Yes, you could always use the same bit. You could also use a piece of drill rod, which has a precise diameter, to save a real bit from being banged around.
tks, Bill. I have 1/4" drill rod that mics out to be pretty much exactly 1/4". I’ll keep the probe parameter set to 1/4" and always use that for x and y.
I use a piece about 3/4" longer than a normal bit so the router ends up a little higher after the X and Y are set (makes positioning for the Z calibration easier), painted green, with the tip rounded over so it’s not sharp. Works well.
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Thanks Chrismakesstuff.
Well, I learned another thing NOT to do today with the probe module. I didn’t want to set Z right away, so I placed the bit about 1/4" outside of the edge of the plate, with the bit lower than the top of the plate. I was in xy of the probe module, not xyz. I clicked to reset zero. Then, I clicked to find x and y. The machine moved quickly in the x axis and broke the bit on the side of the plate.
Not believing my bad luck, I tried the same thing again. Not surprisingly, it broke another bit.
The magnet was on the collet, but the machine was moving so quickly that there was no way it was going to stop with contact between the bit and the plate.
I have Heyward’s instruction memorized. I guess that I clearly do not understand the logic of the probe. I didn’t realize that, even if I am not measuring Z, the bit still needs to be over the circle on the plate.
I simply gave up and set everything manually so that I could get the job done, but I obviously have some learning to do to get this thing working.
OK, I’m finished whining now.
UPDATE: I believe that I found the problem/solution. I just watched the video that Andy made on how to use the plate. I was placing the bit off the x side of the plate. The bit needs to be placed off the y side of the plate, not the x. In my mind, it would find x first, then y. I was wrong. It finds y first, then x.
Unfortunately I didn’t list the steps for just the XY probing. Yes it is definitely different but at least you figured it out. Hope the bits were cheap ones. That’s why I bought some cheap Chinese 1/16 end mills. About $8 for 10 of them. The other day I made the mistake of changing the measurements from MM to inches. Broke a 1/16 end mill in about 3 seconds. 15 inches is a lot longer than 15 MM so you can imagine what happened. Why don’t you make a list for the XY like I did for the XYZ and post it for all to see and use now that you know how. Thanks for pointing this out.
I will do that, Heyward. I was in no way criticizing your list. To me, x comes before y. Who knew that to UGS, y comes before x. 
I will make up a list and post it.
The bits were the ones from Sienci, so not too pricey.
I just went down and followed my new process and it worked like a charm. UGS froze yet again in mid job, but that’s for another post.
I took no exception to your comment at all. I just didn’t think about making a list for the XY since the post I was replying to was for the XYZ. I look at it like “There’s more than one way to skin a cat” so I don’t worry that someone doesn’t like or agree with the way I do things. Their way may be better than mine so I learn too.
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This is to follow up on the excellent instructions that Heyward43 wrote, listing the steps to be followed to zero the XYZ axes. As I learned the hard way (2 broken bits), the process is a bit different if you only want to zero the X and Y axes.
When setting the XYZ axes all at the same time, UGS sets Z first, then X, then Y.
When setting only the X and Y axes, UGS sets the Y first, then X. In other words, the order of setting X and Y is the opposite of the order when also setting Z. Not knowing this is why I broke two bits.
So, here is the order that works:
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Mount the plate on your material
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Attach the magnet to the collet
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Postion the bit off the corner of the plate. There needs to be a gap between the bit and the edge of the plate so that when the bit moves on the X axis, it will not hit the plate.
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Press “reset zero”. This will reset all three axes to be zero where the bit is currently positioned.
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Go to the XY screen on the UGS probe module
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Run the XY probe. The bit will move along the X axis until it is about half way along the length of the plate. Then, it will slowly move in Y to touch the plate. It will then retract and move back along the X axis until it is past the side of the plate. Finally, it will move along the side of the plate, then slowly move to the side, setting the X zero position.
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Remove the plate and the magnet.
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Press "return to zero. The bit will move to the corner of the material at the height where it was when you started. Remember Z is not set.
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Good set of instructions @gwilki . Must have had a good example (LOL). This will help everyone, especially the newbies. Do we really need one for just the Z? Only things I can recommend is flip the touch place over to use and make sure it is on the surface of the material wherever it is placed. Especially changing bits mid-run. Anyone else have recommendations? Always good to view the video produced by Andy Lee. It helps to see it in action.
Something else I think is true is that you need to set the touch plate size in the xyw, xy, and z menus separately. The one time my computer did not remember the settings I forgot this and almost had a problem.
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