diff --git a/OpenNest.Mcp/Tools/SetupTools.cs b/OpenNest.Mcp/Tools/SetupTools.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ab2a1ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/OpenNest.Mcp/Tools/SetupTools.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+using System.ComponentModel;
+using System.Text;
+using ModelContextProtocol.Server;
+using OpenNest.Geometry;
+
+namespace OpenNest.Mcp.Tools
+{
+    public class SetupTools
+    {
+        private readonly NestSession _session;
+
+        public SetupTools(NestSession session)
+        {
+            _session = session;
+        }
+
+        [McpServerTool(Name = "create_plate")]
+        [Description("Create a new plate with the given dimensions and spacing. Returns plate index and work area.")]
+        public string CreatePlate(
+            [Description("Plate width")] double width,
+            [Description("Plate height")] double height,
+            [Description("Spacing between parts (default 0)")] double partSpacing = 0,
+            [Description("Edge spacing on all sides (default 0)")] double edgeSpacing = 0,
+            [Description("Quadrant 1-4 (default 1). 1=TopRight, 2=TopLeft, 3=BottomLeft, 4=BottomRight")] int quadrant = 1,
+            [Description("Material name (optional)")] string material = null)
+        {
+            var plate = new Plate(width, height);
+            plate.PartSpacing = partSpacing;
+            plate.EdgeSpacing = new Spacing(edgeSpacing, edgeSpacing);
+            plate.Quadrant = quadrant;
+            plate.Quantity = 1;
+
+            if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(material))
+                plate.Material.Name = material;
+
+            _session.Plates.Add(plate);
+
+            var allPlates = _session.AllPlates();
+            var index = allPlates.Count - 1;
+            var work = plate.WorkArea();
+
+            var sb = new StringBuilder();
+            sb.AppendLine($"Created plate {index}: {plate.Size.Width:F1} x {plate.Size.Height:F1}");
+            sb.AppendLine($"  Quadrant: {plate.Quadrant}");
+            sb.AppendLine($"  Part spacing: {plate.PartSpacing:F2}");
+            sb.AppendLine($"  Edge spacing: L={plate.EdgeSpacing.Left:F2} B={plate.EdgeSpacing.Bottom:F2} R={plate.EdgeSpacing.Right:F2} T={plate.EdgeSpacing.Top:F2}");
+            sb.AppendLine($"  Work area: {work.Width:F1} x {work.Height:F1}");
+
+            return sb.ToString();
+        }
+
+        [McpServerTool(Name = "clear_plate")]
+        [Description("Remove all parts from a plate. Returns how many parts were removed.")]
+        public string ClearPlate(
+            [Description("Index of the plate to clear")] int plateIndex)
+        {
+            var plate = _session.GetPlate(plateIndex);
+
+            if (plate == null)
+                return $"Error: plate {plateIndex} not found";
+
+            var count = plate.Parts.Count;
+            plate.Parts.Clear();
+
+            return $"Cleared plate {plateIndex}: removed {count} parts";
+        }
+    }
+}