PURPOSE: To improve the accuracy of measurement of a material length, by moving a back gauge stopper together with a material feed vise mechanism upto the front end to determine the original point of a material to be cut, and thereafter, by moving back the stopper by a predetermined length to set the backward position of the material feed vise mechanism.

CONSTITUTION: A material feed vise mechanism 25 is moved to the front end position in the X axis direction so that a stopper 47 engages with a switch 49 and the mechanism 25 comes to a stop. After the switch 49 is energized, a screw rod 53 is rotated by means of a rotating drive device 65 to advance a back gauge stopper 51 is in the X axis direction, which therefore approaches the material feed vise mechanism 25. Accordingly, a switch 55 engages with an actuating member 57 to stop the back gauge stopper 51 so that the original point is set. Thereafter, due to reverse rotation of the screw rod 53 the back gauge stopper 51 is moved back by an amount corresponding to a desired distance of advance of a material M to be cut, by means of the material feed vise mechanism 25, and is stopped at a position where the switch 55 is energized by the actuating member 57, thereby a reciprocating distance L is determined.