So im familiar with setting home using my xcarve and router by placing my bit on the bottom corner or center of my work piece and setting z height until the bit is right above material… ive got around to connecting the jtech 3.8 laser and have gotten things straightened out in GRBL but ive found it hard to set a start point for the laser as it is mounted offset on the machine… so what im wondering is how are you guys setting a home or zero point using these lasers? do you just have a set point on the machine to butt up your work piece each time? any input appreciated, thanks all…
use the command to turn on the laser at very low power (1-3) out of 255 power. so if your spindle max speed is 255 issue a M03 S02 command and this should turn on the laser at low power if it is not bright enough then turn the power up a little with M03 S04. then use the light from the laser to set zero. I use a little speed square to set my Z hight to 2 1/2 inch above the work area. Also when you are done you can turn the laser off with M05
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When I am working on a piece that uses laser and spindle I start off with a micro v bit with the finest point and indent the wood with it then change out bits for the carving portion. After carving I install laser set to low power then jog it to the indent. if your sending software out puts axis position you can use that in the future to offset between the 2 tools.
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thank you guys for your responses, i will update if i find a better solution some day!
PicSender V2.7.6+ has the ability to zero the X,Y & Z axis’s in four different positions independently in your work area, so the Spindle can be zeroed in a different work zero position as the Laser.
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Make sure your in Spindle Mode for jogging & zeroing the Z axis before switching to Laser Mode to run your laser etching gcode files. When Exiting PicSender it will switch back to the G54 Coordinates automatically.
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you might be the same guy that helped me when purchasing software this last weekend, thank you for your prompt response and saving me from purchasing the wrong software!
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when I click on the link above from picengravertoo Norton blocks it
No that is all green ticks
Thank you, I will get on to Norton