here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewvp8jnof1E

is a good Video about probing.

What you really need to do is have a different reference.  There is nothing sacrosanct about using Tool 1 as a reference, it's just convenient.  My approach is to reference X to an accurate home switch that sets the machine zero at the start of every session; while Z I set with the tool I'm using to the end of the stock using a tool touch sensor.  I do measure and store both X and Z offsets, but the latter are almost never used since I normally only use a single tool per program.  So I can easily reset Tool1 offsets without affecting at least the X offsets for all the other tools.  If you do want to use Tool 1 as the reference, then it's best to make it a "dummy" that's never used for turning - could be for example be made of mild steel just shaped for convenience in referencing.

Might also be useful to see this thread:
https://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php?topic=39249.0

Vince,
If you watched the video you now know that probing is just a way of "automating the process" of  how  a tool
will touch a surface and provide data to the controller for using the different tools.
You can see that he modified the screen set to make it work for him. It is somewhat lacking in my opnion.

The best advice  I can give to someone who is going to use a cnc lathe is study / educate themselves on the following:
- Tool geometry
- Different methods to touch off tools
- Tool offsets / tool table
- Work offsets
- Machine and Work offsets

Once the user is grounded in the basics much of the other stuff will fall in place. Time spent now will save you
hours later.

Later on the user can choose just what level of automation they require. Heck....I still don't use switches!
 
RICH

Thanks for the additional information.   Is your probing routine part of Mach3 or an add on with a different screen set? 

Vince

Vince, if you are asking me, it's a combination of a number of macros, some additions to the standard screen set (for example a button to "find stock end" on the manual screen), and a new offsets screen.

Vince,
I use a custom screen set which has numerous changes done to the Three Page Lathe Screen below.

Three Page Lathe Screen
https://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php?topic=13548.0

I created a seperate Tool Setup page and on that page all tool probing is done. I use a simple tool setter
and probe to the appropriate surfaces. Additionaly I can probe to find lathe center, adjust probed offset
values, set a tool change location, but most importantly any lathe tool can be probed. By the way, a tool
setter does not need to be mounted in the chuck as it can be located anywhere as long as you can touch
off to it.

Additonaly that page allows for manipulation of the tool table such that it can opened/ saved / exported /
imported / reset / and recall a master tool table.

The screen set has two other pages which probe, one manualy and another automaticaly.
The manual one was done so I could do something quick and dirty to generate code, find points
along a profile ( whatever ) using a probe and create gcode or a dxf file. The other page is accuarte probing
to find points and generate a cad drawing based on the points. Very easy to duplicate a profile of something
with min amount of work. It beats scanning or the "bed of nails" approach!

Spent a lot of time, back a few years ago, reviewing anything having to do with probing and lathe screen sets
and just applied the best of the best to how and what "I" wanted.

RICH

Thanks for all the information.  At this point with just my 8 tools, doing it manually is working fine.  At worst if I change a tool I am looking at another 5 minutes to set it up.  At some point I need to change out my computer (it's 20 years old).  Which most likely means changing the BOB as well.  I have an interesting set up with a PLC controlling the tool change carousel talking to the BOB.  I put the system together 12 years ago and frankly don't remember exactly how it works.  It would take a bit of study to change anything.

Vince