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Set Start Point

Quick Reference: Set Start Point

  • Hero Image

    Sets the point at which your laser begins to cut a shape, and the direction of travel.

  • Location

    Modifiers Toolbar

  • Keyboard Modifiers

    Shift while clicking to reverse the direction

    Ctrl/Cmd while clicking to revert Start Point and direction to default

Use the Set Start Point tool to control where your laser begins cutting a shape, and in which direction.

By default, the Start Point is the first point of the shape, and the direction is the same as the direction of the animated dash pattern that indicates when an object is selected.

Set Start Point is available in the Modifiers Toolbar, located on the left side of the LightBurn window, by default.

Using Set Start Point

Click the Set Start Point icon in the Modifiers Toolbar to activate it.

Set Start Point in Modifiers Toolbar

If you had an object selected before you activated the Set Start Point tool, you'll see its nodes and the current Start Point. To select a new or different object, click any object in your Workspace.

The default Start Point is indicated by a gray arrow, while a user-defined Start Point is indicated by a blue arrow.

  • Click any node to move the Start Point to that node.
  • Hold Shift while clicking to reverse the direction. Click again without holding Shift to return it to the default direction.
  • Hold Ctrl/Cmd while clicking any node to revert the Start Point and direction back to the default.

Set Start Point Demo

Additional Notes

  • Use the Edit Nodes tool to add a custom node to use as a Start Point, if one does not already exist at the point you'd like a cut to begin.

  • Default and user-defined Start Points are overridden by certain Optimization Settings. If you select Choose best starting point or Choose best direction, LightBurn will select a different Start Point if doing so will reduce overall cutting time.

  • The Start Point does not affect the direction of Fill or Image engravings. To change the direction of an engraving, invert the Scan Angle from 0° to 180°.

For more help using LightBurn, please visit our forum to talk with LightBurn staff and users, or email support.