If I want to use my PC for other things, including rebooting, disconnecting, etc., while the laser is running, what would my setup look like?
Raspberry Pi with Octoprint? Does for example the “Frame” button still work with that? Does it work with the “Ethernet/TCP” connection in LightBurn?
There’s probably not enough memory on the board to use the on-board ESP32 to receive files, or is there?
The best solution is to get an older laptop that you dedicate as a laser machine. Run LightBurn on that laptop and you have all the functionalities.
I use an old ThinkPad (more than 10 years old, upgraded with SSD) and it runs perfectly. I have a OneDrive share for the LightBurn files, so I can design on my main machine and a few seconds later I can burn the file via the laser laptop.
My workshop where the laser is is quite dirty so putting a laptop there simply didn’t occur to me, but that indeed seems to be the best solution. I have a collection of Thinkpads (600E, T42, T520), which model do you use?
Mine is a T420. Maybe you can build some kind of housing / dust cover to keep it clean…
I suppose it depends on the laser model, but mine (Creality Falcon) and some others have a SD card slot.
I copy the Gcode from my computer (a bit far from the laser) to the card, then insert the card in the laser and it runs on the design of the Gcode, autonomously.
Downsides: framing can be difficult, no cam connected, a bit laborious when I have to adjust the design (or just when I want to engrave a frame to position the material, then the design), but it works.
I ran my printers like that for a year or so before I got around to setting up my first Octoprint machine. I’d prefer not to go through that again. 