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Easel and LightBurn do not work together. You can use either program to prepare a project for your laser, but not both at the same time.
Both programs can drive the laser with G-code commands to grbl (grbl is the software that runs in the X-controller). You can also export the G-code from either program and send it to the X-controller with other programs which will send the G-code to the X-controller.
Easel does not support laser work directly, but there are ways to use it with limited functionality.
LightBurn does a lot for the user, but it also has some limitations.
Thank you for the reply. Opt Laser told me to change my spindle from Manual to Auto, which was easy enough, but that and wiring instruction has been pretty much the extent of the instructions I have received. Countless hours of research have yielded one overwhelming abundant truth and that there are several ways to achieve the same results. I currently have the GRBL 1.1 downloaded but I have no real preference. My only real concern is changing some parameter and damaging my laser or my x carve. This does clear a few things up. I will check on those settings later this evening. Thanks again.
Thatâs a huge help thank thank you so much, I will be a couple days before I get back home to my shop but I will be sure to try this set up and reply again.
Thank you for your suggestions, I realized part of my confusion, in that, all this time I was thinking GRBL was a program. I had downloaded, what I thought was going to be a required program called âLaserGRBLâ ( I told you I was new to this) I now realize that GRBL is a firmware downloaded to my x controller. I made the changes you suggested in Easel, closed it, open Lightburn, made my connection, and tested the controls. That all works just fine. I uploaded an .svg checked the preview and pressed start. My machine moves as though its working correctly however the laser isnât firing nor is the fan running. I have checked and rechecked my connections. I confirmed Iâm getting 24v from my x-controller and into my dock, so I certain the laser is receiving 24v but what I canât confirm is whether or not itâs receiving a signal to fire. Any suggestions. Also I very much appreciate your patience Im sure this is all very elementary to you, and I hope soon it will be for me as well.
When you setup the x carve in Lightburn, what selection did you choose?
Additionally, just because you can see the svg in Lightburn, doesnât mean itâs gonna burn it.
You have to tell Lightburn what you want it to do with the svg.
In the top left corner of the Lightburn program, you will see a box for cut settings. You must select the vectors and tell Lightburn how to use the vectors there.
I chose the GRBL, I looked at again and it appears that maybe I should have chose the GRBL-M3. As far as the cut goes, I chose the âcutâ mode and didnât change any other parameters. Iâm using the standard view for Lightburn so my upper left corner contains the dimensions and position of the image.
These show my wiring between the spindle mount docking station and the x controller.
Red goes from vcc (DS) to 24v positive (XC)
Black goes from gnd (DS) to 24v negative (XC)
White goes from ttl (DS) to pwm (XC)
green goes from signal gnd (DS) to GND (XC)
The traces on the docking station pcb are sized differently for the power side than they are for the signals. If you mistakenly run the power on the signal side, you can burn out the traces on the pcb quickly.
Try wiring the laser directly if you donât find anything with the wiring and see if itâll power up that way.
I do see a little difference in my set up. this is the wiring diagram that I received from opt laser. My ground wires are tied together and I donât have anything connected to the spindle(0-10v) terminal.
Yeah, in my picture, the wires going to the spindle 0-10 actually go to an IOT relay that runs my dewalt dw611 and dust collector, so you can ignore them.
Not sure why you have the gnds tied together, and it truly shouldnât matter unless the signal gnd is a âfloating gndâ in the system, but I wouldnât do that. Or maybe Iâm misunderstanding what you mean by that.
If you have a DMM, I would check continuity between the wiring. You may have an open somewhere and not realize it.
Also, make sure you use stranded wire to run through the x carve as solid wire will work harden and break easily.
The diagram from OptLasers is exactly correct, and exactly how I have mine wired.
I wasnât sure about the ground wires either but followed the schematic exactly, I will check continuity this afternoon and if that doesnât yield any correctable issues, I will wire it direct, beyond that, I may have to send it back to opt laser to have them check it out. At this point I at least feel like I have a better understanding of how it should operate.
I did double check the wiring but I removed the dock from the laser and looked at the circuit board and it is exactly the opposite of the diagram that I got from Opt laser so I reversed the wiring. Now when I turn it on the fan starts running, the laser still wonât fire, I also wired it directly excluding the dock entirely the fan will run but the laser will not fire. Is possible that I messed up the laser diode by having the wires reversed?
I HATE to chime in here as it will reveal my experience butâŚsmell it. There is a definite smoke odor around the laser body (where the wires go in) if you cooked the tracing. At least, thatâs what Iâm told
