Hello, anybody using Lightburn software (https://lightburnsoftware.com/) I haven´t been succesful in trying to use it with my jtech laser and original xcarve controller.
Regards,
What version of grbl are you running?
Do you use this software? Im building a 500x500 xc to donate to a local high school shop class and was looking for a user friendly software to accompany the 2.8w jtech laser I purchased for it. Its a older used xcarve, pre x controller, still grbl.
I do not use this software, but I did take a look at it to see if it would run on grbl.
I don’t know much about the software to run it, but it did run on my test setup. There are some limitations which may be removed if there are settings that can let you customize it some.
You might want to look into LaserGrbl for your setup.
Please be careful as a class four laser is very dangerous if not used properly and check to make sure that your school will allow it as there are liability concerns
I don’t have an XCarve, but I have a 40w laser with a GRBL-LPC controller in it that I use it with. Perhaps I can help? There’s also a dedicated Facebook group that’s quite active - if you’re having issues you should post there.
My personal setup uses GRBL 1.1f in laser mode, though I’ve read that 1.1e works as well.
Don’t use Facebook, or grbl 1.1f.
I have a version of 1.0c that is laser enabled.
The important bit is the laser mode switch, allowing the use of M4 / variable power mode. With M4, the power of the beam is varied with the speed, so as the laser slows down for corners, it lowers the beam power, giving an even burn. Without it, it’s possible to stop moving but leave the laser on.
Yes. I knew that, and I have to admit that I was thinking about general use. Since your program is written specifically for a 1.1f feature I can see why it doesn’t make much difference.
It does limit the use of your program to grbl version 1.1f if the user wants to stay with grbl.
updated to 1.1F
Thanks a lot to everybody for your help. I try no to get too much into facebook these days, but Ill check that group to see if it helps. Laser turning on and off now, but no luck starting from home, it starts from wherever it wants to…
I would like to try Lightburn and have been reading about it, but haven’t downloaded it yet so I won’t burn the trial period 
. I just have to wait a bit longer to build an enclosure with some sort of exhaust fan first.
I was wondering, does Lightburn only output M4? The fact that there is an overscan option makes me think that when this is enabled it would work best with M3.
As far as I know, M4 only. If you push GRBL too fast and it can’t process the codes fast enough, you’d want it to reduce the power if it slowed down. Seen this happen a lot - everyone wants to engrave at 1000mm/sec.
For anyone using (or wanting to try) LightBurn, it looks like the latest version now supports older versions of GRBL that don’t have the M4 command, and that means stock XCarve setups.
@JasonDorie quick question… can you confirm or correct this:
DSP license: CAM + gcode sender
GCode license: CAM only (*)
(*) bring your own gcode sender
No, all versions have a GCode sender. The DSP version is for people like me who have a Ruida-based controller instead of a GCode one, but it also includes the GCode back ends. I also have a modified K40 with a Cohesion3D board in it running GRBL and use the same software for both.