Machine was provided by xTool but all opinions are my own.

I’ve done a lot of laser reviews on my blog, but almost all of them have been diode lasers. I get constant questions about what sort of laser can cut clear acrylic, because a diode laser cannot.

The answer? A CO2 laser. The laser beam itself is a different color than a diode laser (infrared vs. blue) which allows it to cut acrylic colors that a diode laser cannot.

I’ve had a Glowforge Pro CO2 laser for nearly five years and I’ve used it to cut a lot of acrylic—and I do really like it. But I’ve been wanting to review the xTool P2S because I knew it had more features and capabilities than the Glowforge and I’ve had quite a few folks ask me to review it.

So I reached out to xTool, who I’ve worked with a lot in the past, and they were kind enough to send me the new xTool P2S. This is a slight upgrade over their P2 machine, so the majority of this review will function for both machines.

In today’s post, we’re going to go over the basics of the xTool PS2, including some of the specs, important safety features, and the materials it can cut. I’ll also give you my overall pros and cons and who might be the ideal user for this machine.

Let’s dive in to this xTool P2S review!

Video My xTool P2S Review

Watch my full review video about the xTool P2S! If you prefer to read, continue on below this video!

What is the xTool P2S?

The xTool P2S is a 55W CO2 laser crafting machine. You can cut, score, and engrave using the xTool P2S to make all sorts of projects, like signs, jewelry, art, tumblers, party decorations, home decor objects, and more!

Machine Cost

The xTool P2/P2S comes in a few configurations:

• P2 in white – $4999
• P2S in white or gray – $5499

xTool is one of those companies that often has sales, so you should be able to find the machine you want for a bit less during one of their many sales. At the writing of this post, both machines are on sale for $3,999. They do offer financing.

What is a Diode Laser vs. a CO2 Laser?

The xTool P2S is a CO2 laser (the same type of laser as the Glowforge Pro), vs. something machines like the xTool M1 Ultra, the WeCreat Vista, and the Glowforge Aura. Let’s talk a bit about the difference.

A CO2 laser is a more powerful and versatile option compared to a diode laser, making it ideal for serious crafters, small business owners, and those who want to cut and engrave a wider range of materials. While it requires more maintenance and may have a shorter lifespan than a diode laser, the trade-off is significantly higher power and cutting capabilities.

CO2 lasers typically range from 40W to 300W, whereas diode lasers are generally between 5W and 20W, though my xTool S1 is a 40W diode laser. This extra power allows CO2 lasers to cut through thicker materials much faster and with cleaner edges.

And like I said, if you want to work with certain acrylic, a CO2 laser is the way to go—unlike diode lasers, which struggle with clear and light-colored acrylic, a CO2 laser can cut and engrave acrylic in any color.

What’s in the Box?

The box is packed really well and you are definitely going to need a second person (maybe a third) to set up your P2/P2S. It weighs 100 lbs once unpacked and it’s quite large (we’ll get to the size and dimensions below).

Here’s what you’ll find inside:

• xTool P2/P2S machine
• Power cable
• USB-C cable
• USB key (the laser will not run without this, so don’t lose it!)
• Vent pipe and vent pipe connector
• Antifreeze
• Funnel
• Four material clamps
• Various tools you’ll need
• Three sheets of 3mm basswood
• Two sheets of transparent acrylic
• Quick start guide & safety instructions

If you have purchased accessories with your xTool, you may have other parts not listed above. I do have some other accessories for this laser, but I’ll be sharing those in an upcoming post. I wanted this post to show you what you get with the most basic package. You will note that my laser is set up on the riser base—this is a separate purchase but the machine was heavy and I only wanted to set it up once!

Set Up

The xTool P2S is my largest laser. The machine comes almost entirely pre-assembled, which is great. I assembled the riser base (again, a separate part, not included), and then my husband and I got the P2S out of the box and set on the riser base. There are an array of screws and pieces of tape to remove. The Quick Start Guide will walk you through everything.

There was one step that did make me nervous, and that was adding the antifreeze. There was no step like this when setting up my Glowforge, and it involved a bit of math to figure out the combination of antifreeze and water to add to your machine. But once I figured it out, it wasn’t difficult. You will need to remove the back panel off your machine (so make sure you can access it somehow! My laser is on a rolling tool chest) and pour in the antifreeze and water.

