I am getting ready to start my home laser engraving adventure. This was not only helpful as far as learning LaserGRBL, but you did a great job making Inkscape easy to follow. Thanks so much!
Thankyou for such a great video, i just received my laser engraver yesterday and trying to learn everything you just showed. I was up most of the night tinkering with 3 different drawing software. I used to run cnc lathes and write program codes but im a complete novice to designing for projects like this so im going for free open source software for the moment. Lasergrbl and inkscape are the 2 programs ive set on to learn with
Thank You for making this Video. This is Exactly what I needed to learn in order to create something without having to make a jig and trying to center everything. Just used a Laser Engraver for the Very first time Today and I've been watching video after video just so I could learn how to create a simple engraving. This is definitely the technique I will be using!! Thank You again for Your Time and Help with learning something New!! 🙂
I'd like to point out two things: 1. If you delete the outline before exporting to png file, it will take less time to engrave - the laser will go only in the engraving area and skip the rest. 2. I wouldn't recommend appending those two files (cutting and engraving) if your laser needs more passes to cut the chosen material. I'd suggest engraving first and then opening the svg file to cut.
I like to just fire and forget, but you're right, if you break them into separate files, theoretically they should be able to be run back-to-back, so if that's the way you prefer to do things, you can. You've got options.
1. yes but then the text will move to the left side not centered to the svg file. I my case this will not work EDIT: My mistake ! You have to export as page size !
@@HardcoreMusik Yes, export as the the whole page. I also set DPI to 300 and then use the same setting (300 DPI) in LaserGRBL - it sets the size automatically.
WOW the perfect video, just what I needed to start creating, engraving and cutting one object. just assembled my Atomstack A5 M50 Pro and not a clue how to create my own objects, this is the eureka moment for me thanks a million
one of the few clear tutorial incorporate Inkscape and LaserGRBL 👍 I am trying to engrave a grid on MDF wasteboard for my Ortur LM2 pro 10A as my first project (exercise), when drawing the grid lines on Inkscape, I am not sure if I should set a stroke width (min, max) for the lines. Also how would I avoid overlapping burns from crossing VLines over HLines or any other overlapping lines (maybe overlapping 2 circles with no fills). would it matter if I group the Hlines and the VLines to get efficient engraving time.
The line width in inkscape doesn't change anything with the laser. I tend to set it about 0.4mm, since that's the width that most lasers cut. However, as for avoiding overlapping, there really isn't any easy or automatic way to detect and fix that with this tool chain.
Thank you thank you thank you so much for this video. I cannot even begin to tell you how long i have been trying to find this video. I got an enjoywood laser and could not for the life of me figure out why my laser wouldn't engravebut istead just simply cut everything. Thank you thank you thank you gain.
How do I cut a single straight line? I want to cut some things in half. If I vectorize it will cut a 2 dimensional shape, x axis and y axis. If i dont vectorize, it will cut side to side with a big kerf. Currently I have to import a rectangle, vectorize, and stop the burn after it's done the first line. Is there a way to just cut a single straight line?
That's an interesting question. Inkscape does have a single line tool. Does that not translate to a single line movement? It would be easy enough to edit the GCode by hand. It is (mostly) human readable. just a text file you can open in word and edit.
Thank you! I was looking through LaserGRBL tutorials trying to find how to setup the separate cuts. No one that I found did this. I came from a sign company and set up the cut files for them but, we used Illustrator and I never worked with the laser software itself.
First timer here. How do you know the size of the text area in Inkscape will be the same size of the area you will be printing on the material you're using? Thanks.
By making cuts and rasters different colors you stand less of a chance of accidently forgetting you left outlines on your raster elements and cutting the edges of elements that were meant to be engraved. I've heard in some cases, with some materials, the charing with the engraving settings makes the cutting less effective. Something about cutting through virgin material vs cutting through charcoal. In my experience it hasn't matter much. But it's also a waste of effort and energy. It's just good practice, generally.
@@darrylwayne8948 Oh, you mean one of those test patterns like Lightburn does? My recommendation is get Lightburn, for so many reasons. LaserGRBL is not setup to make doing that reasonable.
