A wise man learns from his mistakes, a wiser man learns from someone else's! I pounded that into my kids heads as they grew up... And that saying is especially applicable to this laser! You can save yourself countless hours of "hit and miss" effort by using these test patterns! It's the FIRST thing you should learn to do! Every machine is different, every material is different. And you'll be doomed to "hit and miss" until you master these test files!
My friend, Thank you thank you ! I forced myself to spend the time to do this. I messed up quite abit till the light bulb went off. Bingo!! I did the Engraving test 3 times and got it right where i need to be. I feel empowered! Thank you my friend!
Thank you soo much for all of your videos. I just received my fist laser engraver comgrow Z1 5W and had absolutely 0 knowledge of what I was doing. I have learned an amazing amount from your videos and just joined your forum. Again thank you so much!!
As a new user, this is extremely helpful. In my case I'm using a CNC machine with a mounted laser it's limited to 2000mm speed, but you have answered my question about where to start. There is no universal settings as it's a case by case because of all the variables, so these tests will allow me to test and experiment what my setup is capable of. I have to admit, it was all a little intimidating getting started with using the laser, but almost daily now I have the moments where I learn and accomplish the skills needed to use the machine. There is a lot of satisfaction in those moments ! Really well done video Rich, You gave me one of those" light bulb comes on" moments ! LOL...I'm 61..(old dog).. and pleased to know I can still learn new tricks... ;-) Cheers my friend...
I am beginning to understand how to use my S9 thanks to your thorough tutoring. I will create some test cards with the wood that I have on hand. Thank you.
Thank you for the info. I’m just starting with diode laser engraving, and I appreciate your style. Just like sitting down and talking. Perfect. Enjoy! Bill
Hey Rich! I’m very impressed with you how you explain for us, very clear and very helpful. I bought my diode 10W couple weeks ago and I had no idea how start until I subscribed your channel, after that “The Louisiana Hobby Guy” became my addiction every night after dinner. All my accessories I’ll order from your Amazon store. Thank you Sir for your dedication to helping us. I appreciate you buddy, you’re the best. 👏👏👏
You're the best Lightburn brain! I just became a member now that I have my D1 Pro business kit! Burned my grid, & ready to burn some test! I will soon watch your academy mix & be certified!! Thanks for taking the time to help us, newbies, in our endeavors. 😁
Your advice is still great even after a year or more. Thanks for helping a new old man to get this laser to start to do what it should. Thanks you I hope that I can keep your out look and attitude for using the laser.
I believe watching you I might come close to being a master complete newbie with a Xtool M1, so detailed in your videos, always straight to the point, and not a lot of extra stuff. Watching you gives me a little more confidence each video, THANKS
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy unfortunately the M1 is not compatible but I still love learning from your videos. Because it gives me a starting point like you said.
I struggled with making my own test cards, mostly without success. Finding your test card library will go a long way to learning how to control the laser to its optimum performance. My laser is a JTech Photonics 14W Dual Pro. I think this is what you would call a 10 watt laser, so that will be a jumping off point for my testing journey. Your library of videos is helping me to go from ground zero with laser to "no longer a noob". Thank you!!!!!
I've had my laser about a week, and I've been working on images, mainly on a piece of material I bought from Lowe's. I've gotten pretty decent at making them come out good through trial and error... But the gray-scale test card is a MUST HAVE! It would save you hours and material, trust me, I know. LOL Thanks
WOW!!! As a relative newbie (had my xTool D1 only a couple of weeks and have made only a few burns worth keeping), I am totally blown away with how much valuable information you have not only collected and organized, Rich, but also how much you SHARE. I'm like a puppy dog at the feed bowl! Many thanks, sir!
Hey Hobby Guy! Thanks so much for this video, it's come at the right time for us and our new laser machines! Just to let you know that we appreciate you very much! And for relaxation, information and enjoyment, we simply love watching different materials get lasered and what happens to them, so feel free to make lots of videos of just simple straight engravings or cuttings. Informative, yet relaxing lasering videos can be very inspiring and we often search for them so we can play them in the background while we do our work! If you make them, we will come! 🙂
WHAT ARE YOUR SETTINGS??? LOL Every single time, no mater what laser or job or place that is the first comment! hahhaah I try to explain to folks the same thing you are saying about the diferences of machines, climate, supply, EXPERIENCE, power, feed, and not to mention is your beer cold enough because that will effect your laser burns as well! lol Thank you for sharing and educating us!
Another super video Rich. I look forward to your next one whatever it is. Thanks. BTW I am a woodworker from WAY back and I see a lot of posts on FB about finding the center on an item such as wood and making a cross where it is, my little tip to those individuals is, to remove the pencil mark take a little bit of acetone on a paper towel or rag and just wipe it off. Works like a champ. Mike
Thank you for the time and care you take in making your videos Rich.... I don't care that you make a long video, I appreciate that you take your time and explain step by step, thoroughly, each process and how to get the most out of your files. Thank You.. I'm just starting out so your help is greatly appreciated.
Brilliant ive been watching a few of your videos in preparation of me getting my sculpfun S9 (should arrive next week on my birthday) :D and ive been mucking about with inkscape but finding this video is a godsend
Great video as always. Food for thought, all new comers to lasers have no clue where to start with feed and speeds and that is the reason for them asking. I am new and have a Yorahome 40 watt and cannot find out what the capabilities of the laser is and where to start setting things. Granted I have picked up quite a bit from watching your videos but it took way too long for me to find your site. Keep up the good work.
I just ordered my MKW30. You have so many videos, and the show up on RUclips is mixed date order. Just a thought, and it might not be something you would want to do, but it would be a great thing to have a list of videos that are in a class type of file that lists in order a “just got my laser to a I should know what to do.” I hope that made sense. I need to add a device, leaven Lightburn, and etc. I would even pay for something like this, I imagine other new owners wood as well. Just a thought. I am excited to set started, and I am headed to the forum. Thanks for spreading all you knowledge to all.
I am subscribed and see the playlist. Why I was asking for a list in chronological, order or something like that is RUclips in their infinite wisdom doesn’t have a sort option.
