Tip: Successfully saving a "failed" print

Ok — you’ve created your SVG and imported it into the app, set the depth of the material, and doubled-checked all the settings. You’re ready to go and you press the button. All is well, until you notice that some the elements aren’t being engraved. The head’s moving, but the laser isn’t firing :confounded:. Is there something wrong with your GF? :scream: Not necessarily, it could be a PEBKAC event (as in my case). :innocent:

The important thing is to stop and think before taking any other action — you may be able to save your print.

While 'forging a piece of slate, I noticed that the lines in the art deco corners weren’t engraving. The finial dots engraved just fine. What gives? I realized that the lines were just that – lines. Vector lines have no thickness, so there’s nothing to engrave. D’oh!

So simple, but how about that print? How can I save my last piece of slate? I knew if I loaded a bitmap (png) version of the corners I’d never get them perfectly aligned to the now-engraved dots, so I decided to “cut” the lines. What the heck — if it fails, I’m only out a $1 piece of slate…

As the file was still open in the GFUI and I hadn’t moved the slate, there were no alignment issues to worry about. I simply switched those elements to cut, and pressed Print…

Sweet, sweet success. :sunglasses:

Btw, as @PrintToLaser pointed out, engraving slate generates a flash that rivals a magnesium flare! Here’s a bit of video as an example. It’s full speed for a few seconds, then shifts to slo-mo.

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The slo-mo is awesome.

I deal with other engineers all day and it’s amazing how impatient and un-thinking they can be when faced with simple problems like this. I think the people that will follow your advice would have done the same already, and the rest with think you have a great idea then start mashing buttons, picking up their parts and examining things long before the “I could have saved that by just…” synapses fire.

Humans.

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And I think that’s something people need to think about. If it’s not working right, don’t mess with the material. No need to get a better look, you’re right, it didn’t engrave, best to figure out why and get your result!

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Please grace me with the power and speed of that if you recall.
I have bumped into that too. “Wait… If I don’t move it, then…”

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I feel a new sign that will go right on handle of the lid: Don’t open this until you know what you are going to do.

I have gotten so used to going over, opening the lid, and grabbing the material to check it out and pull the masking off that sometimes I make life harder and screw something up that is salvagable.

Great story and words of wisdom.

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Fantastic save and a fantastic sign. Boy, that slate really looks cool engraved!

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Accurate alignment is important, even for non-engineering projects.

Food for thought.

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This!

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