Great tutorial, I am jut starting into laser engraving and just got an older Mercury L-25 machine. Will this program work with my equipment? Any and all help is appreciated.
No, there's no options like that. Especially since different machines have different strengths, and even "wood" isn't granular enough. Different woods need different settings.
So you're saying you want to upload full sized train schematics and have it automatically scaled it down 87 times? Where do you find full sized train schematics?
@@3dpprofessor This is totally new to me, wondering how if you know the size of an item, in the settings can you enter a scale and it converts your project to the scale you want?
@@politicsandtrains In inkscape you can enter the dimensions of a thing. But there's no tool to then automagically scale those dimensions. You can either scale the numbers before you enter them (simple division) or input all the objects you want and use the transform to scale them all at once at the end.
I don't understand how you got the yellow rim around your circle.. it's not doing that on mine so when I try and remove the fill there is nothing there..
SVG allows for vector data which describes the direction of a line, where jpg only allows for raster data which can be interpreted like a dot matrix printer, but with only one dot. In this project we use both raster and vector data, but instead of JPG we use PNG because it's non-lossy. JPG doesn't do hard edges very well.
@3D Printing Professor thank you so much for your answer I wanted to ask you another question I would like the laser to go around the Border a second time? While engraving the words will be one time around but the Border will be two or three times around how do I do that
@@Benny.Goldstein Yeah, LaserGRBL doesn't seem to have a "passes" option, so you're left with either importing multiples of your lines to do multiple passes or exporting the lines and raster in separate files and running them one after the other.
The centreing and framing buttons are grey in laserGRBL even when successfully connected to my atomstack. I have just set it up for the first time. Does anyone know why this might be?
Gday thanks for your vids but i am stuck. Every time i resize the picture to fit in the keychain it goes blurry i have tried everything and it is ether too small or too big i followed your steps and still cant seem to get it to work. The size of the keychain is W45mm x L27mm that i want to engrave on and the picture i am resizing is W5400px x L2070px can you show what i am doing wrong thanks regards jon.
The image can only work with the resolution it has. It can't add pixels that aren't there. So it blurs them as they get bigger. My recommendation is start with a higher resolution source image, if you can. Also, since the laser can only be on or off, it's possible that what you're seeing on screen doesn't really matter much.
General pictures probably won't work, but I'm guessing you're talking about a logo or text or something that's generally black and white. Inkscape has the ability to trace a raster image and create a vector from it. That may be what you're looking for.
No, I've never tried making a bas relief with a laser. It think the best you'd get is a nice engraved picture of a bas relief. But give it a shot and let me know how it goes.
I dont get it how LaserGrbl recognize when to cut and when to engrave? Cut should be svg or what? But what if I have engraving template in svg? Or worse-- Both but in different colots?
@@3dpprofessor hmm, thanks for tip. However I didnt see that kind of settinf in laserGrbl. Thats what I dont get how to do yet. Wait.. now i get it maybe.. he addee smg like new layer there. I need to watch it again. Once again, thanks!
Let's say you created a keyring and you want to make 10 copies of the same keyring, how would you set the 10 copies to print? Would you make the 10 copies on the page in inkscape then bring the whole page of 10 over as 1 svg file?
I thought I answered this before, but I think TH-cam didn't take it. For LaserGRBL your only option, I think, is to edit the InkScape file. Other controller software, like Light Burn, will let you do simple edits like this yourself.
Thank you for this great tutorial! Question: What would cause Lasergrbl to not open my SVG file from Inkscape? It opens one file but not the other. Thanks.
Interesting. As I don't have access to the files it's going to be hard to guess. I assume there's something different about one of them. Maybe if you jump on my discord and upload the files myself or someone else there could help better.
Hi! Thanks soo much for your awesome and well explained video!! I followed the steps you explained and I was able to engrave in my piece of wood. However I have a question, I couldn't cut the key chain and that is what I need to complete my project. Could you help me please? Thanks in advance.
What laser cutter do you have? What settings did you use on the SVG cut lines when you imported them? What material were you trying to cut? Did it go through the motions trying to cut and just not cut through? Did it make a mark? Or did it not even try to do the cut motions?