Hi Rich, Thank you very much for your very well presented videos, very informative and delivered in a relaxed, confident and inspiring manner. I have ordered my laser which is due for deliver in a few weeks time. Can't wait to carryout the various tests to set up my laser. Kep up the brilliant work
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy awesome thanks I'm going to look at them 🤙🤙 the atomstack r2 pro came with no info pertaining to this roller with lighburn. All it says is to change the settings in the actual Y axis of the machine which doesn't seem right. Using Atomstack S20 Pro w/ R3 Roller Pro
Good timing I almost have my new Monport 80W ready. I have for the first time in my life waited to completely set it up before running it. I have done the Infinity exhaust and installed a air solenoid with compressor. The chiller arrived yesterday so finally this weekend I will get to fire the laser for the first time. So far I've been very impressed with Monport. My machine came in perfect condition and after going over everything only thing I found was the door switch was a little loose, from shipping I'm sure. Hopefully the laser part is as good as the machine has been
I had struggled figuring out how to tailor this to my XTool D1, 10 W but this was exactly what I needed to see. Running a grayscale test on a 4" ceramic tile now. I couldn't quite size it up to 155mm as the instructions showed. I downloaded the cut library and even though your UTC said it was built with a 5W speed/power, the library actually showed an even slower speed, not faster. I split the difference, so fingers crossed. Wondering if at 5% you will even get any shading on tile since it's such a hard surface. Thank you!
The D1 10W isn't known for low power Tim. In fact, I couldn't get anything worth using until around 14%. So for the one I have, 14-100% is the operating range. Yours may be different.
Hey man thank you so much! I had a CNC machine and stuggled for a year getting speeds and feeds down and lost interest. Your approach is great by getting us to input our values. I wish I had something like this then (I'd still have it)! Again, thank you!!
This is very informative. However, since I'm a complete beginner, it was rather overwhelming. Having said that, almost every laser engraving video influencer has always referred to your videos. I have now subscribed, and looking forward to your other videos for beginners. I know nothing of the lightburn program, but plan on learning with the beginners program included with the XTool D! 10W laser(laserbox), I will be getting next week. Any tips for a newbie? You're very articulate with your explanations on your videos. So again, looking forward to watching more. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Hello and thank you so much for making this file available to members. What would your recommendations be for adjusting the values for a 150W Coherent laser? Thanks again.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy Thank you. I will start with what I estimate to be a good range and hone in from there. Thank you for all the content you share. I have learned a lot and really appreciate it.
That,KS for the reply, I figured it out, I have been enjoying ur light burn videos, it was an issue in light burn, sounds like u know lughtburn well, so have it a shot.
Thanks Rich, I'm starting to get my grayscale dialed in. Do I want to have some color on the 5% section or more of a "white/neutral" and then when using grayscale do I set my lowest power to 0 and highest power to the darkest layer I desire from the wheel? At 8000/7000 mm/min. I start to see speckling in the 10%. If drop it to 5000mm/min it is darker in the 5% and all around the background of the image as well. But this darkens the background of a photo as well.
Great tutorial, thanks a lot, Rich! Quick remark - I know some folks, including me, do no like to push their machines (LED or CO2) anywhere near 100% rated output power. I personally like to stay at or below 80% o it, understandably an arbitrary number, but one that I believe extends the lifespan o the the laser itself (diode or glass tube). This idea is corroborated by charts issued by laser makers. So, how about setting the power to 5% to 100% for the tests, but limiting the output ratio to 80%, therefore making e.g., your 80W Monport CO2 laser a 64W machine, still a powerful device AND extending the longevity of it? Same is true or diode lasers as well. You may have talked about this, if so, please ignore... Thanks!
It's actually not true. Co2 lasers are far different than diode lasers. The Co2 is/can be a hyper-consumable if not used properly, and my controllers are set in mAs, not specific power percentages. So my 80W for example, is set to 21mA power on the controller, which is 70% of actual power. Lightburn will send 100% to the machine and the controller throttles that to 21mA. The diode is completely different. If you research the life of the diodes used in lasers, you'll see the power loss curve @ 90% (which is how they're tested) power drop off about 5-7% for every1000 hours. Running a diode at 100% isn't going to make much difference in the longevity. This information has been propagated all over the Internet and people have taken Co2 rules and applied them to diodes without any research or statistics. I call it the, "Facebook Fallacy." If you really want to extend the life of your diode, *time is the issue*, not power! Try to run it no more than 30 minutes at a time. You can pause and resume jobs in Lightburn.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy Strong answer, but perhaps we are both correct. Little doubt about CO2 tubes, there's a consensus on this one. The main problem for LED lasers is heat. Driving them at 100% for longer periods of time (i.e., not an occasional event) without breaks brings on the risk of exceeding safe operating temperature zone for the diode. So, we can talk about the detrimental effect of increased temperature (say, going above 30C or thereabouts?) as a direct problem, or driving them at maximum as a proxy for increased temperature. Agreed?
Thank you for the video. I love running tests but had a question. Is there a specific size of image that has to be used? Specifically gray scale test. You mention that the rotary grayscale had to be 155mm. For me that is a lot of product to use, how much is loss if you change that to like a 50-78mm rotary?
Hi Rich, having issues with Neje E40, so going to start from scratch to resolve. Are you able to put up your E40 Materials Library onto your forum as it would help greatly with diagnosing. I say hardware, support says settings so be both cant be right.
awesome resaurce, thanks for sharing. I only have 4 mm plywood at the moment, would you start by doubling the passes or going down to half the speed as a starting point?
Interesting and informative as usual. Quick question: don't most of the hobby type 5W or 10W lasers have a speed limitation of 100mm/s? I have the AtomStack A10 Pro and that seems to be the case. So why, would we ever create a layer with speeds like 8000mm/s? Just curious.
Rich, on your 80w Monport, did you find it necessary to upgrade the air assist? I see a lot of people doing that but wasn’t sure if it is needed with this particular laser. Thanks again for ALL of your help and replies. I’m going to go do a ramp test now - my first use of this new beast.
