5.5.1 Setting up: Oval Cut Direction = NONE in Settings

Setting up: Oval Cut Direction = NONE in Settings

5.5.1   oval method

Before using the Oval Calculator, Spectre Cloud needs to know how your drill press handles oval cuts. The Oval Cut Direction setting tells the app which axis your press moves along when cutting an oval — or, if your press does not support directional oval cuts, you can set this to NONE. This page explains what the NONE option means and when to choose it.

⚙️ What Is the Oval Cut Direction Setting?

Found in Settings → Oval Calculator, the Oval Cut Direction preference controls how Spectre Cloud presents oval measurements to you during spec sheet creation. It has three possible values:

• NONE — Your drill press does not use a fixed directional axis for oval cuts, or you prefer to enter oval measurements without a directional reference.
• Forward / Back (F/B) — Your press cuts ovals along the forward-to-back axis.
• Left / Right (L/R) — Your press cuts ovals along the left-to-right axis.

📌 Note: The Oval Cut Direction setting affects how oval measurements are labeled on spec sheets, not how they are calculated. The underlying math is the same regardless of which option you choose.

❄️ When to Choose NONE

Set Oval Cut Direction to NONE if any of the following apply to your shop:

• ✅ Your drill press does not have a dedicated directional oval mechanism.
• ✅ You cut ovals manually and do not reference a fixed axis.
• ✅ You are just getting started and want to explore the Oval Calculator before committing to a directional setting.
• ✅ Your workflow records oval measurements as a single value (e.g., 1/4") without specifying which axis it applies to.
• ❌ Do not choose NONE if your press has a defined cut direction and your spec sheets need to distinguish between F/B and L/R measurements — choose the matching directional option instead for accurate labeling.

🛠️ How to Set Oval Cut Direction to NONE

1. Click or tap your pro shop name in the top-right corner of the screen to open your Profile menu.
2. Select Settings from the dropdown.
3. Navigate to the Oval Calculator section.
4. Locate the Oval Cut Direction field.
5. Select NONE from the dropdown options.
6. Click Save (or your settings will save automatically, depending on your Spectre Cloud version).

🖥️ Desktop & 📱 Mobile: This setting is accessible from any device. Changes sync instantly across all devices logged into your Spectre Cloud account.

📋 What Changes When NONE Is Selected

With Oval Cut Direction set to NONE:

• ✅ Oval measurements on spec sheets appear as a single unlabeled value — no F/B or L/R axis indicator is shown.
• ✅ The Oval Calculator still computes oval sizes normally using your span and finger measurements.
• ✅ Previously saved spec sheets are not affected — historical records retain whatever labels were in place when they were created.
• ❌ Axis-specific labels (e.g., Forward 1/4" / Back 1/8") will not appear on new spec sheets until you switch to a directional setting.

🔄 Changing This Setting Later

You can update Oval Cut Direction at any time in Settings. Switching from NONE to a directional option (or vice versa) only affects new spec sheets created after the change — existing spec sheets retain their original labeling. There is no need to re-drill or re-enter historical data.

Related Sections

• 5.5.2 — Setting up: Oval Cut Direction = Forward / Back (F/B)
• 5.5.3 — Setting up: Oval Cut Direction = Left / Right (L/R)
• 5.1 — Overview of the Oval Calculator
• 2.x — Settings: Oval Calculator Options

✨ Tip: Not sure which direction your press uses? Start with NONE — you can always come back and update this setting once you've confirmed your equipment's oval cut axis with your drill press documentation or manufacturer.