@3D Printing Professor, thank you so much for your answer. I have an Sculpfun S9. I followed the video regarding the properties. I am trying to cut in a 3mm balsa wood piece. I think the machine tried to cut and just not cut through, maybe is that I have to do more passes?
@@dialysmillet9872 More power, less speed, more passes. Play with the settings until it cuts through without being too scorchy. Unfortunately I can't help with this because I have no idea what your settings are. Good luck.
How could I have that image import window to appear? my software have a widow that ask me to create and then it place the image in the workspace from that the workspace never the same size from different image and impossible to move the image on the workspace, there is no where a factory reset to reset thing right. Nice video but useless for me because my software doesn't act same as your.
Do any of these software allow you to change the speed and power while an engraving is already running? That was my biggest gripe with Lightburn. And I thought LaserGRBL didn't have this restriction.
I don't know of anything. That's actually a slightly complicated problem. Not insurmountable by any means, but not something that I know of anyone tackling yet.
The new version of Inkscape changed a few things. But if you can't find the alignment tools, just move them around by hand until they look right. Close is usually close enough.
@@3dpprofessor Hi, I tried that, but still the program is not cutting the exactness as my neje laser software does with a .DXF file. I wish I could use the neje software on my new AtomStack X20 130W laser.
Installing GRBL on your laser is a whole other thing. It requires flashing your firmware and depends on your hardware being open to that. Otherwise it requires installing new hardware which is way outside the scope of this discussion.
That is correct. Many cheap lasers like this you put the corner of your project at 0,0 and then place the head manually and the project starts from wherever you put the head. That way you can, without having to create a new project file, cut in different parts of the same material. Many of these lasers don't even have limit switches. They have no way of telling where you've put them.
Just have a Q. I have inkscape, I have adobe illustrator, and photoshop does laser grbl strictly work on vectors? I mean can I just create my work in either photoshop and or illustrator?
i was totally with you up until the export file part. My file drop down menu doesnt say export png image, there is only export. when i click export it brings up a totally different menu than what you are showing & I cant change my image in the same way you are :(
@@3dpprofessor The same happened to me. I follow it exactly, but certain things don't show like they do on yours. I cannot figure out how to engrave and cut. When i import the egg, then the words, it does not line up on grbl. the words want to sit on the bottom line instead of centered in the egg.
Is it going through the motions to cut but it's only engraving? 5.5w is kinda underpowered. Anything thicker than paper or denser than cardboard it probably can't cut though, no matter how hot or slow you go. But you can still get smooth engravings by using vector movement.
Have you tried opening the PNG in another program? If you don't export them properly, they might be empty. Make sure your export settings are for the whole thing.
Can you show us how to just cut out words? Im about ready to theow my laser engraver/ cutter in the trash. Lol. I see everything on youtube as engraving stuff, but nothing with juat cutting out like words. Any help will be greatly appreciated!!
It will engrave, but will not cut anything out. I'm on the struggle bus. I've had this thing for 2 years and gave up. Got it out the other day again. Tried to follow videos and see if I could get it to cut after 4 hours gave up. Lol I can't get it to cut words or anything out. I've looked all over youtube and can't figure anything. 😢
@@stephaniewallin3104 What type of cutter do you have? Some of them just aren't powerful enough to cut under any circumstances. It might not be a software problem you're encountering.
I have a Latitool engraver. I set it up and downloaded LaserGRBL. I tried the test files. The only test file that fires the laser and moves the laser is the depth one. Nothing else I've tried will fire the laser or move it more than an inch in a square. There is nothing in the configuration button when I click on it. Any ideas on how to get this to work?
You are the most pleasant to listen to of all the laser workflow tutorials I've seen so far. Thank you.
I am getting ready to start my home laser engraving adventure. This was not only helpful as far as learning LaserGRBL, but you did a great job making Inkscape easy to follow. Thanks so much!
fantastic tutorial :) got my laser yesterday and this was amazing for a beginner to understand :)
This is the most useful tutorial I have found . . . . . THANK YOU
I've watched a few videos on Laser GRBL, this is by far the best
Excellent video! I was ready to sell my rig for a loss out of pure frustration until I found this - thank you!
