LaserGRBL In-Depth Tutorial - Part 4 - Work with SVGs or Inkscape files + how to create Infills

[@skipanardoross6805]

Great work with your tutorials. I really appreciate your guidance.

[@jonnafry]

Perfect !! Answered my question regarding text in an .svg ... thanks.

[@georgechambers3197]

I use Lightburn and have never used LaserGRBL, but I've been following your videos and find them compelling. I may yet give it a try. Thanks for the video!

[@MiddleRoomWorkshop]

Hello George Chambers, thank you for your comment. I am an active user of both LightBurn and LaserGRBL, sometimes the Image processing in LaserGRBL seems more effective and I switch to it for particular applications, or when you need to control two devices at once, in that case, one device will be controlled by LaserGRBL, and the second by LightBurn. Ciao

[@georgechambers3197]

@@MiddleRoomWorkshop did you know you can run 2 instances of Lightburn at once and run a different machine in each instance? You only need Lightburn and not 2 different programs. I have an LM2 with 40W Neje module and a Neje Master2 Plus with 30W module and run them both at the same time with 2 instances of Lighburn. Thanks for the reply!

[@MiddleRoomWorkshop]

Hello George Chambers, thank you for your comment. I honestly didn't know, perhaps did not try whether it is possible, the few times I needed to have two machines working at the same time was to also try the difference in the two software. Thank you for sharing. Ciao

[@mikecampbell5493]

Please record at a higher volume.

[@abusam1]

Thank you for great tutorial series, I drew some lines/shapes with different stroke width so that I laser engrave using laserGRBL, as you mentioned LaserGRBL does not recognize the .svg storks. tried to apply hashes but was not successful on text and other shapes🥲. is there a new work around on the latest inkscape/LaserGRBL updates. does lightburn recognize infill/strokes for text and shapes from inkscape .svg and other software?

[@MiddleRoomWorkshop]

Hi, thank you for your comment. LigthBurn is definitely the software to go for any project, and yes, if recognises the strokes and much more. LaserGRBL is very limited in what it can do; there are workarounds, but it is a bit of a pain. If you want to try something else, I recently posted a new Video covering multipower projects in LaserGRBL where you can engrave fill areas, too. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZezn3mqjbqUfNE I hope it helps. Ciao

[@harrybee6468]

Great tutorials and information source ;-) I saw this in my vacation far away from our laser engraver therefore I can't test my idea as I saw this tutorial. My idea for the infill: Why not combine the SVG file and an exported png file? The SVG file would contain the clean borders and maybe could be also used for cutouts and the png would contain the infill of the design. If you are finish with your design, then save it as SVG in Inkscape. Then select all objects and deactivate the outlines and export the design as png with e.g. 300 dpi Load/merge both files in laserRGBL and you can handles both files with different settings. Again, I didn't test it, it's only an idea and I'm sure it need many fine tuning.

[@MiddleRoomWorkshop]

Hello Harry Bee, thank you for your comment and for sharing your thoughts. Your idea is perfectly correct, it works just fine, the only caveat is some extra steps. You need to export the .png component within the page in order to maintain a common reference size, in other words, once you are done designing, resize the page to content in Inkscape, then select and export the groups of objects to gcode with the necessary Power/Speed parameters, then select the part of the design you just exported and move it out from the page (anywhere in the canvas is fine), now you can export your .png part using the "page" option in the export section, once you are done undo (CTRL + Z) until you get your design back as it was. Once that is done you can append your files in LaserGRBL paying attention to correctly dimensioning the .png files to match the original page size. Sometimes, however, has been happening that the software messes up the gcode part after appending the .png. I have an upcoming video scheduled on this. Ciao

[@sherryburns4504]

Thank you for your in depth videos, I recently purchased the Neje Master2s plus. You have helped me a great deal 👍 I would like to use Lightburn, I have downloaded the trial version at the moment, I am very confused on the settings that I need to get correct for this Laser, I do not have too many days left to trial it before I have to make the decision on whether to purchase it or not. My question is, do you have a written copy of the settings I need to use. I would be very grateful if you could help me. Thank you.

[@MiddleRoomWorkshop]

Hello Sherry Burns, thank you for your comment. Unfortunately, I haven't done that video yet, but I will help you out. Once back home will export the machine settings and send you a link with the file and the instructions to follow. Ciao

[@sherryburns4504]

Thank you so much for your reply, which has been super quick! If you could do that it would help me a great deal. I look forward to the link.👍

[@MiddleRoomWorkshop]

Hello Sherry Burns, I am back. As promised here is the link to a quick post that I wrote with all the necessary info and files whathowwhysolution.com/lightburn-settings-for-stubborn-machines-like-neje-master-2s-plus/ In short you need to download the CH340 Driver, than both Device settings and Machine Settings and import them as described in my post. Let me know how it goes. Ciao

[@sherryburns4504]

Hi, Thank you so much! Have followed the instructions given, all seems good.I can now practice properly for the next couple of weeks to make a decision on whether to purchase or not at the end of my trial period......so much to learn🤗 Thank you once again .

[@MiddleRoomWorkshop]

Hello Sherry Burns, you are welcome. I am glad that you solve the problem, have fun with your machine. Ciao

[@wafflehop518]

How do I resize an image to fit the work piece?

