Abstract In this paper, we present a new approach to generate tool paths for machining point sampled surfaces using a direct projection algorithm, which is based on generating tool paths along planar intersection curves. In our implementation, a guide surface, with simple geometry like planes or cylinder surfaces, is first created according to the bound volume of the point cloud and initial tool paths are planned on it in terms of the motion pattern of the cutters. For each point of the initial tool paths, then, the corresponding cutter contact point (CC) of the point set surface is located by projecting the point onto the point cloud using the direct projection algorithm. In order to obtain adaptive cutter location points (CL), a least squares-based curve fitting method is applied to approximate the CC points using piecewise cubic Bezier, and a numerical method derived to estimate the length of the curve is used to adjust the position of the points along the curve, and make them evenly spaced on the curve with equal arc lengths. In addition, considering that offset curves or surfaces are necessary for locating CL points in many applications, such as machining using ball end milling cutter, torus ended milling cutters, an offset strategy for cubic Bezier curves is also studied. By testing the proposed method on several point clouds, it has been demonstrated to be promising.