Setting zero to center of stock by probing corners

WillAdams · March 19, 2025, 12:36am

Given the need to set the origin at the center of stock:

We probe to set the origin at the Lower Left corner:

click on “Position” to toggle to “Machine Position”:

and make note of the XY coordinates:

X: -716
Y: -305.88

Then probe the opposite corner:

and get its Machine Position:

X: -317.80
Y: -6.113

and do the math, or just draw up the rectangle and set it to the correct position:

then copy-paste and repeat for the other corner:

Then select both and get their intersection:

OK

Then get that center position:

and position the machine to match and set zero there:

HeuristicBishop · March 21, 2025, 3:05am

I’m curious, in what situation would one need to set origin to center while they have full access to multiple corners?

(I just can’t come up with a situation where I wouldn’t simply origin off of the corner at that point…but it’s late so maybe my imagination is failing me )

mhotchin · March 21, 2025, 4:17am

I regularly do so when I’m doing something like a plaque. I want the carving centered, but the actual size of the stock doesn’t have to be exactly this or that.

Center Origin is easier than fiddling with either the design (to center it on the actual stock size), or moving the origin off the corner of the stock to compensate for the size difference.

WillAdams · March 21, 2025, 10:05am

I have a stack of inexpensive cutting boards which I am using for some batch production projects — the sizes match the price and are slightly irregular — since I want to use the same source file for all, it’s easier to use Center and measure twice and do the math than to measure each board and change the file for each (slightly) different size.