[@MiddleRoomWorkshop]

Hi, Waffle Hop, thank you for your comment. To resize an image, you will be prompted by the software in the "Target Image" Window at the bottom. However, if you refer to a .svg file (based on the video you are commenting on), then there is no option for that. You will need to give the size in your original .svg file, i.e., resize it in Inkscape or Corel, save it and then import it into LaserGRBL. Ciao

[@dailyshop4634]

Sir i don't have SVG option to open in laser Grbl

[@MiddleRoomWorkshop]

Hello daily shop, thank you for your comment. SVG support has been around for quite a long time now, therefore the only thing that could have happened is that the installation wasn't properly executed by your machine. Try uninstalling LaserGRBL and reinstall it back by first downloading the latest version from the website. Let me know. Ciao

[@pablomanriquez7193]

Hi, I have a atomstack a5 pro, but when a use it with laserGRBL to make a box, using vectors, the laser do not follow the lines of my vector, it burn the line moved, and the figures are wrong, do you have any idea? thank you

[@MiddleRoomWorkshop]

Hi, thank you for your comment. May this be a scaling effect, like the figures are bigger or a stretch effect? One could be caused by a unit problem where the vector is drawn in inches, and LaserGRBL works in mm; the second may be caused by a wrong step/mm in your GRBL configuration. Have you tried some ready files from the internet? Let me know Ciao

[@carolartis6227]

My husband just bought an ortur 3lm. I’m trying to use silhouette studio but my svg or png files are not showing in my laser grbl? Can I use that program? I could really use help? Thx

[@MiddleRoomWorkshop]

Hi, thank you for your comment. There are several implementations of the SVG file format. LaserGRBL is designed to work with SVG files produced by a free Inkscape software; other SVG implementations may not work correctly. Also, it only recognises paths, no objects, no strokes or text. If you have already converted your design into paths only, and LaserGRBL does not read it, try installing Inkscape and open your file with it. It should convert it automatically into an Inkscape SVG. I suggest some workaround discussed in my recent video for the fill area. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZezn3mqjbqUfNE I hope it helps, Ciao

[@heathermolsbee5751]

Thank you for the video! Do you know why an Inkscape file does not open for me in LaserGRBL. The object was saved to a path. I have nodes. But nothing opens. Any ideas?

[@MiddleRoomWorkshop]

Hi, @heathermolsbee5751; thank you for your comment. Are you pointing to a specific file only, does that mean that you are able to properly open other files? LaserGRBL works with SVG files implemented by Inkscape, if the file you are trying to import was originally created using software like CorelDraw, or AI or if it was a dxf conversion, then you may have some problems with it. If the issue is repeated across multiple files, it could also be LaserGRBL. Users have experienced random problems with LaserGRBL and after re-installing it, the problem was gone. Let me know how it goes so I can try to help you. Ciao.

[@kwarts]

Is your drawing split over multiple layers within the SVG? I happen to run in that problem just today. Reducing the SVG to one layer only solved it on at least one occasion.

[@runnynose8341]

I downloaded the GRBL the other day after watching your videos, I connected my Neje Master 2 and it turned on and then didn't move, the green light turned to orange, any ideas?

[@MiddleRoomWorkshop]

Hello Benjamin Field, thank you for your comment. In order to connect the machine, be sure to close the NEJE software which will otherwise keep the communication with the port busy, other than that try different ports from the connection section in the top left corner where it says "COM", depending on the number of devices connected to your PC you may see different option in the drop down. Let me know Ciao

[@runnynose8341]

@@MiddleRoomWorkshop Thanks for the quick reply, Yeah I did all that , I found the right Com, I have closed Neje, I started up GRBL, connect, the printer lights go to orange, then it has a bell, disconnected

[@runnynose8341]

@@MiddleRoomWorkshop Is there a way to use the Neje software just to do tracing print, to save time, some of my prints can take an hour and a half, I am sure it could be quicker if it traced it, I think that is what your saying about the gcode thing, so the software knows what direction to start printing or cutting.

[@MiddleRoomWorkshop]

Hello Benjamin Field, thank you for your comment. In regards to your previous comment, try to click on the padlock icon to unlock the machine then on the House icon, perhaps the GRBL settings are not right and the software does not know where is the laser, therefore goes into protection. For the current query, the tracing could be achieved in different ways, one is to use gcode, which means to convert your project to gcode, and you could do that in Inkscape itself using an extension see my old video about it kzbin.info/www/bejne/gWiTqol7iqiYq5I , the second is to import the file as an image and to use the vectorize tool explained in part 3 tutorial kzbin.info/www/bejne/iqaXaXlpoKuJZ8U. Let me know how it goes. Ciao

[@runnynose8341]

@@MiddleRoomWorkshop The padlock is Grey and I cant unlock it.

[@runnynose8341]

I am new to this stuff, I have been printing my wooden boxes with the Neje software, but it is limited with design and stuff, Basically I just do Names, but sometimes I have logos and stuff, and I have to convert them on photoshop and it works, but sometimes it doesn't print exactly the way I want, any info would be great to be able to do trace printing, Thanks for the videos too, keep it up

[@SOS_MOVIE]

We wont to know LaserGRBL not Inscape speak about the victor man.. Inscape Inscape Inscape ????????