Gerbils with lasers attached to their heads? Dr Evil would be proud. Thanks for the video.
He reminds me of Bob Ross very easy listening, soothing voice, great explanation and details.
Thankyou for such a great video, i just received my laser engraver yesterday and trying to learn everything you just showed.
I was up most of the night tinkering with 3 different drawing software.
I used to run cnc lathes and write program codes but im a complete novice to designing for projects like this so im going for free open source software for the moment.
Lasergrbl and inkscape are the 2 programs ive set on to learn with
well done, I'm waiting on my first laser printer and you have giving me a jump start on actually having a file to print when it gets here. THANK YOU
I just want to make a cake topper for my husband. Thanks for this instruction. I will try it out soon.
At last I am slowly getting to know how to do stuff with Lasergrbl. Great stuff
This is really helpful!!! Very easy to understand and step by step guide!!! Thank you so much!!!
Thank you. I just assembly my laser engraver and with your video in less than
20 minutes already have a nice Keychain.
Thank You for making this Video.
This is Exactly what I needed to learn in order to create something without having to make a jig and trying to center everything.
Just used a Laser Engraver for the Very first time Today and I've been watching video after video just so I could learn how to create a simple engraving.
This is definitely the technique I will be using!!
Thank You again for Your Time and Help with learning something New!! 🙂
Fantastic tutorial, I've been trying for ages to engrave and cut. Excellent video. Thank you
Many many 5hanks for explaining the process so clearly. I am going to follow this process and make my first piece ever.
This is exactly the video I needed. Super helpful. Thank you so much.
Thanks for shareing just got my new lazer and now i know how to to a basic cut and engrave
I'd like to point out two things:
1. If you delete the outline before exporting to png file, it will take less time to engrave - the laser will go only in the engraving area and skip the rest.
2. I wouldn't recommend appending those two files (cutting and engraving) if your laser needs more passes to cut the chosen material. I'd suggest engraving first and then opening the svg file to cut.
I like to just fire and forget, but you're right, if you break them into separate files, theoretically they should be able to be run back-to-back, so if that's the way you prefer to do things, you can. You've got options.
1. yes but then the text will move to the left side not centered to the svg file. I my case this will not work
EDIT: My mistake ! You have to export as page size !
@@HardcoreMusik Yes, export as the the whole page. I also set DPI to 300 and then use the same setting (300 DPI) in LaserGRBL - it sets the size automatically.
your voice is so relaxing ... thanks for the useful information too
WOW the perfect video, just what I needed to start creating, engraving and cutting one object. just assembled my Atomstack A5 M50 Pro and not a clue how to create my own objects, this is the eureka moment for me thanks a million
Thank you for this introduction to LaserGRBL. I'm going to try it out.
Thanks! I just got my new laser and I'm learning laserGRBL. Guess I will be learning Inkscape too.
Bonjour de France 👋👋 et grand MERCI pour votre contribution. 💪💪
You're quite welcome, my friend.
Exactly what I needed, Thanks!
This is amazing. Great job man!
I love you man , you saved me, I had a deadline until tomorrow and now I am so stress free. hanks for the video !
This is supposed to be a tutorial on LaserGRBL, not on some other program.
Can't LaserGRBL without other programs. It's just not setup that way.
Great tutorial man, this was super simple and easy to understand and got me ready to go by the time I was done watching. Thank you so much!!!
Thank you so much!!! This is exactly what I was looking for and you explained it so perfectly!!!!
Great explanation. Thanks a lot for your clear and precise description of what it takes and just what it takes !!!
Thank you so much for this! Really helpful, best one yet ti follow along as you work!
This was like THE VIDEO I needed
This was the video I wish someone else had made. But no one else had, so I made it. Glad someone else needed the same.
