Forgive me for asking some dumb questions:
I assume I need to be connected to Laser while setting this up.
I have a workpiece 24" x 48" (I use mm when entering).
I am in Tool Layer.
Do I create a rectangle the exact size of each of three pieces or a rectangle that encompasses the entire area of my workpiece?
To begin marking sections of a long workpiece do I create a small circle while in “Tool” then create cross hair? Do I create a cross hair with the pencil or is there a way to do that without drawing?
I Assume “X0” is starting point ( using “0”)
@thelmuth made this video (at least I think it was Tim) especially just for people like us…
Nope, that’s not my video, but I have linked to it a few times.
The only dumb question is the one you were afraid ot ask. Asking the questions is how we learn.
I usually make a tool layer around each section. It helps me to visualize the parts better. You can also duplicate this layer and use the cut shapes function to split your design.
Yes, use the pencil tool to create the crosshairs. If you don’t have a waste area of your design to place them you can use tape on your workpiece and burn the crosshairs at a low enough power to just mark the tape. Remove the tape when finished and the crosshairs disappear.
Print and Cut must use Absolute Coordinates, so yes 0,0 is your job origin.
Tim,
Wouldn’t it be easier to draw an accurate cross hatch in say Illustrator. Import into LB, save it, and place where you need it plus if you don’t wish to cut/engrave the cross hatch just turn it off in Cuts/Layers? Thought I saw something that was indicating LB would place the Cross Hatch with a circle around it if we manipulated something else to make it work.
You can create the crosshairs any way you wish. I find it very easy to create in Lightburn, so ne reason to switch programs. You can create one whatever way you wish and save it in your art library for future use if desired. The purpose of the crosshairs is to have a point for alignment. It could be any shape as long as you have a specific point to align the laser to.
You have to print the crosshairs to your project. That is what you use to align the laser for the next step. If they are not on your material, how would you align?
You can actually use parts of your design for the alignment targets if the design allows. For example if there is a sharp corner near the edge of one part of your project you can use that point for alignment. The most important part for accuracy is the distance between the targets. The further away from each other the more accurate the alignment.
If you want, upload your file and include the work area size of your laser and I will give you more specific guidance for your particular project.
Adding to what @thelmuth says you can also use only one target and a fence.
.
2 targets closed shape 5 x 5mm drawn in Lightburn add to your Art Library and adjust per your needs.
_Target.lbrn2 (7.2 KB)
Well,
I must say that info string helps me more than anything else I have tried to understand.
I cannot thank you folks enough for helping me with this.
Enjoy your THANKSGIVING if appropriate lol
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Outside dimensions of work piece = 24" x 48"
I prefer to keep my work area to 24" x 18" Pass through front to back
Does this give you enough to work with?
I intended to split it into three pieces
I’m in the middle of another project at the moment but will work on this in an hour or so.
What are the actual dimensions of your working area? Do you intend to cut off everything outside of the arched border, or will the finished project be a rectangle?
Are you cutting it into 3 pieces for later reassembly or splitting the design into 3 pieces for the pass thru?
Splitting design into three pieces for the pass thru
It is of Poplar wood 1 1/2" thick
500mm x 700mm for the machine
Everything beyond the outer line is “cutoff”.
Size of actual sign = 1143.0mm wide x 574.804mm tall
Perfect. Same size bed as my machine. I’m on it.
I cannot express how much I appreciate this. I owe you at least one!
I traced the image you uploaded and sized accordingly. I rotated it 90* so it will work with pass thru then added 3 24x16 rectangles on t1 Layer. I butted them together to make a 24x48 area and centered them over your graphic. I then adjusted their positioning so that the cut will occur between the letters instead of chopping them up. On the top rectangles, I converted both of them to a path so I could use the node editor to adjust the lines around the “&”, you could leave them as straight lines but I prefer to avoid any cutting of text if possible. That is what it looks like so far.
Next I added the targets. You will notice that they are on 2 different layers, which I will explain in a moment. I placed them outside the cut area and they are only 5mm in size.
I duplicated the T1 layer and put it on T2 and hid it for now because when you use cut shapes the cutting path disappears.
This is where we need to cut the design into 3 parts. Make sure your design is grouped and if any of your design will be a fill layer, have those set before doing the cut shapes operation and they will remain a fill, otherwise they will cut as an open shape.
Select your design, then shift select the top rectangle and go to Tools>Cut Shapes. This is the result of the first cut. I have the targets turned off at this time as well.
Repeat the cut shapes operation with the second rectangle. The third rectangle can be removed as the cut was made in the previous step. You can see the image “Blown Apart” I use undo to put it back in proper place.
Now turn the targets back on. Select everything and move it together. Make sure Cut Selected Graphics is enabled. Get all your cut settings in place and carefully select the top targets and the top protion of your graphic. I made the targets on different layers to make them easier to select, Shift click on the layer and both targets on that layer are selected, then you just need to shift click the graphic section to add it. Check preview and send to the laser. Preview should look like this.
Once that portion is complete slide the board through the machine to where the targets can be picked up on the top section of your machine. Turn off output, but leave show on those targets. This is where you have to go through the print and cut setup, selecting the first set of targets. Once both targets are selected, choose “No Scaling” and the laser window should show Ready (Print & Cut) (Unscaled). At this point select the lower targets and the center section for engraving. Your preview should look something like this.
After that section completes move your workpiece and the graphic again to run the last section. Turn off output on the bottom targets at this point and run the print and cut setup again andengrave the last section. The final section should look like this.
The print and cut has to be done with the graphic in the work bed as it uses absolute coordinates to do it’s calculations.
I HIGHLY recommend that you practice this a time or 2 on cardboard before committing to your final product, unless you have a lot of lumber to waste.
Wow that was a lot of typing. I hope this all makes sense to you.
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I will read it a few more times 
I have some MDF I have used one side for spoilboard Also have cardboard
Will let you know what I screw up.