Hello, thank you for the great instructional video. BTW I have the latest version of Lightburn, 1.2.01, and I have 3 questions: 1st, When opening the latest version of UTC, the images are inverted horizontally. I saw the comment below and restarted everything and with or without the tool connected, the image is still backward and upside down when I open the file. Second, since I am so new at this should I maybe study the Lightburn 101 or other prerequisite prior to attempting to use the UTC? I'll worry about the 3rd question later, it's not a big deal. Thanks so much for your time and any advice. Charles
The UTC was designed on a diode laser with an origin of the front left. Your origin may be the back left. All you have to do is Ctrl + A to select all, and then use the mirror icon on the top toolbar to correct it. Yes, if you haven't seen the Lightburn college playlist, I would highly recommend starting there.
Hi Rich, special thanks for your hard work. Always appreciated! I would like to ask you if there was an error in the file. **IMPORTANT** CHECK YOUR CUTS AND LAYERS PRIORITY! The Cuts / Layers tab should be in THIS order from top to bottom: Text - Layer 00 - 2000mm/min 75% Power InnerLine - Layer 01 - 2000mm/min 75% Power Grayscale Image - Layer 00 - 3000mm/min 100% Power Raster1 - Layer 05 - 2000mm/min 100% Power Raster2 - Layer 06 - 2500mm/min 100% Power Raster3 - Layer 07 - 3000mm/min 100% Power Raster4 - Layer 08 - 3500mm/min 100% Power Raster5 - Layer 09 - 4000mm/min 100% Power Raster6 - Layer 10 - 4500mm/min 100% Power Atkinson - Layer 01 - 3500mm/min 100% Power Newsprint - Layer 02 - 3500mm/min 100% Power Dither - Layer 03 - 3500mm/min 100% Power Jarvis - Layer 04 - 3500mm/min 100% Power Line Cut - Layer 13 - 200mm/min 100% Power InnerCut - Layer 03 - 200mm/min 100% Power --------> FlexCut - Layer 04 - 200 mm/min 100% Power
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy Thank you! I just ran the Grayscale test, but everything is one shade!!!!! In the image, the circle is all one figure, I could not see that each section had a different power assigned to it!
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy Thank you for the feedback. I don't understand!! The template for the Grayscale I have does not have different power assigned to each section! I ungrouped the image and can't select any one of the sections independently!
This card was designed for a diode laser David, as I said in the video. All of my diode work is mm/min. If your using a Co2, you would need to know your baseline settings for engraving and cutting. 500 mm/sec would be on the upper end of my 80W capability and is pretty fast, and way faster than a K40 could go. You have to experiment with your settings.
Would I just multiply by 4 to figure up the Xtool D1 Pro 20W settings? Speed, power, or both? I've had my laser for a couple of weeks now. I'm trying to understand how to set DPI or LPI as well. It's all Greek to me.
Just curious, before I burn one, dors ticking on the 'constant power' option in the layer setting negate the adjusted power setting from the shape properties tab? and, would you even want to use constant power on a gray scale image? Or does constant power not do what I am thinking that it does, which is to lock the laser in to a specific output power
No, I don't use constant power except to cut, and it does negate the power down for cornering, so you can get some burnt corners. Images should never have constant power.
I'm new to all this and I have a question on this test caard my grayscale is locked and won't let me put in the min power any help would be appreciated. thanks in advance and I love the videos learned a lot really fast.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy I cannot change any of the min power settings for the images (Atkinson, Newsprint, etc.) for my 80w Monport. If I change from Atkinson to Greyscale I can - but do I need to change it back and then save it?
first of all. Thank You So Much for these videos. I have learned so much. I have one question about the grayscale that I didnt catch the answer to. Does it matter the size that you run the gray scale in accordance to photos? do I have to run a grayscale test the same size as the photo I am engraving? before I watched your videos, I saw someone saying that the size of the photo engraving determines the speed/power. Thank You.
Not necessarily Damon. If you do a color wheel test at 150mm, that will give the settings for any size. Of course, really small images need to be done slower.
hi rich. i really like your kontent! i ordered a atezr p20 plus and i would like to know if it is a good choice to run the laser always at 100% power like you did. because i think i have read somewhere that 100% is not good for the lense. its better to max the power to 95%.. what u think?
95 or 100 doesn't make any difference. If you want to conserve the life, stick to 70 or so, but it's not like a Co2, I run all my lasers at 100% when I need to.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy THANK YOU!! ... And as with your video, I just add the setting from the library to the layer? And with items I may need to estimate power, I would quadruple your power settings as a baseline ... 5w ➡️ 20w ... ?
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy I ran tests last night and had your video up to guide me through! Thank you sir. The only issue I ran across seemed to be the grayscale wheel test on the UTC ( 5% - 100% gradient ) ... It seemed to have blotchy results in some sections ... I think I had my speed up to around 8000 and then raised it to 9750 and still had similar results ... Any suggestions for that particular test with the XTool D1 Pro 20w?
Rich, your latest universal test card is for a 5.5w laser and then you changed it to a 10w. Are these the input of the laser module or the opticle output? I have a YoraHome 15w (6.5w output) and we just purchased the TwoTrees TTS-55.
Great video Rich. But! I haven’t used my Monport 80w yet and just loaded the library you sent me. In there, there is no Basswood (which I want to burn this on). I created one, then created an Engrave under (no thickness). When I get to the “Images” I cannot change the min power as they are greyed out. Any suggestions? Also, you skipped Line Cut and went to Inner cut - are they the same settings? Thanks again for all you do!
Hi Rich, excellent videos, you are so helpful. I have a question...My laser also is Z axis adjustable for Focus for different materials. I notice you never adjust your Z axis in your videos. This also impacts the cut and engrave settings. For my Gweike Cloud Pro 50w, they recommend a Z axis focus of 14mm for 3mm Basswood. Do your burn charts factor in laser focus?
I am really struggling with the new version that I downloaded. First, it imported upside down so I don't know if I did something wrong. Second, there are no file notes and it will not allow me to adjust my minimum burn power on the greyscale images.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy I closed Lightburn and restarted my computer and everything opened correctly this time. Must have been my computer not loading the file properly. Thanks!!
