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fred sanchez
10-05-2008, 5:48 PM
hope u guys can give me a few pointers.

i just got my laser engraver a few days back and been messing around engraving and trying to cut and sofar its pretty amazing.

but for the life of me i cant get it to cut anything i would just love to see it cut .
one of the things i thought was so cool about this machine is how it cut out the lil Aztec calendar out at the long beach show once it was done engraving it started cuting.
can sombody be so kind and send me a file something already made with the red outline and maybe tell me the setings i need to use.

i have 1/8 plastic or wood

thanks

Peter Meacham
10-05-2008, 5:55 PM
Fred

If you have Corel Draw you can create something yourself - a box, a circle, etc. Do you have Draw and do you know how to use it?

Pete

fred sanchez
10-05-2008, 6:01 PM
yeah i have corel drawx3 im pretty good at it not a pro.
in aready drew a black line with a red outline and nothing.
i know its something simple as a setting.

at the moment im trying the file i just posted i already did 5 passes and still its not cut out :(

man i cant wait untill my training :D

Ed Maloney
10-05-2008, 6:13 PM
Hey Fred. I assume the lines are set to hairline outline not just red?

fred sanchez
10-05-2008, 6:19 PM
i guess its hairline

the file im using is a santa tag that i got from here.
the its all in black then a thin red outline.

:confused:

Ed Maloney
10-05-2008, 6:26 PM
Fred - I just sent you a PM.

Ed

Scott Shepherd
10-05-2008, 8:21 PM
Fred, as mentioned, it can't be a red thin line, it has to be a "hairline". If you select the outline that's red, and then click on the "outline tool" icon on the left hand tool bar. Select red as the color and then on the line thickness, select "hairline".

Once that's done, in your ULS control panel, skip over the materials database and select the "manual" tab.

On the black, try 100% speed, 35% power, Image Density of 4 or 5, and PPI at 500. On the red, change the settings to 50% power, 4 speed, 300-400 PPI. I didn't pick up your laser power, so this is just a place to start. On the red, you can certainly go up on the power to get through it if you need to.

Make sure you select "Apply" and then hit the green button!

Ed Maloney
10-05-2008, 8:51 PM
Fred - Got your file and the red is indeed hairline. So I'm thinking it's the material you are using or the settings. Follow Scott's advice and see how you make out.

Darren Null
10-05-2008, 10:59 PM
Have you set the power in the printer settings for the different colours? And possibly you need to set it for full manual, also in the driver settings.

Once you send it to print from corel, it's in the 'properties' setting on the first screen. That's where all my laser tweaking gubbins is anyway.

fred sanchez
10-06-2008, 1:38 AM
scott and ed and the rest thanks for helping me do my first cut this is too cool.

now another question why is it when i put a red line around something and used the same settings that ed told me to use it wont cut?
im sure its something easy in corel draw like layering or something like that :confused:
thanks guys

Rodne Gold
10-06-2008, 2:56 AM
Check that your colour palette is the same as what the engraving machine wants.

Rob Bosworth
10-06-2008, 10:03 AM
Fred, also make sure that the red hairline is in layer 1 in CorelDRAW, and that you have Red toggled to Vector in your ULS print driver.

Scott Shepherd
10-06-2008, 10:21 AM
What Rodney and Bob both said. One step that needs to be setup (which is in the manual that they apparently shipping with machines these days), is that you need to install the color palette that works with your laser. It's a simple process to do and the steps are in the manual and the files are on the installation disc.

Once that's done, the color palette you pick from will only have the colors the laser uses in it's driver.

Also, to Bob's point, on each color in your driver, there is a drop down box with options. Raster, Vector, Rast/Vect, Skip. Make sure the red has Vector selected. (I learned that one the hard way!)

Chris Hanson
10-06-2008, 10:42 AM
Where/when was the Christmas gift tag file posted? I did a quick search and couldn't find it. That would be a great addition to gifts for families and friends this year.

Thanks all for sharing.

Chris

Mike Mackenzie
10-06-2008, 11:22 AM
Fred,

Contact us to set-up the training my guess is that you are not configured properly with the Corel. I will have Treavor call you today.

fred sanchez
10-06-2008, 10:10 PM
once again thanks for all your help everybody