am not understand is the X and Y positions in the circular array tool. I pick the 0.1120 circle and I get a circle with 6 circles but I cannot figure out how to have those 6 holes around the 1.071" or the 1.661" radius circles.

I am using Carbide Create 853.

Here is a picture of the face plate.

The picture only has 4 holes on each radius but mine has 6. But mine looks very similar.

mhotchin · July 17, 2026, 8:24pm

Upload your file. No one want to re-create it just to experiment to see what might be a solution.

gdon_2003 · July 17, 2026, 9:08pm

lathe_face_plate.c2d (44 KB)

WillAdams · July 17, 2026, 9:46pm

Given 3 nested circles with a common center:

Select one and choose Move

then click on the center proxy:

and note the X- and Y-coordinates, in this case:

X: 4.2500
Y: 3.7500

then select an object on the perimeter which one wishes to rotate around that circle’s perimeter:

and choose “Circular Array”:

edit the Center (X) and Center (Y) coordinates to match those noted previously:

and adjust the number as desired:

Repeat as necessary.

If need be, select all the elements and a larger circle with the same center and rotate so as to achieve a desired position.

Tod1d · July 19, 2026, 12:52pm

The current array center (Red arrow) is off to the side. Select the center of one of the larger circles to set the center for the array (Blue arrow). Make sure the tooltip on the cursor says “Center” rather than “Grid” or “Node”

gdon_2003 · July 25, 2026, 9:14pm

I got my problem figured out thanks to @WillAdams and @Tod1d . However I made a mistake. The plywood I used to make my lathe sanding disk already had a center marked on it. I had this left over from a steady rest I had made and assumed the X was the center and never checked it. Well it was not the center. So I glued 1/4" dowels into the wrong holes and recut the project. Now it is correct. Sometimes you are your own worse enemy. It was an easy fix and a fast cut.

Here is where the original disk came from. Evidently I did not have things centered. Live and learn.