Very useful video. Many thanks
Thank you very informative but I can't get my text to fit into my keyring outline. The letters are at the bottom left of the keyring outline
Hard to say without pictures. Maybe join my discord and send up some screenshots to #troubleshooting
one of the few clear tutorial incorporate Inkscape and LaserGRBL 👍
I am trying to engrave a grid on MDF wasteboard for my Ortur LM2 pro 10A as my first project (exercise), when drawing the grid lines on Inkscape, I am not sure if I should set a stroke width (min, max) for the lines.
Also how would I avoid overlapping burns from crossing VLines over HLines or any other overlapping lines (maybe overlapping 2 circles with no fills).
would it matter if I group the Hlines and the VLines to get efficient engraving time.
The line width in inkscape doesn't change anything with the laser. I tend to set it about 0.4mm, since that's the width that most lasers cut.
However, as for avoiding overlapping, there really isn't any easy or automatic way to detect and fix that with this tool chain.
Thank you thank you thank you so much for this video. I cannot even begin to tell you how long i have been trying to find this video. I got an enjoywood laser and could not for the life of me figure out why my laser wouldn't engravebut istead just simply cut everything. Thank you thank you thank you gain.
How do I cut a single straight line? I want to cut some things in half. If I vectorize it will cut a 2 dimensional shape, x axis and y axis. If i dont vectorize, it will cut side to side with a big kerf. Currently I have to import a rectangle, vectorize, and stop the burn after it's done the first line.
Is there a way to just cut a single straight line?
That's an interesting question. Inkscape does have a single line tool. Does that not translate to a single line movement?
It would be easy enough to edit the GCode by hand. It is (mostly) human readable. just a text file you can open in word and edit.
Great video, I was looking for something like this that was easy to understand.
Thank you! I was looking through LaserGRBL tutorials trying to find how to setup the separate cuts. No one that I found did this. I came from a sign company and set up the cut files for them but, we used Illustrator and I never worked with the laser software itself.
Is it possible to get back to the import raster image > target image settings box after you've already clicked the create button?
I haven't found a way. You basically have to start over. That's why LaserGRBL is less desirable than LightBurn
Really helpful. Thanks dude!
Thank you. I felt my IQ increase.
First timer here. How do you know the size of the text area in Inkscape will be the same size of the area you will be printing on the material you're using? Thanks.
Because SVG communicates scale data.
What would cause LserGRBL to slow down and stop when cutting circles?
Dunno. Never saw this behavior myself.
Great video!! Thank you! Now I just have to try it.
Why does my lasergrbl not look like this? Mine is a grid with 4 quadrants, not a blank tan canvas.
I'll have to see if they changed something. I've been using lightburn lately.
8:31 I don't understand. If it's going to laser through the material anyway, why does it matter whether it rastered there already or not?
By making cuts and rasters different colors you stand less of a chance of accidently forgetting you left outlines on your raster elements and cutting the edges of elements that were meant to be engraved.
I've heard in some cases, with some materials, the charing with the engraving settings makes the cutting less effective. Something about cutting through virgin material vs cutting through charcoal. In my experience it hasn't matter much. But it's also a waste of effort and energy.
It's just good practice, generally.
Hi I'm trying to setup a rotary machine to my atomstack p7 m40 machine in laser grbl any suggestions for settings
I'm afraid you're on your own with this one. never did that myself yet.
Thanks for all of the great tips! Can you tell me where I can find a way to engrave a test board with my laser engraver?
Regards DWL
What's a test board?
A board that you engrave using different power and speed settings. Some laser machines offer them and they are specific to those units.
@@darrylwayne8948 Oh, you mean one of those test patterns like Lightburn does?
My recommendation is get Lightburn, for so many reasons. LaserGRBL is not setup to make doing that reasonable.
I think what you want is built into LaserGRBL. Under the "Generate" option on the top menu, choose "Power verses Speed Test"
@@markmurphy8066 Thanks Mark
Hi I'm using laser grbl with my atomstack p7 m40 but when I jog the x axsis the y axsis moves instead any ideas why this would happen
No idea. Do things cut the correct way, or are they mirrored? Is this something you can work around? Have you contacted Atomstack?
