Many times when you import a countertop shape into AutoCAD, none of the profiled edges are lined up with 0°. For countertops with sink cutouts, cooktop cutouts, etc., I like to line up the edge parallel to the sink cutout with 0°. This makes it easier to move the cutout perpendicular to the edge without having to change your UCS alignment.

For other tops, I normally line up the longest profiled edge or edges with shop seams or field seams with 0° or 90°.  At least with the way I do my nesting of parts, this makes nesting build-ups around tops easier, and you can also stretch the tops and/or build-ups without changing your UCS alignment.  More about using the UCS later in another blog.

To line up an edge with 0° or 90° follow the steps below:   

• Enter "r" for the "rotate"command.
• Select the countertop that you would like to rotate.
• For this example, click on the Midpoint of the edge that you want to rotate to 0° or 90°for the base point (you could really pick any point that you want to, but this will keep the countertop in the same area of the screen).
• Enter "r" for "Reference".
• Select one of the Endpoints of the edge you want to rotate to 0° or 90°.
• Select the other Endpoint of the edge you want to rotate to 0° or 90°.
• Turn on Orthographic Mode by pressing the F8 key if you don't already have it turned on.
• Move your mouse until the edge is lined up with 0° or 90°.

All of us in the countertop industry know that we don't live in a square world, and this is just one of the many things that you can do in AutoCAD to make drawing countertops and creating CNC programs easier.

About the Author:  Seth Emery is a CAD Drafter/CNC Programmer for Henry H. Ross & Son, Inc. in Lititz, Pennsylvania. H.H.  Ross specializes in the fabrication and installation of solid surface, granite, and engineered stone countertops in residential and commercial applications.  Seth can be reached at seth77@ptd.net. Visit the H.H. Ross website at http://www.hhross.com/.