Hi everyone! I just created a quick tutorial on how to perfectly align your laser engravings onto irregular shapes using a simple template/jig. Also, if you haven’t calibrated your lid camera yet… you’re in for a treat! It only takes about 30 minutes and it’s like getting a brand new machine. I filmed a before and after shot in the video. I’d love to hear if you have any additional tricks for aligning your engravings.
Does the focus distance make any difference to the positioning?
I don’t think it does but can’t convince myself.
Thank you for making the video.
No, the focus distance doesn’t make any difference at all to the positioning (I wondered the same thing). However, the focus distance directly affects the bed preview image. The preview image will be incorrect if the focus distance (“set focus”) isn’t set and the material you placed in the bed has a different thickness than the previous material used (unless it’s proofgrade). But at the end of the day, you could ignore the preview image entirely when using the paper/magnets jig because the focus distance doesn’t affect the positioning (but “setting focus” makes it look right). Ha! That sounds complicated… but the short answer is “no”
“no”. Good, that’s what I thought first, then I confused myself 
Hi, I just got my machine and been playing with it for a week. I don’t think my machine is aligned because I’m trying to cut a jigsaw cutout on a photo and when I cut, for whatever reason my glowforge cuts like a couple millimeters off and ends up cutting outside of the photo. How often do you have to calibrate the machine? I just got this…
I hear that it’s usually good to calibrate the machine if it’s been moved (for example, after transporting, shipping, etc). Mine wasn’t perfectly calibrated because I’ve opened and closed the lid thousands of times and the lid seemed to shift slightly. I calibrated by Glowforge a few weeks ago (for the first time) and it has been perfect ever since.
Hi, Thank you so much for your video. It was really helpful. I do have one (probably very silly) question. When trying to make a jig or outline for a material that is too large for the tray and it has to be taken out… What is the best way to do that? For example, I am engraving a flask that is just under an inch in height, so I add some material under it to bring it in the focus range. When I place a piece of paper down the machine says it is too far, but I cannot add anymore height if I want to place the flask on top of the score mark. I am not sure if that makes any sense in the way I typed it. Thank you again for your help.
Thank you
How do you do it when using the bypass? I can’t figure that out?
Could be just me but I could not find the video link so I am posting it here.