@3dpprofessor hi uninstaled software half a dozen times and it finally corrected itself all seems fine at the moment but thanks for your reply
Great tutorial, I am jut starting into laser engraving and just got an older Mercury L-25 machine. Will this program work with my equipment? Any and all help is appreciated.
I've never used that machine. What software do they recommend?
@@3dpprofessor they recommend Autocad or Coreldraw. Hpgl is the format.
Thanks for putting out this video. Illustrator and lightburn on the yearly fees don’t help the newbies.
So for different materials you just adjust the output of laser? There is no option to just click metal or wood ect..?
No, there's no options like that.
Especially since different machines have different strengths, and even "wood" isn't granular enough. Different woods need different settings.
Can you pre load a scale such as 1:87 which is the scale for model trains?
So you're saying you want to upload full sized train schematics and have it automatically scaled it down 87 times? Where do you find full sized train schematics?
@@3dpprofessor This is totally new to me, wondering how if you know the size of an item, in the settings can you enter a scale and it converts your project to the scale you want?
@@politicsandtrains In inkscape you can enter the dimensions of a thing. But there's no tool to then automagically scale those dimensions. You can either scale the numbers before you enter them (simple division) or input all the objects you want and use the transform to scale them all at once at the end.
I don't understand how you got the yellow rim around your circle.. it's not doing that on mine so when I try and remove the fill there is nothing there..
I chose the color when I made the file in inkscape. You can make the lines whatever color you want.
YOU ARE THE MAN!!!
Why the cut has to be a SVG file? why can I export as JPG as well?
SVG allows for vector data which describes the direction of a line, where jpg only allows for raster data which can be interpreted like a dot matrix printer, but with only one dot.
In this project we use both raster and vector data, but instead of JPG we use PNG because it's non-lossy. JPG doesn't do hard edges very well.
@3D Printing Professor thank you so much for your answer I wanted to ask you another question I would like the laser to go around the Border a second time? While engraving the words will be one time around but the Border will be two or three times around how do I do that
I just figured one solution where I import the frame two or three times as many times as I wanted to repeat itself
@@Benny.Goldstein Yeah, LaserGRBL doesn't seem to have a "passes" option, so you're left with either importing multiples of your lines to do multiple passes or exporting the lines and raster in separate files and running them one after the other.
Thanks for sharing. As an alternative is it possible to import the cutting profile as png too an vectorize it within LaserGRBL?
I don't think LaserGRBL can vectorize raster images. But, it's free, so load it up, give it a shot, and let me know how it goes.
So apparently LaserGRBL does have a vectorize plugin. Give it a shot.
The centreing and framing buttons are grey in laserGRBL even when successfully connected to my atomstack. I have just set it up for the first time. Does anyone know why this might be?
No idea. Never saw this before.
Gday thanks for your vids but i am stuck. Every time i resize the picture to fit in the keychain it goes blurry i have tried everything and it is ether too small or too big i followed your steps and still cant seem to get it to work. The size of the keychain is W45mm x L27mm that i want to engrave on and the picture i am resizing is W5400px x L2070px can you show what i am doing wrong thanks regards jon.
The image can only work with the resolution it has. It can't add pixels that aren't there. So it blurs them as they get bigger. My recommendation is start with a higher resolution source image, if you can.
Also, since the laser can only be on or off, it's possible that what you're seeing on screen doesn't really matter much.
How does it work if you take a picture of something and want to cut the border line is giving me trouble
General pictures probably won't work, but I'm guessing you're talking about a logo or text or something that's generally black and white.
Inkscape has the ability to trace a raster image and create a vector from it. That may be what you're looking for.
wished I had watched your video a year ago. do you have a tutorial on using Lasergrbl for engraving bas reliefs? cheers.
No, I've never tried making a bas relief with a laser. It think the best you'd get is a nice engraved picture of a bas relief. But give it a shot and let me know how it goes.
@@3dpprofessor thanks professor. tried engraving with depth map images using lasergrbl without any success (so far). thanks for prompt reply.
I dont get it how LaserGrbl recognize when to cut and when to engrave? Cut should be svg or what? But what if I have engraving template in svg? Or worse-- Both but in different colots?