I noticed in the library ceramic is set at 900 speed and 100 power...Is this good? On the D1 (10 watt) I do tiles at 4500 speed and 85 power and they come out great
I downloaded the test cards. How did you set your laser to only burn darker lines for the Grey card test? When I did it, it discolored the wood for the ENTIRE card and then when it came to the circular part of the image, it burned that darker. I notice also that while your first attempt it wasn't acceptable but I also noticed at the bottom of the circle it pretty much did not burn (whitish area) whereas mine did the exact opposite. Instead of the laser not scoring the wood in that area, it scored the crap out of it. One weird thing it did was the 40, 45, 55, 60,65,70,75,80 was scorched with no variation whereas the 50,85,90,100,5,10,15,20 was not scorched and was light colored with little or no discernible color variation. IN other words, the 95% is the same color as the 10% with the only exception of how it feels when you rub your finger across it. The 95 had a deeper burn and feels rougher then the 10.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy I hope its not the laser.? Have removeable lensrs that also need focusing. Ill be testing more though. But strangely enough it burns the entire test card and left no white??
Hey Rich, Im trying to get my LM3 tuned in for Norton White tile. Im not sure if Im reading this card right. 1500/100 seems to be coming out best on the grayscale test. Seems kinda slow for a 10W laser and Im not getting anything below 35% at any speed, but Im definitely a newbie at this. Also what are the powers on the four sections on the inner circle? They are coming out nice except the first one is pure white.
Thank you Rich, I'm still new to the laser so your videos have been a godsend for learning. About doing a grayscale test on slate - I've been dithering my images for slate engraving, because I had read that slate was a "black and white only" material. So can I really do grayscale on slate instead?
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A wise man learns from his mistakes, a wiser man learns from someone else's! I pounded that into my kids heads as they grew up... And that saying is especially applicable to this laser! You can save yourself countless hours of "hit and miss" effort by using these test patterns! It's the FIRST thing you should learn to do! Every machine is different, every material is different. And you'll be doomed to "hit and miss" until you master these test files!
Awesome! 👍 Thanks for watching!
My friend, Thank you thank you ! I forced myself to spend the time to do this. I messed up quite abit till the light bulb went off. Bingo!! I did the Engraving test 3 times and got it right where i need to be. I feel empowered! Thank you my friend!
Awesome! 👍 Thanks for watching!
Thank you Rich, test, test, test on all materials 😊😊😊
Yes, yes. yes! 👍
Thank you Rich. I am new at this and learning alot from your channel, forum and facebook page.
Great to hear Channette!
great work. I learn something new every time I watch your youtube.
Awesome William! Thanks for watching!
Great job Rich always a pleasure watching I learn so much because I am new to this
Awesome! 👍 Thanks for watching Eulalee!
Wow. Best tip this video? Start job from here. Thanks Rich
Glad it was helpful Derek!
Thank you soo much for all of your videos. I just received my fist laser engraver comgrow Z1 5W and had absolutely 0 knowledge of what I was doing. I have learned an amazing amount from your videos and just joined your forum. Again thank you so much!!
Glad you like them Darrell!
As a new user, this is extremely helpful. In my case I'm using a CNC machine with a mounted laser it's limited to 2000mm speed, but you have answered my question about where to start. There is no universal settings as it's a case by case because of all the variables, so these tests will allow me to test and experiment what my setup is capable of. I have to admit, it was all a little intimidating getting started with using the laser, but almost daily now I have the moments where I learn and accomplish the skills needed to use the machine. There is a lot of satisfaction in those moments ! Really well done video Rich, You gave me one of those" light bulb comes on" moments ! LOL...I'm 61..(old dog).. and pleased to know I can still learn new tricks... ;-) Cheers my friend...
Glad it was helpful!
Fantastic video Rich, tanks again for your time to make this video.
My pleasure Juan! Thank you!
I am beginning to understand how to use my S9 thanks to your thorough tutoring. I will create some test cards with the wood that I have on hand. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful Harry!
Thank you for the info. I’m just starting with diode laser engraving, and I appreciate your style. Just like sitting down and talking. Perfect.
Enjoy!
Bill
Glad to help William!
Great crystal clear lessons! Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
Another excellent video! Your content is excellent and your forum super as well. Signing up to become a Patron.
Awesome Steve, I saw that, thank you! 👍
You helped my so much with your explanation on test patterns to find your settings. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful Bob!
Yet again Rich, your an amazing tutor that always has time for us, and in such detail. Thanks Rich
Thanks again!
Hey Rich! I’m very impressed with you how you explain for us, very clear and very helpful. I bought my diode 10W couple weeks ago and I had no idea how start until I subscribed your channel, after that “The Louisiana Hobby Guy” became my addiction every night after dinner. All my accessories I’ll order from your Amazon store. Thank you Sir for your dedication to helping us. I appreciate you buddy, you’re the best. 👏👏👏
Wow! Thank you so much! I appreciate that! 👍
Thank you so much. I just pulled the trigger and ordered my X Tool today. Your description of how and why to run test pieces is spot on.
Thanks Thomas! Have fun!
You're the best Lightburn brain! I just became a member now that I have my D1 Pro business kit! Burned my grid, & ready to burn some test! I will soon watch your academy mix & be certified!! Thanks for taking the time to help us, newbies, in our endeavors. 😁
Welcome aboard!
Thank you Rich...Like always....You are my go to guy. I admire your patience. Cheers!!!
I appreciate that Gerald!
Your advice is still great even after a year or more. Thanks for helping a new old man to get this laser to start to do what it should. Thanks you I hope that I can keep your out look and attitude for using the laser.
No problem!
Just found the files thank you,this definitely has helped alot people and I know I'm very grateful 🙏.
Glad it helped Simon!
Another awesome tutorial! Thank you so much for sharing!
Thanks for watching Debra!
Thank you.
I was looking at that not an hour ago, dis not have a clue what to do..
Glad to help Kay! Most people use the Material test built into Lightburn now.
I believe watching you I might come close to being a master complete newbie with a Xtool M1, so detailed in your videos, always straight to the point, and not a lot of extra stuff. Watching you gives me a little more confidence each video, THANKS
I don't think the M1 is compatible with Lightburn Jane, or perhaps you meant the D1.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy unfortunately the M1 is not compatible but I still love learning from your videos. Because it gives me a starting point like you said.
