Hi folks,
I don’t really know a way to phrase this for a search, so pardon me if it’s been asked before.
I’m only cutting veg-tan leather on my laser, so I’m trying to use every expensive scrap.
To do this effectively, it would be really useful to be able to somehow scan in the outline of an offcut (these are often not square or rectangular, but irregular shapes) so it can be seen on the screen workspace and I can nest my pattern pieces on top. Can it be done please?
I’m sort-of doubting this is possible, but it would be soooo good!!
This is the exact workflow for camera usage. In a very simplified explanation, you set up the camera, calibrate it to the height of the material you’re using, place your stock, update the image and overlay it onto the Lightburn workspace. Then you place your graphics onto the overlaid image and burn.
Oh brilliant! I’ll need a Pi for that I’m guessing? I do have one and a camera for the 3D printer, but it would be much more use for this.
After reading your reply, I have just now had a little go by photographing the leather on the honeycomb with my ipad and transferring that to the workspace. It’s cutting now, and seemed to frame ok. It is a bit of a long-winded way though. Using a dedicated camera connected directly would be great! Thanks so much. I’m very new to this and wasn’t even aware that LB could use image files like this.
Not a camera guy, but I know a lot of USB cameras might work and plug into the PC, not the laser. Read the Lightburn Docs on selecting and setting up the camera before you buy one.
Hi Mike, I’m still getting into the world of raspberry Pi and cameras - my son got me a setup when I built my 3D printer, but I’ve not had time to set it up, so I’ll use it for the laser instead. Who says that aging folks can’t cope with technology??
I don’t have a camera but the method I use for odd-shaped pieces seems to work. I have made a plywood board that fits on the honeycomb (with marks on the inside of the machine to align it to) - on this I have engraved a grid that matches the grid I use in Lightburn. I scan the odd-shaped thing (or draw round it on a piece of paper, then scan that if its heavy like a rough piece of slate) and then import the scan into lightburn on a non-output layer. I line up the scan to a known point on my grid and the do my design inside my odd shape. Then I place the odd shaped thing on the appropriate place on my plywood grid and send the job. I helps a bit if the odd shaped thing has at least one straight edge on it as it makes positioning a bit easier. Alternatively you could put a piece of scrap cardboard on the bed, then output your scanned odd-shaped thing shape from Lightburn, and then place the actual thing over the shape drawn on the cardboard.
