Im fairly new to using my Jtech 4.2W laser engraver on Light burn and I am encountering some errors when it comes to my finished product. I am trying to engrave a gift for Christmas onto a maple wood cookie. I’ve done it in the past without issue but now for some reason all of my letters are burning, rather than engraving into the wood and the finished result is terrible. Any pointers and tips would be greatly appreciated.
P.s, I have attached a copy of my settings I am using as well as a picture of my final result (which was stopped after the first line due to poor quality.
That looks like a focus issue. Focus, with diodes, is the most critical setting. being 0,1mm out of focus can be the difference between success and bleah.
It’s not a setting exactly, just the distance from the diode to the surface of the wood. The laser beam will be shaped like a long, thin hourglass, and you want the narrowest part of that to be where it hits the wood.
You can turn the laser on at low power to see the spot, then adjust either the focus ring on the diode (if there is one) or the Z height of the machine to get you the smallest possible spot.
So I’ve narrowed down the issue… My laser is on 100% power which is creating the burn effect… I’ve made sure that my s-value max is the same (1000) as $30. My $31 is set to 0 and $32 is set to 1.
My “Fire” laser button is present but it does not have any functionality to it… As soon as I turn the key on the controller box to the on position, it automatically turns the laser on and begins burning through my wood and then when I turn the key to the offf position it turns the laser off…
I am using the Shapeoko XXL… and have the 4.2 W laser… any help would be greatly appreciated
next to the fire button you should have a percentage value. you will want that percentage to be very small in order to not burn through anything you are working on. You should either have a focus lense or some type of adjustment on your laser itself to focus the beam. For a diode laser you will want the smallest point possible. For what I have read as a newbie and someone please correct me if I am wrong the distance from your object should be about 60 MM from your object you are engraving when you are focusing your laser. That has left me with good results.