Another great video Rich. Explains things perfectly
Glad you enjoyed it Terry! 👍
Thanks Rich, love your videos. Always learning something new from you.
Glad to hear it Peggy! Thank you!
I struggled with making my own test cards, mostly without success. Finding your test card library will go a long way to learning how to control the laser to its optimum performance. My laser is a JTech Photonics 14W Dual Pro. I think this is what you would call a 10 watt laser, so that will be a jumping off point for my testing journey.
Your library of videos is helping me to go from ground zero with laser to "no longer a noob". Thank you!!!!!
Awesome Fred! Great to hear!
Really appreciate these videos, they are super helpful as I step into learning this new tool in my arsenal
Glad you like them Mark, thanks!
I've had my laser about a week, and I've been working on images, mainly on a piece of material I bought from Lowe's. I've gotten pretty decent at making them come out good through trial and error... But the gray-scale test card is a MUST HAVE! It would save you hours and material, trust me, I know. LOL Thanks
Glad to hear it's working for you Steve!
WOW!!! As a relative newbie (had my xTool D1 only a couple of weeks and have made only a few burns worth keeping), I am totally blown away with how much valuable information you have not only collected and organized, Rich, but also how much you SHARE. I'm like a puppy dog at the feed bowl! Many thanks, sir!
Great to hear it Larry! Thank you for watching!
Thanks a lot! Your work is extremely helpful.
Glad to hear that!
Hey Hobby Guy! Thanks so much for this video, it's come at the right time for us and our new laser machines! Just to let you know that we appreciate you very much! And for relaxation, information and enjoyment, we simply love watching different materials get lasered and what happens to them, so feel free to make lots of videos of just simple straight engravings or cuttings. Informative, yet relaxing lasering videos can be very inspiring and we often search for them so we can play them in the background while we do our work! If you make them, we will come! 🙂
Hmm, thanks for the suggestion!
WHAT ARE YOUR SETTINGS??? LOL Every single time, no mater what laser or job or place that is the first comment! hahhaah I try to explain to folks the same thing you are saying about the diferences of machines, climate, supply, EXPERIENCE, power, feed, and not to mention is your beer cold enough because that will effect your laser burns as well! lol Thank you for sharing and educating us!
🤪 Thanks for watching Henrique!
Another super video Rich. I look forward to your next one whatever it is. Thanks. BTW I am a woodworker from WAY back and I see a lot of posts on FB about finding the center on an item such as wood and making a cross where it is, my little tip to those individuals is, to remove the pencil mark take a little bit of acetone on a paper towel or rag and just wipe it off. Works like a champ. Mike
That is awesome Michael! Thanks for the tip!
Thank you for the time and care you take in making your videos Rich.... I don't care that you make a long video, I appreciate that you take your time and explain step by step, thoroughly, each process and how to get the most out of your files. Thank You.. I'm just starting out so your help is greatly appreciated.
I appreciate that Richard! I make these for people just like you!
Thanks again for your amazing teaching skills!!
My pleasure Jay!
So glad I found this, I been struggling. Thank you for your time in doing this. I can't wait to get this started.
Glad it was helpful Robert!
Another great video Rich thank you 👍
Glad you enjoyed it George!
This is so what I needed. Thank you Rich.
Glad it was helpful!
Lots of great information! Thanks for sharing!
Glad it was helpful Mike!
Thanks Rich !
You bet!
Brilliant ive been watching a few of your videos in preparation of me getting my sculpfun S9 (should arrive next week on my birthday) :D and ive been mucking about with inkscape but finding this video is a godsend
Glad I could help John!
Always wanted to know how to set up my snapmaker, looking forward to this
Thanks for watching!
Another great video Rich. Very well explained and easy to follow. I'm now a step closer to pulling the plug on a thunder laser
Awesome David! Thunder is quality!
Great video as always. Food for thought, all new comers to lasers have no clue where to start with feed and speeds and that is the reason for them asking. I am new and have a Yorahome 40 watt and cannot find out what the capabilities of the laser is and where to start setting things. Granted I have picked up quite a bit from watching your videos but it took way too long for me to find your site. Keep up the good work.
Thank you Larry!
Love your videos Rich, so full of hidden tips. I can’t wait to get home and finish this one. Thanks
Glad you like them Derek! Thank you!
I just ordered my MKW30. You have so many videos, and the show up on RUclips is mixed date order. Just a thought, and it might not be something you would want to do, but it would be a great thing to have a list of videos that are in a class type of file that lists in order a “just got my laser to a I should know what to do.” I hope that made sense. I need to add a device, leaven Lightburn, and etc. I would even pay for something like this, I imagine other new owners wood as well. Just a thought. I am excited to set started, and I am headed to the forum. Thanks for spreading all you knowledge to all.
RUclips doesn't allow you to reorganize or edit videos. There are playlists though.
I am subscribed and see the playlist. Why I was asking for a list in chronological, order or something like that is RUclips in their infinite wisdom doesn’t have a sort option.
No they don't have that option for me to reorder them, and any reasonable person would say, *WHAT! WHY??*
Hi Rich, Thank you very much for your very well presented videos, very informative and delivered in a relaxed, confident and inspiring manner. I have ordered my laser which is due for deliver in a few weeks time. Can't wait to carryout the various tests to set up my laser. Kep up the brilliant work
Glad it was helpful Ged!
Awesome vid and great explanation! Itd be cool to see a rotary video with setup on lightburn...mm per rotation etc.
I have two of them on the channel Kevin.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy awesome thanks I'm going to look at them 🤙🤙 the atomstack r2 pro came with no info pertaining to this roller with lighburn. All it says is to change the settings in the actual Y axis of the machine which doesn't seem right. Using Atomstack S20 Pro w/ R3 Roller Pro
Good timing I almost have my new Monport 80W ready. I have for the first time in my life waited to completely set it up before running it. I have done the Infinity exhaust and installed a air solenoid with compressor. The chiller arrived yesterday so finally this weekend I will get to fire the laser for the first time. So far I've been very impressed with Monport. My machine came in perfect condition and after going over everything only thing I found was the door switch was a little loose, from shipping I'm sure. Hopefully the laser part is as good as the machine has been
I love mine! Congrats on the new laser!