Yes, it's about using different colors in the design file and assigning each different color a different power setting.
@@3dpprofessor hmm, thanks for tip. However I didnt see that kind of settinf in laserGrbl. Thats what I dont get how to do yet. Wait.. now i get it maybe.. he addee smg like new layer there. I need to watch it again. Once again, thanks!
Let's say you created a keyring and you want to make 10 copies of the same keyring, how would you set the 10 copies to print?
Would you make the 10 copies on the page in inkscape then bring the whole page of 10 over as 1 svg file?
I thought I answered this before, but I think TH-cam didn't take it.
For LaserGRBL your only option, I think, is to edit the InkScape file. Other controller software, like Light Burn, will let you do simple edits like this yourself.
thanks. got my new machine. so will try some of this out. very helpfull ty
Thank you for this great tutorial! Question: What would cause Lasergrbl to not open my SVG file from Inkscape? It opens one file but not the other. Thanks.
Interesting. As I don't have access to the files it's going to be hard to guess. I assume there's something different about one of them.
Maybe if you jump on my discord and upload the files myself or someone else there could help better.
If you can read the code and find out if M4 I'f active m4 activates the laser learned that two days ago. Was kinda having same issue
Hi! Thanks soo much for your awesome and well explained video!! I followed the steps you explained and I was able to engrave in my piece of wood. However I have a question, I couldn't cut the key chain and that is what I need to complete my project. Could you help me please? Thanks in advance.
What laser cutter do you have?
What settings did you use on the SVG cut lines when you imported them?
What material were you trying to cut?
Did it go through the motions trying to cut and just not cut through? Did it make a mark? Or did it not even try to do the cut motions?
@3D Printing Professor, thank you so much for your answer. I have an Sculpfun S9. I followed the video regarding the properties. I am trying to cut in a 3mm balsa wood piece. I think the machine tried to cut and just not cut through, maybe is that I have to do more passes?
@@dialysmillet9872 More power, less speed, more passes. Play with the settings until it cuts through without being too scorchy.
Unfortunately I can't help with this because I have no idea what your settings are.
Good luck.
@@3dpprofessor Thank you for your help!
How could I have that image import window to appear? my software have a widow that ask me to create and then it place the image in the workspace from that the workspace never the same size from different image and impossible to move the image on the workspace, there is no where a factory reset to reset thing right. Nice video but useless for me because my software doesn't act same as your.
Should have gone into radio broadcasting :)
hi i am trying to form a ellipse after selecting the ellipse icon can only draw boxes any one know why thanks
In inkscape? No idea. Never seen that before.
I wish it wold move the z to make/burn a wider path to fill thick areas faster, I want to do big jobs and I just realized how slow this will be.
Very helpful, Thank you!!
like your video! Have no clue how far away you place your laser from the wood?
Every laser has a different answer to this. Check with your manufacturer.
Mine when I do this doesn't have the outline and I can't figure out why
In inkscape? Possible your stroke settings are set to a zero weight stroke. See if you can change that in the Stroke settings menu.
Do any of these software allow you to change the speed and power while an engraving is already running? That was my biggest gripe with Lightburn. And I thought LaserGRBL didn't have this restriction.
I don't know of anything.
That's actually a slightly complicated problem. Not insurmountable by any means, but not something that I know of anyone tackling yet.
I am unable to align the circle with the text, I am absolutely new to this and I got confused when you went back to correct the alignment
The new version of Inkscape changed a few things. But if you can't find the alignment tools, just move them around by hand until they look right. Close is usually close enough.
Very helpful! Thank you
What IF I have a .DXF file and want an exact laser cut of the image?
You may have to convert to an SVG, but it should work.
@@3dpprofessor Hi, I tried that, but still the program is not cutting the exactness as my neje laser software does with a .DXF file. I wish I could use the neje software on my new AtomStack X20 130W laser.
@@waltperko8389 what do you mean by "exactness"? Are you taking into account the cutting width?
How do you get laser gerbl and install it on your laser
Installing GRBL on your laser is a whole other thing. It requires flashing your firmware and depends on your hardware being open to that. Otherwise it requires installing new hardware which is way outside the scope of this discussion.