Size and Dimensions

The actual dimensions of the machine are:

• Machine dimensions: 39.4″ x 25.1″ x 10.6″ (about 16.5″ tall with the riser base)
• Machine weight: 100 lbs
• Material processing area: 23.6″ x 12″

You will need another 8″ or so of space behind the machine for the exhaust pipe. And you do need at least 20″ of vertical space to account for the lid being opened.

You can also see the size is significantly larger than the Glowforge Pro, especially when on the riser base.

The Anatomy of the xTool P2S

Let’s take a look at the different parts of the machine, so you can be familiar with the machine when you go to use it.

Laser Tube: The laser tube is behind a panel in the back of the machine. It generates the infrared laser beam that powers cutting and engraving.

Laser Module: The laser module is the carriage that runs back and forth in your machine, and it houses the laser.

Mirrors and Lenses: There are mirrors and lenses within the laser module that you will need to occasionally clean for optimum performance.

Laser Bed: The area where you’ll put your projects. In the bed there are removable and reconfigurable slats. You’ll place (most) materials on these slats. The slats allow for airflow around your projects, particularly when cutting. This reduces the chance of flareups.

Cameras: There are two cameras in the laser, which will take a photo of your material so you can accurately place your images.

Air Assist System: Inside the machine is also an air assist system. This blows a steady stream of air over the material, reducing scorching and improving cut quality.

Digital Interface: There is a small digital screen on the laser that shows a readout of temperature and other important data.

Lid: The lid of the machine opens 90° to make it easy to put your materials in the bed of the laser. It has a tinted window, so you can look directly at you projects as they are being processed.

Vent Pipe: Off the back of the machine is the vent pipe. This removes all of the dust and debris from the machine. See the venting section below.

Side connectors: On the left side of the machine, there is a USB-C and Ethernet port. This is how you will connect your machine to your computer for the first time.

Back connectors: On the back of the machine are ports for adding the USB key, the USB dongle if you are using the AP2 filter, the power cord, and more.

Safety

One of the number one things I look for in lasers right now is safety, and the xTool P2S is packed with safety features.

To start, it’s classified as a Class 1 Laser Product, meaning it is considered a safe laser under normal conditions. Here are a few ways that xTool has added safety to the P2S:

• It’s fully enclosed with a tinted lid. You do not need to wear special glasses to watch your project being created.
• You need a USB “key” to operate it. This is a small USB dongle that plugs into the back of the laser. If the key is not plugged in, the laser won’t work. Great if you have curious kids! Just put the key in a safe place and they won’t have access to the laser.
• There is an AI fire detection system that will shut the machine down if a fire is detected.
• The lid locks, so you can’t open it during processing. This is the only laser I own with this feature.
• There’s an emergency button you can hit in case of a problem. I do wish this button was more toward the front of the machine. I don’t love the idea of leaning over a laser that’s having a problem to hit that button.

All of these features make me more comfortable using a laser in our home. I also always have a fire extinguisher and fire blanket, just in case. You can read more about everything I have on hand when I’m using my laser in my post Must-Have Laser Supplies.

Venting

All lasers need to be vented. The laser create fumes and smoke and debris, and you’ll need to vent your laser so all of that doesn’t end up in your craft room and lungs.

There are two options:

• Venting out of a window: you can run the vent pipe out of a window, making sure to seal up the window with an old blanket or piece of cardboard so the smoke doesn’t work its way back inside.
• Venting into a personal filter: if you don’t have access to a window, you can use a personal filter. I HIGHLY recommend the xTool AP2 filter. I didn’t realize you could be in love with a laser filter, but I truly love it. I have a full review on my YouTube channel. This is what I’m using with my xTool P2S.

What can the xTool P2S Cut and Engrave?

So what can you make with the xTool P2S? Lots of projects with lots of materials!