I had struggled figuring out how to tailor this to my XTool D1, 10 W but this was exactly what I needed to see. Running a grayscale test on a 4" ceramic tile now. I couldn't quite size it up to 155mm as the instructions showed. I downloaded the cut library and even though your UTC said it was built with a 5W speed/power, the library actually showed an even slower speed, not faster. I split the difference, so fingers crossed. Wondering if at 5% you will even get any shading on tile since it's such a hard surface. Thank you!
The D1 10W isn't known for low power Tim. In fact, I couldn't get anything worth using until around 14%. So for the one I have, 14-100% is the operating range. Yours may be different.
Thanks for the review.
My pleasure Merrill!
Hey man thank you so much! I had a CNC machine and stuggled for a year getting speeds and feeds down and lost interest. Your approach is great by getting us to input our values. I wish I had something like this then (I'd still have it)! Again, thank you!!
Glad I could help!
This is very informative. However, since I'm a complete beginner, it was rather overwhelming. Having said that, almost every laser engraving video influencer has always referred to your videos. I have now subscribed, and looking forward to your other videos for beginners. I know nothing of the lightburn program, but plan on learning with the beginners program included with the XTool D! 10W laser(laserbox), I will be getting next week. Any tips for a newbie? You're very articulate with your explanations on your videos. So again, looking forward to watching more. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
I have a playlist called Lightburn College Larry. Start with Lightburn 101.
Hi! It shows your site is down...any idea when it will be up again?
Maybe next week sometime. We're working on it!
Hello and thank you so much for making this file available to members. What would your recommendations be for adjusting the values for a 150W Coherent laser? Thanks again.
I would have to run a few test files and see. The tests determine the settings Farshad.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy Thank you. I will start with what I estimate to be a good range and hone in from there. Thank you for all the content you share. I have learned a lot and really appreciate it.
Do you have a video showing how to set up and use auto focus, I am using lightburn with the Two Trees ts2 in Windows 11.
I don't have the TS2.
That,KS for the reply, I figured it out, I have been enjoying ur light burn videos, it was an issue in light burn, sounds like u know lughtburn well, so have it a shot.
Thanks Rich, I'm starting to get my grayscale dialed in. Do I want to have some color on the 5% section or more of a "white/neutral" and then when using grayscale do I set my lowest power to 0 and highest power to the darkest layer I desire from the wheel?
At 8000/7000 mm/min. I start to see speckling in the 10%. If drop it to 5000mm/min it is darker in the 5% and all around the background of the image as well. But this darkens the background of a photo as well.
You have to get a balance on all of spectrum. Not all lasers can engrave at 5%. The goal is to have different shades in each box.
Great tutorial, thanks a lot, Rich!
Quick remark - I know some folks, including me, do no like to push their machines (LED or CO2) anywhere near 100% rated output power. I personally like to stay at or below 80% o it, understandably an arbitrary number, but one that I believe extends the lifespan o the the laser itself (diode or glass tube). This idea is corroborated by charts issued by laser makers. So, how about setting the power to 5% to 100% for the tests, but limiting the output ratio to 80%, therefore making e.g., your 80W Monport CO2 laser a 64W machine, still a powerful device AND extending the longevity of it? Same is true or diode lasers as well. You may have talked about this, if so, please ignore... Thanks!
It's actually not true. Co2 lasers are far different than diode lasers. The Co2 is/can be a hyper-consumable if not used properly, and my controllers are set in mAs, not specific power percentages. So my 80W for example, is set to 21mA power on the controller, which is 70% of actual power. Lightburn will send 100% to the machine and the controller throttles that to 21mA. The diode is completely different. If you research the life of the diodes used in lasers, you'll see the power loss curve @ 90% (which is how they're tested) power drop off about 5-7% for every1000 hours. Running a diode at 100% isn't going to make much difference in the longevity. This information has been propagated all over the Internet and people have taken Co2 rules and applied them to diodes without any research or statistics. I call it the, "Facebook Fallacy." If you really want to extend the life of your diode, *time is the issue*, not power! Try to run it no more than 30 minutes at a time. You can pause and resume jobs in Lightburn.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy Strong answer, but perhaps we are both correct. Little doubt about CO2 tubes, there's a consensus on this one. The main problem for LED lasers is heat. Driving them at 100% for longer periods of time (i.e., not an occasional event) without breaks brings on the risk of exceeding safe operating temperature zone for the diode. So, we can talk about the detrimental effect of increased temperature (say, going above 30C or thereabouts?) as a direct problem, or driving them at maximum as a proxy for increased temperature. Agreed?
I love all your knowledge the only thing is I am trying to get best engrave results on rubber.....do you have any video's on this material?
I did this one on making a rubber stamp Louise: ruclips.net/video/jMH1Qx_6wiI/видео.html
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy thankyou I will take a look 👀
Thank you for the video. I love running tests but had a question. Is there a specific size of image that has to be used? Specifically gray scale test. You mention that the rotary grayscale had to be 155mm. For me that is a lot of product to use, how much is loss if you change that to like a 50-78mm rotary?
You can, but it reduces the accuracy Zak. The color wheel be fine.
Another great video
Thanks again Robert!
Is there a certain metal grate you use for cutting through wood. Or a raised grate that works good.
I've used an old radiator, an oven broiler rack and a honeycomb bed. It really doesn't matter Ryan.
Hi Rich, having issues with Neje E40, so going to start from scratch to resolve. Are you able to put up your E40 Materials Library onto your forum as it would help greatly with diagnosing. I say hardware, support says settings so be both cant be right.
The E40 is an 11W laser, so any 10W output library should work fine from my forum.
awesome resaurce, thanks for sharing. I only have 4 mm plywood at the moment, would you start by doubling the passes or going down to half the speed as a starting point?
For cutting, I would start with a cut test in Lightburn. Laser Tools --> Material Test
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy makes sense. Then I' ll have a baseline to refine with the test card. Much appreciated!
Interesting and informative as usual. Quick question: don't most of the hobby type 5W or 10W lasers have a speed limitation of 100mm/s? I have the AtomStack A10 Pro and that seems to be the case. So why, would we ever create a layer with speeds like 8000mm/s? Just curious.
