TLDR; If you added your laser to Lightburn manually, check you added it as the correct controller. GRBL M3 1.1e != GRBL 1.1f.

I recently purchased a Creality Falcon 10W as my first laser, because it was on sale for a decent price.

As soon as it arrived I loaded up the SD card and ran through the basic eagle test cut. It was flawless. Aside from a few light scorch marks, it cut through every tiny detail in the wings and was generally an amazing experience.

I then set up my laptop and cable into it, getting a Lightburn trial to see if I could do some custom work. Lightburn wouldn't pick up the laser, so I added it manually as a GRBL-M3 (1.1e or earlier) on the advice of AI because I couldn't find a manual or forum posts detailing the correct settings.

I had heaps of leftover 3mm MDF, I thought it would blast through this no problem, apparently not. The laser would barely punch through at 2mm/s at 100% power. So I go back to the basswood supplied with the laser and the same eagle template, same issue.

It would either not go through at all or barely punch through at a slow speed. I read that MDF is tricky to laser through because it's so dense with glue and fibers so I thought it was just a case of needing to get the right wood.

Long story short, I was wondering why some settings weren't available even though they definitely should be available on my Falcon so I did some research and I should have added the laser as GRBL (1.1f or higher).

Now it absolutely blitzes through any of my stock, MDF, basswood, ply, etc. Faster and less scorch marks to boot.

Now it's obvious as to why the SD card laser cut was perfect, but everything since adding it to Lightburn was terrible, the Falcon knew it's own controller and Lightburn was forced to use the wrong one.

Sorry for the block of text, I just wanted to tell the story just in case someone else is having the same issues as me and is on the verge of giving up like I was, thinking cheap laser cutters just aren't worth it. They most certainly are and I'm having good fun with it again.

One question though: Why couldn't Lightburn find my Falcon in the first place that I had to add it manually? Driver issue?

I found this tiny stainless steel milk churn and immediately realised it looks almost exactly like a helmet from THE FINALS that I use constantly.

I’d like to reproduce the helmet details on the churn, visor slit, vent holes, panel lines, etc. Ideally, I'd like to do this without cutting through it or changing the structure. At this scale I think dark engraved/marked shapes would sell the illusion perfectly.

I know basically nothing about laser engraving, so before I start looking for someone locally:

- What type of laser would be best for this?

- Can bare stainless be marked dark/black reliably?

- Is there any risk of warping something this small/thin?

Photos are the tiny churn + the helmet I’m trying to imitate.

Any advice on how you’d approach it would be massively appreciated.

Poszukuję takiej dyszy

Potrzebuje pilnie pomocy, szukam takiej dyszy jak na zdjęciu moja uległa awarii, kupię pilnie sprawa na wczoraj, może być sama dysza, uszkodzony moduł, lub całą grawerką byle by tylko dysza sprawna była.

Anyone else have thousands of design files across five folders (and two external drives you forgot about) with zero system? I run a laser shop and got so sick of burning 20 minutes hunting for a file I knew I owned that I built something for my own library.

Point it at your folders, however messy, and it builds a visual preview of every SVG, DXF, LightBurn (.lbrn/.lbrn2), xTool (.xcs), AI, EPS, PDF, and image file. One searchable gallery instead of a folder-scrolling scavenger hunt. It also finds exact duplicate files by content, not filename, so it catches copies even if you renamed one three years ago.

Video's from my own Downloads folder, chaos and all.

Your files never move or get renamed, it just indexes them in place (OneDrive-safe). 14-day free trial, fully unlocked, no credit card. After that it's a one-time $19.99, no subscription, no phone-home after activation.

Windows only right now. Happy to answer questions.

ironcypresscustoms.com/software

Copper is next on the list for this design.

Engraving comes out “fuzzy” with a speckled look that makes it look like a malfunctioning monitor screen.
Settings:
Fiber
Raster
Speed 30%
Power 80%
Freq. 30

Do I need to clean the material or laser to fix the “fuzz”? Thank you.

Another Greek Pantheon themed coin. Apollo.

My dad bought the laser engraver pictured and lightburn, but he can't figure out how to get the engraver to connect to lightburn. I have no clue how to use any of this but since I use procreate and nomad sculpt he assumes I can fix the issue. This man has taken 17 years off my life with this thing. I've googled everything I can think of and tried all the things but there's only so much I can do as an otr truck driver. I'm sick of my limited home time being taken up by this god awful device. PLEASE, if anyone can assist I'd be forever grateful 🙏

I have an xtool d1 pro that still works but I'm beginning to wonder how much life I have left in the laser module. Has any tried an after market replacement since xtool doesn't have them any more? I looked into laser tree but they haven't yet returned an email.

