Abstract: An apparatus and method of building a machine system having a plurality of cutting machines involves a taking of the final print tolerance and budgeting and using the tolerances for fixtures and machines in a manner to determine stiffness requirements and tolerances for such as tool cut depth, tracking of feed slide and perpendicularity of the spindle face. To gauge very fine tolerances, special reference datum surfaces are provided on the fixtures and machines to provide a "granite" plane from which very precise measurements may be made to set up initially the machine with the assigned tolerances. Indicators can be mounted on the spindle to sweep the targets on the fixture to level the spindle face to very fine tolerances. An indicator traveling with cutting head along a feed slide may sweep targets on the fixture and a tracking means may be adjusted to a precise tracking tolerance.