I’m sure there is firmware in the source and the controller cards. I don’t know how to access it or why anyone would want to.

It has crossed my mind several times. I feel the document alone wouldn’t be as beneficial without a tutorial to walk through it. It is a priority once I get back to making content again.

@MakrTheory Thank You. I tried to screen shot the points in the video that shows your plates and markings...I never got the same results but I keep trying and it's frustrating as I have a 60W Mopa JPT and it must be slightly different as none of my colors are VIBRANT...never know when to leave cross Hatch on...di-directional on..or off....but hey I'm still learning.

@MasterTheNEC there are some variables that will change with every setup. The lenses typically used on these lasers are “economy” grade and have a wide range of variability in the focus and work area. This will change your spot size and the ability to mark materials. I try to do everything as a single pass, no crosshatch. I would select bidirectional or unidirectional and just keep that setting fixed through the tests.

@MakrTheory Thanks. My lens is 175mm x 175mm. I will learn it eventually but kinda wish I just got the 60W Fiber rather than the MOPA at this point..but I keep trying...LOL

@MasterTheNEC I felt that way initially too because the MOPA adds another variable to figure out. Honestly the MOPA is the better machine and can do way more, once you get used to it. When you get a color you like, do a new grid narrowing in on those same variables. If you are already really tight on one of those variables, you can lock them in and start using another variable on the grid to see if that helps vibrancy. Just take it in small changes.

You are welcome. It makes a world of difference, especially on photo engraves. The calculator got put on hold last year with all my other video plans. Looking to get back to it some point this year. My plan is to make it a free and easily accessible online calculator, but last time I was trying to work on it, it was going to require a custom website and good developers aren’t cheap. I’m hoping someone has developed a plugin that will do what I want since then.

@@MakrTheorycan I get your email to ask you a question?

@@dariushutchins2735 Best way to reach me is through my Discord server listed in the video description, or in the Laser Maker’s Realm Discord server.

You want to have the jump delay as low as possible to prevent excessive run times, but if they are too short, the laser starts marking before it stabilizes the mirrors. This causes the line to show a slight wobble at the start. The lines on the perimeter are there as a reference scale, similar to the other timing test. I may remove them when I refresh this video to prevent confusion going forward.

@@MakrTheory So basically just set the jump setting so the line is straight and not curved at the tip correct? Do these settings need to be repeated for a different lens each time?

@@hcues1 Correct on the curve/wiggle at the line start. Unless you used a really small lens (50x50 or 70x70) to do the timing and then switch to a 300x300, you should be good for all lenses, especially if you used magnification to inspect the test marks.

I can try to guide you in the right direction, but it will really depend on your specific setup. What size lens are you using? There should be a marking on the lens stating something like “110x110 F160”.

@@MakrTheory I have a 70x70, 110x110 , 250x250, 300x300 and I have on order a 175x175 i am using a 110x110 lens. I really appreciate all the help

@@harrygithens3908 lens is likely your issue because the spot size is so small. You either have to drop the power even further and tighten up the line distance, or switch to a larger lens. I got my best results with my 300, but each machine and lens is different.

That is odd. You should be able to fix that in the machine setup. What software are you using?

You can start with what I ran on one of my initial tests that got color, but I would drop the power to 30% of what I use in the video. Lens plays a factor as well. If you are using a lens smaller than 175x175 (F254), you will likely need to drop power a little more.

​@MakrTheory I have a 60W Monport Mopa. Have you published all these settings anywhere? Very Nice work here, thank you for sharing.

@MasterTheNEC I have not published them, but I am currently working on something that would help people find their starting points. I will be announcing them in a video soon.

@@MakrTheory Perfect...Keep it Simple for us Simple Folks...LOL

You are welcome! I hope it helped.

You are welcome. Now time to have some fun with photos on your fiber.

Thank you Rich!

