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Anonymous
3783 Views, 6 Replies

How to laser engrave/etch areas?

Super newbie here, trying to figure out how to engrave/etch an area with a laser. My Sainsmart 3018 CNC uses grbl, figured out the smoothie workaround posted elsewhere to get the post to successfully export a linear laser "etch" but now I can't figure out how to laser/darken areas. The issue is that with engrave it won't let me use a tool that's a laser, I could just trick it into using a super small milling bit but then it won't turn the laser off between patterns. Saw somewhere else someone figured out how to trick the post into turning the laser off whenever it moved in Z, that could work but I'll need some babying through editing in post. No idea where to start on that. Help much appreciated!!

I've got this laser if it matters: https://www.sainsmart.com/products/sainsmart-blue-laser-module-kit