I need help understanding using non-cert products

[mark4]

Hello.

I am looking to engrave the top of a wooden box. The lid of the box is .67 inches. Greater than the .5

I took the tray out, and I measured and basically created a platform from other wood, where the top of the box WOULD be .25 inches off the top of the tray if the tray were there. It is a stack of plywood.

I go in and I give the thickness of the produce at .25, I assume I am setting the focal length and such.

The issue is that the design is NO WHERE near where it is projected in the app to me. Can someone please point me to an answer, youtube, or write up to help me set this up. I ruined one box, so I am using it as test now.

[cynd11]

I think you’ll find it here:

Tutorial: How to cut without the Crumb Tray (Honeycomb)

Tutorial: How to cut objects too thick to have the honeycomb in place The GlowForge has a maximum material thickness it can cut through, but there is a maximum thickness you can even put on the honeycomb (crumb tray) even if you are surface engraving as the laser has a limited focus range of 0.01" - 0.4" *** above the surface of the honeycomb at the time of this tutorial. But let’s say you wanted to engrave something thicker that fits quite nicely inside the GlowForge but not with the crumb tray…

[cbarker]

@mark4

The issue is that the design is NO WHERE near where it is projected in the app to me. Can someone please point me to an answer, youtube, or write up to help me set this up. I ruined one box, so I am using it as test now.

Your general process sound correct, but a big error like you are describing sounds like what happens when there is a disparity between what the camera is expecting as a focus height, and reality.

Some possible causes:

• Was the piece far from the middle of the work area?
• Did you make sure to measure the height of the honeycomb on the crumb tray, not the “shelf” on the sides? (its about 3mm/.125" taller than the honeycomb)
• Was your lid closed all the way?

[mark4]

Yes, I measured the tray, and stacked a much of wood in the work space, below the height of the tray… Once I added the box top it would be the height of the tray + .25. The box top is in the middle of the work space.

I did measure the side of the tray, not the middle, I can try that and see what I come up with.

Yes the lid was closed all the way.

[jamesdhatch]

@mark4

I did measure the side of the tray, not the middle, I can try that and see what I come up with.

You want to measure the honeycomb. Most folks are finding it to be 1.3 or 1.4". The sides of the tray including the black plastic is a bit taller and your adjustment would have it defocused high.

[markevans36301]

Something that I find helpful when working with the tray out is to mask the thing then hit it very lightly with the laser (just enough to mark the paper) to confirm placement.

[rpegg]

We can’t know how you measured things so just as an FYI when you measure the honeycomb it has to be in place because there are divits in the floor. As stated before 1.38-1.4" is fairly standard. A very small error will introduce large placement errors.

Happy that you are OK with info or suggestions. May or may not be applicable. Have had a few folks recently get all bent out of shape if we suggest something they know is not the problem. Like we should be able to read minds.

[mark4]

Are you kidding? This is one of the most helpful communities I have the privilege to use. I am glad you cannot read my mind, it is strange in here.

Thanks for all the advice, I will rework the measurements and see what I come up with. I did measure the outside, not the honeycomb, so I am off.

Will let you know how it goes.

[mark4]

Great idea!

[PlGHEADED]

you can also measure the height from the tray (installed) to the laser head. then measure from the head to your raised box when tray removed , and note that difference as the “height” or thickness…

[nathan_p]

This might clarify what you need to measure on the tray and how you might have done it wrong (the whole thread is pretty useful, if I do say so myself ):

Cutting Without the Crumb Tray - The NO MATH Edition

Here’s a pic of the tray that I hope clarifies things. The measurement we want is A, the distance from the floor to the top of the honeycomb. If you put a depth gauge through the honeycomb you’ll only get measurement B because it hits the floor of the tray. So instead we measure C and subtract D, because it’s easy to reach both. [02 AM] The fact is, though, that A is supposedly pretty consistent from machine to machine, so you don’t even need to measure it on your own. Just zero your calip…

[Darth_Sixstring]

When precision matters, I’ll use a sheet of cardboard and cut the outline of the project. Theb I’ll fit the piece into the cut-out area and trust that no matter the fish eye distortion of the camera I can be certain where the laser will hit. Harder to do when you’re building up a fake tray but maybe worth the effort!