The options of with and height on the program aren’t there, only start and stop.
That is correct. Many cheap lasers like this you put the corner of your project at 0,0 and then place the head manually and the project starts from wherever you put the head. That way you can, without having to create a new project file, cut in different parts of the same material.
Many of these lasers don't even have limit switches. They have no way of telling where you've put them.
Just have a Q. I have inkscape, I have adobe illustrator, and photoshop does laser grbl strictly work on vectors? I mean can I just create my work in either photoshop and or illustrator?
As long as you export to SVG, you should be fine.
i was totally with you up until the export file part. My file drop down menu doesnt say export png image, there is only export. when i click export it brings up a totally different menu than what you are showing & I cant change my image in the same way you are :(
Huh, I wonder if I'm on an old version of Inkscape.
If you press Shift+Ctrl+E does it bring up the export PNG Image menu in the right sidebar?
@@3dpprofessor The same happened to me. I follow it exactly, but certain things don't show like they do on yours. I cannot figure out how to engrave and cut. When i import the egg, then the words, it does not line up on grbl. the words want to sit on the bottom line instead of centered in the egg.
why you saved cutting as svg and not pgn?
Eithers a good option, but SVG can have raster data in it, so why not?
@@3dpprofessor thanks that vid was a big help to projects
Why cardboard burn while cutting?
You're cutting it with fire, so... burn is possible.
I think I must be doing something wrong. I can't get the the key fob to cut out it just engraves same as text what have missed
What laser cutter are you using?
A 5.5w on a 3018 pro
Is it going through the motions to cut but it's only engraving?
5.5w is kinda underpowered. Anything thicker than paper or denser than cardboard it probably can't cut though, no matter how hot or slow you go. But you can still get smooth engravings by using vector movement.
Thank you sir
God bless you sir...
great video thanks
I’m having trouble even opening any of the PNGs of text that I save. Help me out if you got a second
Have you tried opening the PNG in another program? If you don't export them properly, they might be empty. Make sure your export settings are for the whole thing.
I'm brand new to this and you used some terminology I'm unfamiliar with😢. Is there another video for beginners?
Like what terminology?
Why can I open my folders
Because that what folders do?
I'm not sure what you're asking.
thank you. i dont know english very well but i uderstand your video , how to use grbl laser.
Thank you very much. I try, when I'm teaching, to be as easy for non-native-English speakers as possible. I know there's a lot out there.
Can you show us how to just cut out words? Im about ready to theow my laser engraver/ cutter in the trash. Lol. I see everything on youtube as engraving stuff, but nothing with juat cutting out like words. Any help will be greatly appreciated!!
Just give the text a colored outline in inkscape and use that SVG.
What troubles are you encountering?
It will engrave, but will not cut anything out. I'm on the struggle bus. I've had this thing for 2 years and gave up. Got it out the other day again. Tried to follow videos and see if I could get it to cut after 4 hours gave up. Lol I can't get it to cut words or anything out. I've looked all over youtube and can't figure anything. 😢
@@stephaniewallin3104 What type of cutter do you have? Some of them just aren't powerful enough to cut under any circumstances. It might not be a software problem you're encountering.
I've the kentoktool machine
If I open grbl it has a test square and it will cut that just not what I want it to cut. If that makes any sense.
I have a Latitool engraver. I set it up and downloaded LaserGRBL. I tried the test files. The only test file that fires the laser and moves the laser is the depth one. Nothing else I've tried will fire the laser or move it more than an inch in a square. There is nothing in the configuration button when I click on it. Any ideas on how to get this to work?
Contact the manufacturer. If they sent you a machine that doesn't work, get your money back, I say.
Terima Kasih (*thank you*)
Of course there is an even better alternative... www.3dpprofessor.com/2022/10/01/how-to-lasergrbl/
Can you do a video on LightBurn. I actually find it more confusing than Grbl... but I may be the only one.
Great video.
Once you know what you're doing, lasergrbl is easy. He says as he redoes it because he did it wrong.
Well, that part of LaserGRBL could definitely stand some improvement.
👍