I have had some rust on a one sample, but not on most of them. I live in a dry desert climate, so I’m assuming that is proving me a positive result than other videos I have seen discussing colors rusting. I have been wanting to make a follow-up video with testing for corrosion, but have had a shift in priorities since I made this video.

Thank you. Most have survived well. With no after treatment, some corrosion appeared on one of the bottle opener samples of unknown alloy (assuming 304), but it was on a seemingly random spot. The others appear to be doing fine, but I live in a dry desert climate.

Thank you. I hope you are doing well also.

You are welcome. Best way to learn and figure out how things work is to make small changes and take notes for each test.

@@MakrTheory thanks you read my mind that’s my second question, lol.

You are welcome. I am glad you found it helpful.

If you are looking to use it as a reference chart to get colors on your laser, I would strongly suggest you run your own tests with your specific laser and setup. My settings will likely not work on your machine, which is why I explained the process without providing specific settings.

I provided a link to the dog tags in the description. The bottle openers are no longer sold by that same supplier, so I have to buy some others and test to provide a link. The 416 and 17-4 were from OnlineMetals.com. I'll update with a link in the description this weekend. The 316L discs were scrap slugs from a local metal shop. It was a lucky find and I grabbed what they had of them at scrap prices.

That sounds like a very interesting process. All my projects have been for someone wanting a specific color or appearance. The bespoke approach you have taken sounds like a lot more fun and less stressful. Thank you for sharing.

MOPA helps give more options and fine tuning, but is not required to get colors. It is all about getting the right settings. I focused on MOPA because that is what I have and it seems to be the big selling point most manufacturers use for them.

Thank you. Diode will definitely be a different setting than Fiber due to the different wave length of the laser (450nm vs 1064nm) and the way it is absorbed by the metal. Best of luck.

Thank you. I’m glad you found it helpful. Best of luck on your quest for color settings.

@@MakrTheory *I have a 60W Mopa JPT Fiber Laser OMG-X I'll be making my attempts at Duplicating your IMPRESSIVE Results!!!*

It really depends on the settings and laser. I have managed to get color with my F254 (175x175) and my F420 (300x300) on my 30w M1 JPT. I know other people use the F254 with their 60w M7 for color as well.

@@MakrTheory Actually got mine to work. Just have to get correct distance. Do you know what the smallest and biggest diameter the 254 head can laser?

@@authentic4225 I’m not sure I follow. Are you talking how small or large of an area you can mark on a flat surface?

You're welcome. I am glad you found it helpful.

Thank you. I am glad you found it helpful. 60w JPT is a great “do everything” source. I definitely regret not spending the extra money on a 60w instead of my 30w.

Thank you!

You can get a shimmery “white” and black/dark gray. Colors are limited to iron alloys (ferrous metals) and some exotic materials like titanium. Good way to verify is if you can heat the metal to near melting and see a rainbow effect after it cools, you can laser mark colors. It doesn’t take a lot of power to make the color marks on stainless. 20w is adequate, but if you also plan to do engravings on larger items, you will want more power.

thank you sir @@MakrTheory

You are welcome. LightBurn is the real time saver for this process.

WHAAA HOOOO!!!!! 19 Echo! US Army 1988 -1992. WHAAAA WHOOOOO!!!!!!!

I am glad you got it straightened out. I appreciate the feedback and reviewed the video myself. I agree I was much more thorough with explanations on the EZCAD portion when compared to the LightBurn portion. A mistake on my part for having recorded them consecutively and not reviewed them independently as a LightBurn user would. I will have to make a revised video for that portion. I'll also make sure to mention that some settings may require a negative value. Thank you.

Thank you. Marking copper and brass take a lot of energy, so if you plan to mark large pieces or quantities of pieces more than just hobby, I would definitely look to 60w or more. For the color marking, there are no dyes. I have seen conflicting answers as well. For the most visible and vibrant colors, I believe the answer is a mix of the microscopic grooves left in the material distorting the light and the heat temper of the metal. If it was only the grooves, we should be able to get the same colors on aluminum or copper alloys as well, but I have never seen them on those materials.