Most of the older generation lasers have a restriction of 6000 mm/min. However newer ones from 2023 forward have differing speeds up to 48000 mm/min.
Rich, on your 80w Monport, did you find it necessary to upgrade the air assist? I see a lot of people doing that but wasn’t sure if it is needed with this particular laser. Thanks again for ALL of your help and replies. I’m going to go do a ramp test now - my first use of this new beast.
No I haven't. In fact, I didn't even hook up my compressor to it. It's doing fine with the included air assist David.
Hello, thank you for the great instructional video. BTW I have the latest version of Lightburn, 1.2.01, and I have 3 questions: 1st, When opening the latest version of UTC, the images are inverted horizontally. I saw the comment below and restarted everything and with or without the tool connected, the image is still backward and upside down when I open the file.
Second, since I am so new at this should I maybe study the Lightburn 101 or other prerequisite prior to attempting to use the UTC?
I'll worry about the 3rd question later, it's not a big deal. Thanks so much for your time and any advice.
Charles
The UTC was designed on a diode laser with an origin of the front left. Your origin may be the back left. All you have to do is Ctrl + A to select all, and then use the mirror icon on the top toolbar to correct it. Yes, if you haven't seen the Lightburn college playlist, I would highly recommend starting there.
Hi Rich, special thanks for your hard work. Always appreciated!
I would like to ask you if there was an error in the file.
**IMPORTANT** CHECK YOUR CUTS AND LAYERS PRIORITY!
The Cuts / Layers tab should be in THIS order from top to bottom:
Text - Layer 00 - 2000mm/min 75% Power
InnerLine - Layer 01 - 2000mm/min 75% Power
Grayscale Image - Layer 00 - 3000mm/min 100% Power
Raster1 - Layer 05 - 2000mm/min 100% Power
Raster2 - Layer 06 - 2500mm/min 100% Power
Raster3 - Layer 07 - 3000mm/min 100% Power
Raster4 - Layer 08 - 3500mm/min 100% Power
Raster5 - Layer 09 - 4000mm/min 100% Power
Raster6 - Layer 10 - 4500mm/min 100% Power
Atkinson - Layer 01 - 3500mm/min 100% Power
Newsprint - Layer 02 - 3500mm/min 100% Power
Dither - Layer 03 - 3500mm/min 100% Power
Jarvis - Layer 04 - 3500mm/min 100% Power
Line Cut - Layer 13 - 200mm/min 100% Power
InnerCut - Layer 03 - 200mm/min 100% Power
--------> FlexCut - Layer 04 - 200 mm/min 100% Power
Not that I know of. It has been downloaded and used thousands of times.
You re awsome man, thanks for the info, The Almighty God bless you.
Thank you so much Hiram! I really appreciate it! 👍
Thanks for the info! Q's HOIw do you add and or use the 'Library'?? I am new at LightBurn, my library is empty
Search my channel for library. There are several videos on the subject Hector.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy Thank you! I just ran the Grayscale test, but everything is one shade!!!!! In the image, the circle is all one figure, I could not see that each section had a different power assigned to it!
@@hectorflores6666 Your power is too high.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy Thank you for the feedback. I don't understand!! The template for the Grayscale I have does not have different power assigned to each section! I ungrouped the image and can't select any one of the sections independently!
Rich, are the settings for CO2 laser 500mm/min, or 500mm/sec?
This card was designed for a diode laser David, as I said in the video. All of my diode work is mm/min. If your using a Co2, you would need to know your baseline settings for engraving and cutting. 500 mm/sec would be on the upper end of my 80W capability and is pretty fast, and way faster than a K40 could go. You have to experiment with your settings.
is there a 10 w layout vs the 5 watt you show in the vid?
Not for this file Billie. You have to make the adjustments yourself. A good starting point would be doubling the speed.
did you do part 2 for co2 laser? k40 lol maybe? but really any
I have several Co2 videos Doc.
Would I just multiply by 4 to figure up the Xtool D1 Pro 20W settings? Speed, power, or both? I've had my laser for a couple of weeks now. I'm trying to understand how to set DPI or LPI as well. It's all Greek to me.
It doesn't really work that way. Get a cut and engrave library from my forum for settings: lahobbyguy.com/bb
Just curious, before I burn one, dors ticking on the 'constant power' option in the layer setting negate the adjusted power setting from the shape properties tab? and, would you even want to use constant power on a gray scale image? Or does constant power not do what I am thinking that it does, which is to lock the laser in to a specific output power
No, I don't use constant power except to cut, and it does negate the power down for cornering, so you can get some burnt corners. Images should never have constant power.
I have falcon 2 40w, is it good for this laser aswell?
This is an old video Kay. Lightburn has the material test built in now under Laser Tools.
I'm new to all this and I have a question on this test caard my grayscale is locked and won't let me put in the min power any help would be appreciated. thanks in advance and I love the videos learned a lot really fast.
Double click the layer and make sure the image mode is grayscale.
Thanks again I found it I was running Jarvis.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy I cannot change any of the min power settings for the images (Atkinson, Newsprint, etc.) for my 80w Monport. If I change from Atkinson to Greyscale I can - but do I need to change it back and then save it?
@@rustyp21 Minimum power only applies to grayscale and vector cornering.
first of all. Thank You So Much for these videos. I have learned so much. I have one question about the grayscale that I didnt catch the answer to. Does it matter the size that you run the gray scale in accordance to photos? do I have to run a grayscale test the same size as the photo I am engraving? before I watched your videos, I saw someone saying that the size of the photo engraving determines the speed/power. Thank You.
Not necessarily Damon. If you do a color wheel test at 150mm, that will give the settings for any size. Of course, really small images need to be done slower.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy thank you
hi rich. i really like your kontent! i ordered a atezr p20 plus and i would like to know if it is a good choice to run the laser always at 100% power like you did. because i think i have read somewhere that 100% is not good for the lense. its better to max the power to 95%.. what u think?
95 or 100 doesn't make any difference. If you want to conserve the life, stick to 70 or so, but it's not like a Co2, I run all my lasers at 100% when I need to.
Is there updated settings for 20w D1 Pro for this UTC? Thanks!