The xTool P2S cuts:

• Wood (including basswood, pine, cherry, walnut, birch, and more)
• Plywood
• Leather
• MDF
• Felt
• Paper
• All colors of acrylic

The xTool P2S engraves:

• Wood (including basswood, pine, cherry, walnut, birch, bamboo, and more)
• Plywood
• Leather
• MDF
• Coated metal
• Glass
• Ceramic
• Natural materials like shale, slate, jade, brick, and marble
• Acrylic

This means you can make all sorts of projects, including signs, jewelry, coasters, paper projects, party decorations, dinnerware, home decor projects, games, and more!

What Software Works with the xTool P2S?

You can use either xTool Creative Space or Light Burn with your xTool P2S. I use xTool Creative Space, so that’s all I’m familiar with. But lots of more seasoned laser users use Light Burn and it’s nice that the P2S can be used with an outside software.

Setting up my P2S was very easy within xTool Creative Space. I did need a USB cord for the first connection, and the machine does come with one (remember the USB port is on the left side of the machine. It took me a while to find!). After that first connection, I had no trouble getting it to connect to my WiFi.

In future tutorials, I’ll show you how to make all sorts of projects using this machine!

xTool P2S Pros

The xTool P2S has a lot to like. Here are my pros for this laser:

• Nearly fully assembled and easy to set up
• Numerous safety features, including the fire detection system and locking lid
• Large bed to process big projects
• Better slat system than other xTool lasers
• Can cut all colors of acrylic
• It’s fast and powerful
• Plenty of accessories to help you make the most of your machine (like the riser base and rotary tool)

xTool P2S Cons

There is very little I don’t like about this laser.

• Emergency button is difficult to access on the back of the machine
• It’s very heavy

Is the xTool P2S Worth It?

Absolutely! If you’re looking at getting a CO2 laser, I highly recommend the P2S. It’s well-built, fast, and does everything it claims it can do. Being able to cut clear and other acrylic is a huge advantage over a diode laser. And having the extra add-ons make it very versatile as well. I am very happy with this laser and use it all the time for my small side hustle Chapter & Craft.

I hope you enjoyed this xTool P2S review! If you have any questions about this laser or any of the lasers I mentioned in this post, please leave them down in the comments and I’ll be happy to answer them for you!

The post xTool P2S Review & Guide for Beginners appeared first on Hey, Let's Make Stuff.

Machine provided by xTool but all opinions are my own.

Looking for a crafting machine that can do it all? Today I’m excited to share the new xTool M1 Ultra with you! This versatile machine can not only laser cut and engrave, but it can also blade cut (using three different blades), foil, deboss, draw with a pen, and even print! If you’re short on space or if you’re tired of juggling multiple crafting machines, the xTool M1 Ultra might be the perfect fit for your craft space.

I feel like xTool really is innovating in the laser space. With every xTool laser I get, there are new things that I think work so well, and this machine is no different. Of course there are pros and cons to every machine, and I’ll touch on those at the end of this post, but overall, I’m truly impressed with the ideas coming out of the folks at xTool.

In this post, I’m going to give you an overview of this machine, including the specs and all of the different types of crafting you can do with it. Then in a future post, we’ll make a project using several of the tools so you can see how versatile this machine really is. If you have any questions about this machine, please make sure to leave those down in the comments.

This machine is an updated version of the original xTool M1. And when I say updated, I really mean updated. It’s basically a whole new machine with a similar name. If you want to read about the original xTool M1, check out my post The Beginner’s Guide to the xTool M1 Hybrid Laser / Blade Cutter.

Watch the Video

Want to get a video overview of DTF vs. UV DTF? Just hit play below! Or keep reading for a written tutorial.

Setting Up the xTool M1 Ultra

One thing that I appreciate about xTool’s newer machines it that they are incredibly easy to set up. I think it took me about 15 minutes to get it set up once I had unboxed everything. You may be overwhelmed by everything the machine can do and all of the different tools and modules, but definitely don’t be afraid to set it up—I promise, it’s not difficult!

Size and Specifications

Like many diode lasers, the xTool M1 laser is a great size for hobbyists. It weighs about 26.5lbs, so it’s pretty easy to move around.

It’s 24″ wide and 19″ deep, though you’ll need another 3″ in the back to account for the vent pipe and cords. Then it’s only 6.5″ tall when the lid is closed, and about 25″ tall when the lid is open.

