Beginner dumb question

[GlenK]

New to Mach3 and CNC.

I am just starting to use Mach3 and Shape3D to shape surfboards.

I searched and haven't found a definitive answer to this simple question.

Shape3D creates the GCode file which also includes the tool starting point (from the home position).

If I want to start the tool at the work piece (not the home position) do I have to change the GCode in Shape3D or is there an elegant method in Mach3?

Appreciate any feed back

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[awerby]

If your machine has homing switches, it will establish a "machine home" position that's different from the "floating zeros" that correspond to the origin point of your CAD model. You set the floating zeros after homing the machine, and record the numbers in the DRO before zeroing them out. That way, if something happens and you lose position, you can re-establish it from the machine home. I don't know about Shape3D, but most CAM programs let you change the origin point before generating the G-code, so you can zero the axes in the corner, or in the center, or other places. But once the code is written, all the coordinates are referenced to those zero points.

[GlenK]

Thanks Andrew