Next Wave 2W Laser (For newbies like me)

Post Reply
TPA2022
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Feb 01, 2022 1:12 am
Model of CNC Machine: Shark HD500

Next Wave 2W Laser (For newbies like me)

Post by TPA2022 »

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.

User avatar
Tex_Lawrence
Vectric Wizard
Posts: 931
Joined: Fri Mar 25, 2016 11:30 am
Model of CNC Machine: Shapeoko3XXL; JTech7W; V-CarvePro 11.554
Location: Dayton, Texas (Don't Mess With My Texas!)

Re: Next Wave 2W Laser (For newbies like me)

Post by Tex_Lawrence »

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.

dljones10
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Dec 06, 2019 5:46 pm
Model of CNC Machine: Shark HD5

Re: Next Wave 2W Laser (For newbies like me)

Post by dljones10 »

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.
Attachments
laser samples.jpg
Laser showing how off center it is.jpg

User avatar
Tex_Lawrence
Vectric Wizard
Posts: 931
Joined: Fri Mar 25, 2016 11:30 am
Model of CNC Machine: Shapeoko3XXL; JTech7W; V-CarvePro 11.554
Location: Dayton, Texas (Don't Mess With My Texas!)

Re: Next Wave 2W Laser (For newbies like me)

Post by Tex_Lawrence »

dljones10 wrote:
Fri Feb 04, 2022 2:00 am
... You may also discovered that the laser is not centered with the laser shaft.... New Wave just said that is the way it is and they can't do anything about it.
TPA2022 wrote:
Thu Feb 03, 2022 4:10 am
... I am still learning to operate it all....
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.

TPA2022
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Feb 01, 2022 1:12 am
Model of CNC Machine: Shark HD500

Re: Next Wave 2W Laser (For newbies like me)

Post by TPA2022 »

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.

User avatar
Tex_Lawrence
Vectric Wizard
Posts: 931
Joined: Fri Mar 25, 2016 11:30 am
Model of CNC Machine: Shapeoko3XXL; JTech7W; V-CarvePro 11.554
Location: Dayton, Texas (Don't Mess With My Texas!)

Re: Next Wave 2W Laser (For newbies like me)

Post by Tex_Lawrence »

“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)
Tex — Crooked Wood Products
Now there's a man with an open mind – you can feel the breeze from here.

TPA2022
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Feb 01, 2022 1:12 am
Model of CNC Machine: Shark HD500

Re: Next Wave 2W Laser (For newbies like me)

Post by TPA2022 »

Shows me this on the pendant before I can start the burn.
Attachments
Screen on Pendant
Screen on Pendant

User avatar
Tex_Lawrence
Vectric Wizard
Posts: 931
Joined: Fri Mar 25, 2016 11:30 am
Model of CNC Machine: Shapeoko3XXL; JTech7W; V-CarvePro 11.554
Location: Dayton, Texas (Don't Mess With My Texas!)

Re: Next Wave 2W Laser (For newbies like me)

Post by Tex_Lawrence »

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.
Tex — Crooked Wood Products
Now there's a man with an open mind – you can feel the breeze from here.

Post Reply