Ok going to try to answer each one at a time. You need to make a few setting changes if you haven’t already. See pics.
The toolbar disappears to your windows toolbar. See pink icon in pic. Right click on it.
Yes the software puts the little square in the top left corner and keeps everything else spaced in relation to that square. Each element you want to engrave, or cut, you have to individually select from the view manager on the right hand toolbar (you may have to turn it on from the view drop down menu). You will also need to select the square. Some people put cuts in one layer and engraves in another to keep them sorted, but not a necessity. You can work across layers so you don’t have to have a square in each layer, but sometimes you do if you want to turn a layer off to make selecting the different elements easier. Something you will have to play with.
Personally, I have created a blank page template so I don’t have to do all these things each time I create a new project.
Ok, I shall have a go.
Btw, does this look right. I set the page size to A4. The “origin-X” & “origin-Y” setting… the 10mm values, are they like margins? Should/could I set those to “0”?
Another thing to consider. When you first turn on your machine is it should home to the top left as the origin. If you release the rail while the machine is on and manually move the head it will keep use that new position as the origin unless you click on reset.
Yes Set the origin values to 0
Great stuff…thanks…fingers crossed!
OMG!!! So almost there.
1 step forward, 3 Back.
Tried to get everything lined up, almost worked.
Now the top of the vertical axis is BEHIND the exhaust vent!!!
I tried to cut an A4 alignment guide and the head found its start point then tried to cut L&R straight across the vent about 10mm in!!!
I’ve tried resetting the head by hitting the reset button and by turning on the cutter both with and without the computer hooked up but it just keeps going back to that point. I am mystified!
I’m also now getting an electrical “tingle” from the cutters cabinet!
Ok, my bad I forgot that you still had the stock vent in. So set the y-axis origin value to 10mm. That’s why most people end up removing or cutting back that vent to give more room. Not sure about the electrical tingle. Are you using a grounded outlet?
Ahhh, the margin setting I changed before…ok, makes sense.
It isn’t a grounded lead I don’t think. There is a grounding lug on the back of the chassis…I guess I’ll hook that up to a radiator or something. I guess I better check all the wiring again to make sure everything is staying where it’s supposed to. It isn’t high voltage but it also ain’t right.
I think I got the reference square thingie to work. Managed to scale an image and rightly place it where I wanted on the card stock…all barring material alignment issue. Thanks for all this help. Feeling pretty good for just two days into it all.
Hello all,
I thought I was pretty much there…now, as I am trying cut cut guide lines for the edge of the working area to make a positioning jig, the laser cuts both on the way out from the starting point AND on the way back. The 2 lines I drew (1 on the X and.1 on the Y axis) are hairline. This is getting so frustrating.
Any thoughts?
Line width needs to be set to 0.01mm or less for cuts or it will cut both sides of the line.
Ah…I see. So do I need to redraw or can I reset the line width?
Where does one set the line width and can it be saved as a permanent minimum or does one have to specify it each time?
Just reset the width. Select the lines, right click and select object properties. Or you may be able to do it from the top toolbar depending on how you are set up. You will need to do it each time.
Thanks so much Ned, you’re a hero!