Use a 20W library on my free forums. lahobbyguy.com/bb
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy THANK YOU!! ... And as with your video, I just add the setting from the library to the layer?
And with items I may need to estimate power, I would quadruple your power settings as a baseline ... 5w ➡️ 20w ... ?
There are 20W optical output libraries on the 3rd page of the Library topic.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy I ran tests last night and had your video up to guide me through! Thank you sir.
The only issue I ran across seemed to be the grayscale wheel test on the UTC ( 5% - 100% gradient ) ... It seemed to have blotchy results in some sections ... I think I had my speed up to around 8000 and then raised it to 9750 and still had similar results ...
Any suggestions for that particular test with the XTool D1 Pro 20w?
Rich, your latest universal test card is for a 5.5w laser and then you changed it to a 10w. Are these the input of the laser module or the opticle output? I have a YoraHome 15w (6.5w output) and we just purchased the TwoTrees TTS-55.
Optical output Jim.
Great video Rich. But! I haven’t used my Monport 80w yet and just loaded the library you sent me. In there, there is no Basswood (which I want to burn this on). I created one, then created an Engrave under (no thickness). When I get to the “Images” I cannot change the min power as they are greyed out. Any suggestions? Also, you skipped Line Cut and went to Inner cut - are they the same settings? Thanks again for all you do!
Minimum power is only available for grayscale images and vector cornering David.
wow. This is overwhelming for someone that just got their d1 10 watt. Is there just a download this and cut it kinda starting point?
Try starting here Billie: ruclips.net/video/RiFJiLDj9Rs/видео.html
Hi Rich, excellent videos, you are so helpful. I have a question...My laser also is Z axis adjustable for Focus for different materials. I notice you never adjust your Z axis in your videos. This also impacts the cut and engrave settings. For my Gweike Cloud Pro 50w, they recommend a Z axis focus of 14mm for 3mm Basswood. Do your burn charts factor in laser focus?
No, I use the UTC as a baseline without focal adjustment. When I do an actual job, I adjust the focus down 1/2 the thickness of the material to cut.
I am really struggling with the new version that I downloaded. First, it imported upside down so I don't know if I did something wrong. Second, there are no file notes and it will not allow me to adjust my minimum burn power on the greyscale images.
Your origin is probably set wrong Corey. And Grayscale mode is the only image mode you can set min power. You probably have another mode selected.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy The mode is set to "image" which is what the settings were when I opened it in Lightburn.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy I closed Lightburn and restarted my computer and everything opened correctly this time. Must have been my computer not loading the file properly. Thanks!!
Wow your 80 watt is 19mA @ 70. Mine is 21mA @ 60. Did you recalibrate the power supply?
Yes, I adjusted the PWM on the power supply.
Thank you for all your work making videos. I learn more from your videos, compared to the manufacture's videos.
Great to hear Charles, Thank you!
I noticed in the library ceramic is set at 900 speed and 100 power...Is this good? On the D1 (10 watt) I do tiles at 4500 speed and 85 power and they come out great
The libraries are based on the manufacturer recommendations.
I downloaded the test cards. How did you set your laser to only burn darker lines for the Grey card test?
When I did it, it discolored the wood for the ENTIRE card and then when it came to the circular part of the image, it burned that darker.
I notice also that while your first attempt it wasn't acceptable but I also noticed at the bottom of the circle it pretty much did not burn (whitish area) whereas mine did the exact opposite. Instead of the laser not scoring the wood in that area, it scored the crap out of it. One weird thing it did was the 40, 45, 55, 60,65,70,75,80 was scorched with no variation whereas the 50,85,90,100,5,10,15,20 was not scorched and was light colored with little or no discernible color variation. IN other words, the 95% is the same color as the 10% with the only exception of how it feels when you rub your finger across it. The 95 had a deeper burn and feels rougher then the 10.
It all depends on the laser and the power. The power settings have to be tested and adjusted.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy
I hope its not the laser.? Have removeable lensrs that also need focusing. Ill be testing more though. But strangely enough it burns the entire test card and left no white??
That means the power is too high or the speed is too slow or both.
"Make an account on my forum to get the file" Sneaky tactic, you got me
Good thing it's free!
Sir,how do i adjust this to 2.5 mm?I use a diode laser 5 watt.
An SD card is 2mm, that should be close enough.
Hey Rich, Im trying to get my LM3 tuned in for Norton White tile. Im not sure if Im reading this card right. 1500/100 seems to be coming out best on the grayscale test. Seems kinda slow for a 10W laser and Im not getting anything below 35% at any speed, but Im definitely a newbie at this. Also what are the powers on the four sections on the inner circle? They are coming out nice except the first one is pure white.
You have to adjust the speeds and power to match your laser. It was designed for a 5W laser. The center is just quarters, 25 to 100.
There is a bug in new release 1.2.01
When cutting and you ajust speed or power they both change
Have a look and see if you agree
You have to report it to Lightburn Patrick.
I thought it wasn’t good to run your 5w at 100% power - that it decreases the life of the laser quite a bit more. Is that true?
The difference is nominal according to the manufacturers David. You'll notice most of them give you settings at 100% power.
*What software do I need for Creality Ender 3 please* ?
Do you mean the Creality Laser Falcon? That uses Lightburn.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy *I can't use lightburn now. It expired on me*
*Yes that type of laser*
_Creality Ender 3_
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy tinyurl.com/2bujfq6j
This one
Thank you Rich, I'm still new to the laser so your videos have been a godsend for learning.
About doing a grayscale test on slate - I've been dithering my images for slate engraving, because I had read that slate was a "black and white only" material. So can I really do grayscale on slate instead?
Yes you can Andre! You have to run several tests to dial it in, but I do pet cemetery headstones with photos on the Co2. The diode, not so much.
outstanding you are the best
Thank you so much Paul 😀
Hey i can't get on ur site
how do we prepare this file for a 20w like the atomstack x20? Do we just multiply the speed by 4? or is it not that simple
It was made for a 20W. A 20W is 5.5W of optical power Adam.
@@TheLouisianaHobbyGuy sorry I meant an optical output of 20w. So really a 120w. Like the atomstack x20
@@mojo1983a Ah, okay, so yes, a starting point would be to quadruple the speed.