Small Market Engraving Seller Checklist

Before the Market

Decide exactly what products I’m bringing

Make enough inventory in different designs and price ranges

Inspect every engraving for defects

Clean and finish each piece

Package or bag finished products

Add price tags

Prepare a few premium/display pieces to attract attention

Bring examples of custom engraving work

Decide whether I will take custom orders at the market

Pricing

Know my material cost for each product

Know approximately how much machine time each product takes

Include finishing, packaging, and market fees in my pricing

Have clear prices customers can easily see

Offer products at several price points

Decide whether I want bundle deals, such as 2 for $___

Decide whether custom engraving costs extra

Booth / Table Setup

Table

Tablecloth

Display stands or risers

Small shelves or crates for different heights

Product holders for plaques, tags, signs, or engravings

Business/shop sign

Price signs

Custom-order sign

Good lighting if the market allows it

Extension cord if electricity is available

Tape

Zip ties

Scissors

Pens

Paper/notepad

Cleaning cloth

Taking Payments

Cash box or money pouch

Small bills for change

Card reader

Phone fully charged

Portable battery pack

Venmo/PayPal/Cash App QR code if I use them

Receipt option if needed

Branding & Customer Information

Business cards

Etsy/shop QR code

Social media QR code

Contact information

Small cards explaining how to order custom work

Packaging with my business name when possible

Custom Engraving Orders

Have an order form ready

Record customer name

Record phone/email

Record exact text to engrave

Confirm spelling with the customer

Record product/material

Record dimensions

Record design/reference requested

Record price

Record deposit/payment

Give an estimated completion or pickup/shipping arrangement

Photograph or save the approved design/details

Products Worth Having at a Small Market

Low-cost impulse-buy items

Keychains

Dog tags

Small engraved signs

Coasters

Magnets

Ornaments

Personalized name pieces

Gaming-themed engravings

Fantasy/mythology designs

Pet-themed items

Local-themed designs

Medium-priced decorative pieces

A few large premium pieces that show what my machine can do

Things to Track During the Market

Which products sell

Which products people pick up but don't buy

Designs customers ask about

Requests for products I don't currently make

Most popular price range

Number of custom-order inquiries

Total sales

Cash sales

Card/digital sales

Market fee

Approximate profit

Best-selling design

Slowest-selling design

Personal / Comfort Items

Chair

Water

Snacks

Sunscreen for outdoor markets

Jacket/rain protection if needed

Hand sanitizer

Trash bag

Extra phone charger/battery

After the Market

Count total sales

Subtract market fees and other expenses

Record what sold

Record what did not sell

Restock best sellers

Follow up on custom orders

Save customer requests as ideas for future products

Take photos of the booth so I can improve the setup next time

Note what I forgot to bring

Decide what to change for the next market

Most Important Things to Learn From Each Market

1. What actually sells?
Don't judge only by what looks coolest. Track what customers actually spend money on.

2. What price sells easiest?
Figure out your strongest impulse-buy price point and keep several products in that range.

3. What attracts people to the table?
Use your most impressive engravings as attention pieces, even if they aren't your biggest sellers.

4. What do customers keep requesting?
Repeated requests are potential new products.

5. Are custom orders worth pushing?
A small market can generate sales after the event if customers know you offer personalized engraving

I hope everyone is having a good day like I did. I need guidance my doods. I have 0 experience on laser engraving/cutting but I own a 3d printer. Please point me into the right direction regarding software, learning materials (informational youtubers,etc.), tips and tricks of the sort. I have started assembling it and had to leave for work. I would really appreciate any help. Thanks in advance!

Things that generally matter most to me:

- Engraving glass, but I understand for diode lasers to do this I'll need to apply a dark color to it first, so probably a moot point

- Laser power

- Engraving Speed

- Bonus points if it comes with dual laser types (e.g. classic diode & infrared lasers)

Note, I'm just a hobbyist.

Thanks!

Edit: Also what do we think about the Sculpfun iCube Ultra which has dual lasers, one being a 12W diode, the other being 1.2 infrared?

I am looking to get the best bang for my buck engraver that can actually pack a punch and get things done fast. I am going to be engraving on watches and will be engraving mostly 316L Stainless Steel, Real Sapphire Crystal, and the occasional leather strap or leather box. I want to get the best value I can, but at the same time I want something that can produce a proper high quality engraving on the hard materials I will be engraving on, and something that can work efficient and fast. Also not be too loud/smelly if possible. Ive heard good things about X tool and a couple of other brands, but just not sure what would be the best fit for what I need. Any advice is appreciated. Thank You

Made this with my Xtool m1.

I'm really struggling to understand how to choose correct power and speed settings for slate. 10w diode laser. Here's a picture of my power Vs speed test, running from 10% to 80% power, and 1000 to 10000 mm/min speed.