I also have the riser base for my machine (a separate add-on) and that adds another 5.5″ to the height. The riser tool allows you to process taller objects, as well as use the RA2 Rotary Attachment, which allows you to engrave tumblers, mugs, and other circular objects. You can read my post How to Use the xTool RA2 Rotary Attachment, which I used in my xTool S1. The process for using it in the xTool M1 Ultra is similar.

I like that the riser base is a single piece instead of several pieces like the original M1 riser base. Much easier to add to the machine, though it’s larger to store when you’re not using it.

The working size in the machine is 11.81″ x 11.81″. The print area using the print head is just slightly smaller. I wish this was a full 12″ x 12″—you can fit that size material in the machine, but you can’t use quite the entire thing.

Venting

Like with any laser machine, the xTool M1 Ultra needs to be vented because laser processing creates dust and fumes. I really like the way the venting works on the machine. There’s a clip-on exhaust fan that pulls air/dust/debris through a filter and out of the machine and through the vent pipe. I love that the vent pipe comes off the back filter toward the side—instead of needing 6″ to 8″ behind the machine to account for the vent pipe, you just need about 3″. This is one of those innovative ideas I mentioned at the start of this post.

You can then either vent the pipe out of a window, or you can use the xTool Desktop Air Filter, which is what I am using. This is a great option if you don’t have a window for venting (for example, if you’re in the basement), though it is an added cost. The size of the desktop air filter is great, though, and very easy to move around your craft space.

Anatomy of the Machine

Now let’s look at the actual machine itself. The enclosure houses a large empty bed where you’ll place your materials.

In the bed of the machine, you have two options to raise your material off the bed of the machine to create air flow (necessary when cutting with the laser). A set of triangle prisms come with the machine. I’ve been pretty clear that I don’t like triangle prisms with my other xTool laser cutters, but they’ve innovated once again, creating a frame to hold them. Hooray! This is definitely better than having loose prisms skittering around the bottom of the machine.

The other option is an add-on honeycomb tray. This is just easier to use than the triangle prisms, even with the frame, but it’s also an extra cost.

The lid is orange like a welder’s helmet. It’s tinted so you won’t damage your eyes when looking at the laser. This is a great safety feature—I’ll talk more about other safety features later in this post.

Then there is the swappable module. This can be swapped out to use different tools (see below) and also has pinpoint positioning, which I love and I will talk more about later.

On the outside, there are two buttons on the front. The white button stars framing (we’ll also talk about that later in this post) and the silver button is for starting the machine itself. There’s also an indicator light.

Then on the back is the vent, and connectors for the power cord, air filter, air assist, and more, as well as the power button.

xTool M1 Ultra Laser Modules

Let’s take a look at all of the different modules and tools you can use with this machine. Some are included and some are add-ons, which I mention below. These are specific to the xTool M1 Ultra, so tools for other lasers or blade cutters will not work in this machine.

Laser Module

The included laser module for the xTool M1 Ultra is a 10W or 20W diode laser. I have the 10W. This is on the lower-power side of laser modules (my xTool S1, for example, is a 40W laser), but it’s still more than capable for many materials, though it’s slower than a higher-powered laser. If you can swing the price, I recommend the 20W.

Using the laser module, you can engrave and score materials like wood, leather, glass, slate, ceramic, paper, and most acrylic. And you can cut up to 8mm wood and most 5mm acrylic, along with other materials like leather and felt.

See my post How to Cut Acrylic with a Diode Laser for more information on cutting acrylic specifically—there are certain things you should know about cutting and engraving acrylic with a diode laser (no matter the wattage) before you purchase.

Multi-Function Carriage Modules

There are two carriage modules for the additional tools that you can get with the xTool M1 Ultra. The first is on the left. The second is an add-on piece on the right.

These two modules can house a bunch of tools—some of them are included and others are add-ons. Let’s look at each of them.

Fine-Point Blade – Left Carriage

The included fine-point blade is designed to cut light and thin materials. Think about the things you can cut on a Cricut or Silhouette—paper, cardstock, adhesive vinyl, and HTV. You’ll use the blue light-grip cutting mat with this tool.

