New laser - red dot not correct

[NewbDudey (Bryan)]

Just started the laser for the first time , have not cut anything yet but noticed the red dot it a few inches away from where the laser is pointing.

This is the model I have:
aliexpress.com/item/32845171900.html

Any tips on anything else I should check up on a new laser would also be welcome.
Cheers!

[Rick (Technical Evangelist)]

I see in that listing there is a movable bed in this unit. Is this correct? If so, the red dot location will visually change based on the height of the bed. If tuned correctly, the red dot and the laser beam should meet at the focus point of the material height.

There is usually a set screw to adjust where the red dot is pointing and LightBurn also offers a software offset option.

[LightBurn (Oz)]

That link won’t let me view the listing without logging in, which is kind of ridiculous. If your red-dot is at an angle, you generally adjust it so that it hits the right spot when it’s at the focus distance of the laser. If it points straight down, parallel to the laser head, then Rick’s suggestion is the right one.

[raykholo (Ray Kholodovsky)]

@LightBurn

That link won’t let me view the listing without logging in, which is kind of ridiculous.

I vaguely noticed that Aliexpress started doing that a while back. Fun times. If only I didn’t buy so much stuff there…

Yeah, looking at the pictures, it’s a Green and Black with Ruida and Manual Z table buttons.

[NewbDudey (Bryan)]

@Rick

There is usually a set screw to adjust where the red dot is pointing and LightBurn also offers a software offset option.

Will check it out, thanks

It has 2 buttons on the side to move the bed up/down.

@LightBurn

That link won’t let me view the listing without logging in

Didn’t know Ali started doing that, next time I’ll post fleaBay links instead

@raykholo

Yeah, looking at the pictures, it’s a Green and Black with Ruida

I actually bought it based on the suggestions I got on this forum. I don’t know much about co2 lasers (I just know I want / need to cut acrylic stuff!) , I was advised that Ruida controllers offers the most(?) compatibility with LB and this model came up within my price range/cutting area/fit in my home specs.

Would have loved a 80 or 100w for the cutting area but those damn things are huge, no way to get it into my apartment

[TexanRCB (Robert)]

The simplest way I’ve found to adjust the red dot indicator is to use a scrap piece of material, adjust the focal point of the laser either manually or using the auto focus if you have it, and then hit the Pulse button to fire a single laser shot at your material. Then adjust your red dot pointer to hit the point the laser fired.

[NewbDudey (Bryan)]

@TexanRCB

adjust the focal point of the laser either manually or using the auto focus if you have it

Thanks for replying! I’ve moved on to another problem (but will be coming back to this!), I’m hoping to solve this by autofocus or some software setting, but if not - got a youtube video of how to do it manually?

Searching YT I found a guy setting up the main co2 laser on a similar machine but not the pointing laser…