Thank you. Hope you found it helpful.

Thank you! Planning on being more consistent with content this year.

@@MakrTheory with or without consistency, do it because you love it. Don't let it feel like a job. ❤️

When focus was properly set, thickness did not appear to make any difference on the material test grids. Perhaps that could change when marking a large area and a thin material were to overheat or warp. But that would be an issue of going out of focus.

Thank you. If you have a deep blue color, try altering your speed and line distance by a factor of 1.25. (If line distance is .004 x 1.25 = .005 and speed could be 200 x 1.25 = 250) I have a friend in the Laser Maker’s Realm Discord that recently did that on his 60w MOPA with a 220 lens and it worked well. If that doesn’t work for you, I don’t know his exact settings, but if you join the Discord you could see some of the test grids he shared in the “fiber-show-off” channel. Those might steer you closer. Link is case sensitive discord.gg/Fyuea5dv

@@MakrTheory thank you sir please keep up the good work and continue to share. Your good

@@ronnyallred4540 you are welcome. Please let me know how it works out for you. Colors are tough and some of my theories are still a work in progress. I am hoping to have more time for content creation in 2024, but family takes priority over side projects.

Thank you.

Copper takes a lot of energy to mark because of how quickly it dissipates the heat. A newer 30w will work, but I recommend 50w or more if you plan on having a work area bigger than 110mmx110mm.

Could be either one. If you know what model your laser source is, you should be able to look it up. Most common MOPA sources are the JPT “M” series. Model number should have “-M1-“, “-M6-“, “-M7-“, or “-M8-“ in the model number. There are other variable pulse width MOPA sources, but I am not very familiar with them.

@@MakrTheory it was just a radio button to show the field. All good now. Even got some colour, but a long way to go! Thanks for your videos!

⁠@@47zeroexcellent! I always preface turning on the radio button with finding out the model source and if it is capable of adjusting the QPulse. I am glad you were able to get it working and start making some colors.

Haha. Definitely one of the more frustrating ways to get started, but not impossible. All marking has to start with a blind guess. Changing one setting at a time is the key to learning how they each work.

@@MakrTheory Yeah, I can see I gotta start with learning what speed, frequency, power and all that new terminology is. I just got a Mopa G160 Fiber Laser from Monport and this is all overwhelming...LOL

@MasterTheNEC be sure to checkout some of the tutorials Patrick @lsengraving has done with his Monport. He has a lot more content than I do with some starting settings. Once you get a good mark you like, you can start manipulating the settings to see what they do. If time permits, I have plans to make more content explaining the settings and other tricks of the trade.

Unless you get a high end lab grade lens varies slightly, so a focus stick is something you make or order to size after you have found the focus distance for your lens. I have been meaning to make a video on finding focus, but for now, a real quick way the find the focus is put a piece of of scrap steel or stainless steel on your laser. Draw a square an easily measured size (1” or 30mm) and trace the shape. Adjust the height until the trace measure the same as on your your software. That will be close, enough to start. To increase accuracy, raise the lens another 20mm and use a high power setting and use and offset fill on the square. Check the “Continuous” mark setting and run the mark. Slowly lower the lens. You should see the burn intensity increase until you get to the focal point, and then they will start getting weaker. You will want to go back up until you get the strong sparks again. That will be your focus distance. You can either order a focus stick to size, or Patrick @LSEngraving sells an adjustable one that you can make to the length you need and then glue or bolt it in place. I’ll make it a priority to get a formal video up soon.

Thank you. With no surface protection or post laser treatment, I have some samples that have started to corrode, but most have not. I live in a very dry climate, so I’m sure that is helping prevent corrosion. I have intentions of doing more testing of the corrosion resistance and possible solutions. For now, I have seen others use clear coat finishes to protect markings on mild steel. I would imagine the same would work for stainless steel.

Thank you for the feedback. I have a few ideas written down to cover the basics of what each setting does and how it works. Color marking is definitely a more advanced topic.