When using this tool, make sure any circular patterns are .79″ or larger—the tool cannot do smaller circumferences very easily.

Cutting Blade – Right Carriage

The add-on cutting blade (also called a knife blade because the blade is much larger, like an Xacto knife) can cut materials like thick leather or balsa wood up to 2.4mm thick. For this one, you’ll use the pink fabric-grip mat.

Honestly, I can’t think of many uses for this particular tool. For most thicker materials, I’m heading right to the laser instead of a blade. But there might be a handful of materials that are thicker but not laser safe—in that case, this blade might be the right choice.

Rotary Blade – Right Carriage

One of my favorite features of my Cricut Maker is the rotary blade for cutting fabric, so it’s nice to see that this is an add-on option in the xTool M1 Ultra as well. It acts like a tiny pizza cutter and slices through fabric easily without dragging. It’s great for not only fabric, but felt as well.

Like with the fine point blade, circular patterns should be at least .79″ or larger. You’ll use the pink fabric-grip mat for this one.

Foil Transfer Tool / Debossing – Right Carriage

Finally, there is an add-on tool that has a dual purpose. It can be used with transfer foil to give your projects a foiled effect.

And then without foil, you can use it to deboss cardstock, leather, and other pliable but stiff materials.

Pen Drawing – Left Carriage

Finally, you can draw with pens that are included with your machine. xTool includes a set of eight colorful pens that work with the left module, and they say there is support for third-party pens as well, but I haven’t had a chance to test that yet. There are also 10 single-line fonts in xTool Creative Space for you to use when writing.

Inkjet Module

The add-on inkjet module gives you three-color printing: cyan, magenta, and yellow. Black is achieved through a combination of all three colors. You can print on paper, but you can also print on things like wood, leather, and more!

Safety

One of the number one things I look for in lasers right now is safety, and the xTool M1 Ultra has a lot of really great safety features, many of which the original M1 did not have.

To start, it’s classified as a Class 1 Laser Product, meaning it is considered a safe laser under normal conditions. Here are a few ways that xTool has added safety to the M1 Ultra:

• It’s fully enclosed with an eye-friendly cover. You do not need to wear special glasses to watch your project being created. Because of the way the cover is designed, you also get a nice side view of your project, not just top-down.
• You need a USB “key” to operate it. This is a small USB dongle that plugs into the back of the laser. If the key is not plugged in, the laser won’t work. Great if you have curious kids! Just put the key in a safe place and they won’t have access to the laser.
• There is a fire detection system that will shut the machine down if a fire is detected.
• If you open the lid, the laser automatically stops.

All of these features make me comfortable using the M1 Ultra in my studio.

Creative Space Software

When I first got my original xTool M1 a few years ago, the software was pretty basic and had a lot of room to grow. xTool has really worked on the software and it’s much easier to use and more robust now. You still probably won’t be doing heavy design work in Creative Space, but there is a lot you can do.

At this time, I am not sure if the xTool M1 Ultra is compatible with Light Burn.

Special Features

In addition to all of the different swappable modules and tools, there are some other great features I want to mention here.

Pinpoint Laser Positioning

In xTool Creative Space, there is a red crosshairs marking where the laser is at all times. This small addition helps you keep track of the laser when process marking and checking the height of your material.

No Camera + Process Marking

Every other laser I have has a camera in the lid so you can see your material in the bed of the machine. Then you can place your design on top of the material within the software.

Instead of a camera, the xTool M1 has a “marking” system in xTool Creative Space that gives you twin point positioning. I’ve been using this feature in the xTool S1 and have come to prefer it over an internal camera. It’s much more accurate than a camera because a camera in the lid must be a fisheye lens to capture the entire bed of the machine. And because of the nature of a fisheye lens, you’re going to get some warping of your view, especially at the outer edges. This means your processing might not be accurate.

But with the marking system, you physically move the laser head to the corners of your material (or the corners of where you want to cut/score/engrave) and the laser will show you crosshairs on your material. Push the white button on the front of the machine to mark that first point. Then go to a second corner and do the same. With this method, the laser knows exactly where the material is and can cut accurately. You can mark rectangles, circles, polygons, and lines using the xTool Creative Space software.

