New to the board & tool. I am still learning to operate it all. But I did get my first project set up. The machine moved but no laser activation. After a quick phone call with Next Wave they sent me new Postprocessors in an email. That did the trick, laser flashed and burned away.
Just wanted to post incase any new owners run into the same problem.
Next Wave 2W Laser (For newbies like me)
- Tex_Lawrence
- Vectric Wizard
- Posts: 965
- Joined: Fri Mar 25, 2016 11:30 am
- Model of CNC Machine: Shapeoko3XXL; JTech7W; V-CarvePro 12.004
- Location: Dayton, Texas (Don't Mess With My Texas!)
Re: Next Wave 2W Laser (For newbies like me)
Welcome to the forum! I added a J-Tech 7W laser to my machine. Its fun figuring out how much laser to add to projects that I cut.
Tex — Crooked Wood Products
Now there's a man with an open mind – you can feel the breeze from here.
Now there's a man with an open mind – you can feel the breeze from here.
Re: Next Wave 2W Laser (For newbies like me)
You will enjoy the laser depending on what you will be doing with it. It is limited and it doesn't work with photos very well. I tried a couple of times and it may be my setup but it didn't look very good. There is another thread on this forum with someone working with New Wave on getting post processor issues resolved using the Vectric laser module.
You may also discovered that the laser is not centered with the laser shaft. I was trying to laser within a carve and never did get it to work like I wanted. I attached a test picture of what I am talking about. The four circles were burned with the laser turned at 0, 90,180,and 270. You can see how far the laser is off from center. New Wave just said that is the way it is and they can't do anything about it. So it is best to try and secure the laser cable to the router so laser doesn't turn inadvertently. I use a velcro strap to secure cable near top of my spindle with cable pointing towards front of machine. Also attached a sample of what I am using the laser to create.
You may also discovered that the laser is not centered with the laser shaft. I was trying to laser within a carve and never did get it to work like I wanted. I attached a test picture of what I am talking about. The four circles were burned with the laser turned at 0, 90,180,and 270. You can see how far the laser is off from center. New Wave just said that is the way it is and they can't do anything about it. So it is best to try and secure the laser cable to the router so laser doesn't turn inadvertently. I use a velcro strap to secure cable near top of my spindle with cable pointing towards front of machine. Also attached a sample of what I am using the laser to create.
- Tex_Lawrence
- Vectric Wizard
- Posts: 965
- Joined: Fri Mar 25, 2016 11:30 am
- Model of CNC Machine: Shapeoko3XXL; JTech7W; V-CarvePro 12.004
- Location: Dayton, Texas (Don't Mess With My Texas!)
Re: Next Wave 2W Laser (For newbies like me)
You might want to study the attached post. Gary has solved his (and my) offset problems with our different versions of a J-Tech laser mount. His mounts in the router collet; mine mounts on the router frame. His is a small offset; mine is a large offset. Both offsets are accommodated with the post-processor additions.
viewtopic.php?p=275838#p275838
Also, if you are willing to step out from your supplied software, there is a gcode sender called "gSender" that now has a way to add that offset as it executes your gcode file. (You don't have to have a special post-processor to use it.)
Tex — Crooked Wood Products
Now there's a man with an open mind – you can feel the breeze from here.
Now there's a man with an open mind – you can feel the breeze from here.
Re: Next Wave 2W Laser (For newbies like me)
Thanks All! I have never been part of an online forum I mostly do my own thing. I did not notice my laser being out of centre, but I will do a test & make sure I secure it.
What I did notice (and it is probably a learning curve) is my piece (a box top) is 10.25 x 8.0 when I put the USB I was presented with a screen:
Select Scan Region For Virtual Zero
File Specifies: 9.25 x 7.06
Current Region: 9.25 x 7.06
Do NOT use Virtual Zero
How / why did the program take my initial 10.25 and go down to 9.25? I assume its some safe zone.
Also, I noticed that even though I zero'd to the bottom left corner it seemed to be off by 0.25", which after a few test burns I was able to adjust for. I would like to be able to just put a piece of wood down & let it go.
What I did notice (and it is probably a learning curve) is my piece (a box top) is 10.25 x 8.0 when I put the USB I was presented with a screen:
Select Scan Region For Virtual Zero
File Specifies: 9.25 x 7.06
Current Region: 9.25 x 7.06
Do NOT use Virtual Zero
How / why did the program take my initial 10.25 and go down to 9.25? I assume its some safe zone.
Also, I noticed that even though I zero'd to the bottom left corner it seemed to be off by 0.25", which after a few test burns I was able to adjust for. I would like to be able to just put a piece of wood down & let it go.
- Tex_Lawrence
- Vectric Wizard
- Posts: 965
- Joined: Fri Mar 25, 2016 11:30 am
- Model of CNC Machine: Shapeoko3XXL; JTech7W; V-CarvePro 12.004
- Location: Dayton, Texas (Don't Mess With My Texas!)
Re: Next Wave 2W Laser (For newbies like me)
“What I did notice (and it is probably a learning curve) is my piece (a box top) is 10.25 x 8.0 when I put the USB I was presented with a screen:“
Where did the screen come from? (software)
Where did the screen come from? (software)
Tex — Crooked Wood Products
Now there's a man with an open mind – you can feel the breeze from here.
Now there's a man with an open mind – you can feel the breeze from here.
Re: Next Wave 2W Laser (For newbies like me)
Shows me this on the pendant before I can start the burn.
- Tex_Lawrence
- Vectric Wizard
- Posts: 965
- Joined: Fri Mar 25, 2016 11:30 am
- Model of CNC Machine: Shapeoko3XXL; JTech7W; V-CarvePro 12.004
- Location: Dayton, Texas (Don't Mess With My Texas!)
Re: Next Wave 2W Laser (For newbies like me)
Ok, I get it now. Looks like that's machine dependent, so you might be better off asking this on a Next Wave hardware forum.
However, perhaps someone with a Next Wave will pop in with a solution.
However, perhaps someone with a Next Wave will pop in with a solution.
Tex — Crooked Wood Products
Now there's a man with an open mind – you can feel the breeze from here.
Now there's a man with an open mind – you can feel the breeze from here.