Thank you. I struggled for a long time before getting to the point of making this video, so I understand your frustration. I know your source can mark colors while in focus with the right settings, because I know other that are doing it. Let’s start with a few questions. First, what material are you marking? Second, what size lens are you using? Third, are you etching into the material, like I was on my first tests, or are you getting any results at all?

@@MakrTheory thanks for your response. I am lasering on stainless steel (I think it should be V2A) Lens is 70x70 I got to the point where I managed to not etch into the material but just leave a white-silverish mark. But when I do a grid test of that setting all the marks weirdly look exactly the same

@@maxgul.x still too much power then. You will have a tough time with that small of a lens. There is a lot of energy in a very small area. I would run low frequency, low power, and low QPulse. If you can, I strongly suggest a 175 or 210 lens.

@@MakrTheory I will try the settings from your video with a 175 lens and report back. Thank you for your help!

@@maxgul.x cut the power in half since you have a 60w and I have a 30w.

Thank you. That is a great idea I hadn’t thought of trying. I will have experiment and see if I can figure out the focus.

You are welcome. Glad you found it helpful. Thank you for the feedback.

You are welcome! You will want to make sure your laser is an adjustable pulse width model. If it is a JPT and has “M1”, “M6”, “M7”, or “M8” in the model number, you will have the ability to control pulse width. There are other laser manufacturers that offer adjustable pulse MOPA laser, but JPT is the most common. To enable the controls, you will need to go to the device settings in LightBurn (the icon with the wrench and screwdriver) and and toggle the enable QPulse switch in the middle of the window.

The grid settings reset every time it is closed. You can save and label them by pressing on the little save icon on the top of the test window. To recall them, you click on the drop down arrow and a list of saved test settings will appear.

@@MakrTheory I didn't consider that .I'll have to double check

@@MakrTheory so I should set up material settings before test grid?

@@robertarmstrong2323 as of writing this, the setting in the Material Test is not linked to the active setting of your work space. Looks like you could set your desired library setting as the “Default” and then reset the test setting to default. Being able to select an existing library setting for the test seems like a reasonable feature. I will make a feature request for it with LightBurn and see if they can add it.

Yeah, that is on my list. I have collected a couple pieces of grade 2 and grade 5 titanium.

You are welcome. Great work! It is possible to get color results from a standard Q switch fiber laser, it is just a more limited range of settings to get results. If you play with different lens sizes, you may find additional colors from your 20w.

Thank you for the kind words. I am glad my video was helpful. MOPA is definitely a more complicated learning curve than most other lasers.

What part are you getting stuck on? Perhaps I can clarify to ensure others don’t have the same issue.

@@MakrTheory Thanks for getting back to me. At 10:32 On the "left" side of the screen I see the horizontal lines are not touching the very first vertical line, are you trying to make it so the horizontal lines are touching the first vertical line? On the "right" side of the screen, I have no idea what I'm looking at, there seems to be lines missing, it doesn't look like the left side?

@@I-LOVE-EARTH I went through that a bit fast in the video. You are correct, the goal is to have the horizontal lines touching the very first and the very last vertical lines. The first line on the left will be the Laser ON TC. The larger the number, the larger the gap should get. The last line on the right is the Laser Off TC. A higher number will make the line closer to the vertical line. Too high will extend past the line.

Perfect...that makes sense, thanks! My cheap USB microscope arrived today...no way are my eyes good enough to really dial it in. @@MakrTheory

On large industrial cutting lasers, I have used oxygen assist gas to mark black on some metals. This is something I had thought of trying with my MOPA, but want to make sure I have a way to safely regulate and contain the oxygen in the workspace. This is not something I am ready to try in my garage with a natural gas water heater.

@@MakrTheory Thank you for responding. Yes very good points. Maybe an ozone generator might have a similar oxidation effect with less dangerous risk. I was planning on setting up an evacuation air system. I'll mess around and get back to you.