You can read more about how this works in my post xTool S1 Review & Guide for Beginners.

Framing

Finally, there is a framing feature which I also really like. Before you make your project, you can choose “framing” and the machine will outline where your image is going to process with a red laser light. It allows you to physically see where your image is going to go which is a great way to double-check that your project is going to turn out correctly.

Let’s make a project using some of the features in this machine!

Phone Processing

You can also use a mobile app to run the xTool M1 Ultra! If you don’t have a computer, this is a great option.

xTool M1 Ultra Price

When I saw the pricing for the xTool M1 Ultra, I was pleasantly surprised. For the base model, which comes with the 10W laser module, along with the fine point blade, cutting blade, and a pen, the cost is around $1300. This is in line with many other diode lasers on the market.

If you want to get it with all the bells and whistles, including the 20W laser, all of the modules and tools, the honeycomb tray, air filter, air assist, RA2 Pro, and more, then you can get the all-inclusive bundle for $2700. This seems like a great price to me considering everything you get and how all of the accessories can expand the number of things you can make with your laser!

Is the xTool M1 Ultra Worth It?

I think so! I now have six diode lasers, and while I don’t think there’s a bad laser in the bunch, the additional tools and processes you can use with the xTool M1 Ultra make it one of my top picks. I would recommend getting that 20W module if your budget can swing it.

Overall this is a great laser for beginners with lots of really wonderful features. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed if you add it to your craft room!

I hope you found this review of the xTool M1 Ultra helpful! If you have any questions, as always, leave those down in the comments.

The post The Beginner’s Guide to the xTool M1 Ultra appeared first on Hey, Let's Make Stuff.

The xTool RA2 Rotary Attachment allows you to laser engrave and score on circular objects! This greatly expands the types of projects you can make using your xTool.

I’ll be honest—it’s taken me months to get my xTool RA2 Rotary Attachment out of the box so I could learn how to use it. For some reason, I found all of the pieces really intimidating and I put it off for a long time, even though I knew I could make all sorts of amazing projects with it. If you find it all intimidating as well, you’re in good company!

But I finally got up the nerve to give it a shot recently and I am so glad I did! This tool has a bit of a learning curve (pun intended!), but the results you can get with it are absolutely amazing. It really does give you so many more options when it comes to laser crafting and the detail it can engrave is pretty spectacular.

In today’s post, we’re going to go over how to make a basic straight-sided tumbler using this tool. I want you to get comfortable using this tool with an easy project. Then in future posts, we’ll talk about how to do tapered tumblers (including 40oz Stanley tumblers) and beer glasses, as well as learn how to engrave round objects like ornaments.

I’m using my xTool S1 for this tutorial, but the tool works in other xTool laser machines as well, including the P2, the M1, and the D1. While my tutorial will give you an overview of how to use the tool, you will want to research other tutorials for your specific machine. See my full xTool S1 Review & Guide for Beginners for more information about this specific laser.

Watch the Video

Want to see the xTool Rotary Attachment in action? Just hit play below! Or keep reading for a written tutorial.

Supplies

Here’s what you’ll need to make a tumbler using the RA2 Rotary Attachment

• xTool laser
• RA2 Rotary Tool
• Tumbler
• Magic eraser

Straight Sided Tumblers

This tutorial will only work on truly straight-sided tumblers. I got a pack of these colorful tumblers and I really like them. Unfortunately, their products do seem to be running out and I’m not sure if they will restock. But there are other options as well.

I did get some tumblers that I thought had straight sides, but the bottom diameter was about .25″ smaller than the top. As I was testing, I found the the taper acted a bit like a screw and the tumbler moved down the rollers, which would mess up the final image. I ended up returning them.

So make sure you get truly straight-sided tumblers to make this project. The top and bottom diameter should be equal. If you want to do something with a taper, you’ll have to use the chucks, which I will talk about in future tutorial.

What’s in the Box

I have the xTool RA2 Pro Rotary Attachment. Because this is the Pro version, it comes with more pieces than the regular RA2. You can still use this tutorial if you have the regular RA2, but you won’t have as many pieces and you won’t be able to make quite as many projects in upcoming tutorials. But you WILL be able to make the simple tumbler I am making in this post today!

For this straight-sided tumbler, you will only need the cord, the large main piece with the two rollers, and a measuring tape. Everything else is for more complex projects like tapered tumblers.

Riser Base

You will need the riser base for your laser so there is enough room for your project. I talked about setting up the riser base in my post xTool S1 Accessories. Other types of xTool machines will have different ways to set up their particular riser bases.

Measuring Your Tumbler

Next we’re going to measure our tumbler. If you’re using a regular-sized tumbler, you’ll keep the rollers in the “C” position the RA2 comes in. For example, the 20oz tumblers I have are 72mm across, so they easily work with the C slot. If you have something significantly smaller, you may need to unscrew and move the rollers to the other positions:

• A position: 3mm to 50mm
• B position: 45 to 60mm
• C position: 60mm or larger

Using the RA2 Rotary Attachment

Choose the Right Cord

The rotary tool comes with 3 different cords. Be sure to select the cord for your particular machine. For my S1, I am using the cord that has one end that looks like a mini USB and a white connector on the other end.

Set Up the Rotary Tool

Place your RA2 base into the bed of your laser. Try to get it as straight as you can in the machine.

Plug In the Rotary Attachment

The USB slot for the S1 is a bit hard to find. It’s actually inside at the front of the machine. Plug in the rotary attachment—this will bring power to the tool.

Setting Up xTool Creative Space

Let’s head into xTool Creative Space to get it set up for using the rotary attachment. (note I am using the new Beta version of xTool Creative Space). Note that the red + on my canvas is the location of my laser head within the machine. This is one of the things I really like about the xTool S1!

The first thing we need to do is change our mode to using the rotary attachment instead of processing a flat object on the baseplate.

Now you’ll see that the size and shape of our canvas has changed.

Add the Tumbler to the Laser

Place your tumbler inside your laser on top of the two RA2 rollers. The rollers will turn as the project processes so you can engrave all the way around cylindrical objects.

Determine the Height of the Tumbler

Now we need to measure the height of our tumbler so that the laser will be properly focused. Place your laser head over the center of the tumbler. You want it to be anywhere along the highest point of the tumbler.

Now back in Creative Space, click the auto-measure crosshairs to the right of the distance tool. This will prompt your machine to take a measurement of the height of your tumbler.

Then move the laser head so the crosshairs are at the top edge of your tumbler in the center.

Set up the File

Now upload your file to Creative Space. I’ve sized my file to fit most 20oz tumblers, but again you may want to double check the size of your tumbler and resize as needed.

You’ll need to rotate and place your image using the red + as a guide. The top of my tumbler is where my red + is. I wanted BOOKTROVERT to read down the side of the tumbler. So I placed my image centered on that red +. Make sure your image is facing “up” (in this case, up is facing toward the right because the tumbler is sideways in the machine).

NOTE: If you’d like to use your own design, measure the height and circumference of your tumbler and make sure your design is within those measurements and align it with the red + like I did here. You can draw a rectangle and then delete it before engraving if that helps.

Change the Settings

With the image selected, you’ll see that the Object tab in the sidebar is selected. First make sure your processing type is set to Engrave.

Then I really like this new EasySet panel for selecting your settings. I played around with a few different settings and for my laser and my tumblers, I found that 75% power, 300mm/s speed, and 240 lines per cm worked really well. You may need to play around with your settings if you find that your engraving is too deep or too shallow.

Framing Your Image

Next you’ll want to frame your image. Don’t skip this step! This will visually tell you that your image is going to go where you think it should go. Click on framing at the top and you’ll get this message.

Then walk over to your laser and press the button.

Watch the crosshairs on your laser as they frame around where your image will go. The rollers will spin your tumbler. If at any point during this process it looks like your image will NOT be on the tumbler, start over.

I wasn’t really sure what I was doing when I started and when I tried to make a similar tumbler for the first time, I saw that my framing didn’t go all the way to the top. I proceeded anyway. And now I have a tumbler with a half inch of missing image at the top. Whomp whomp.

If the framing looks good, click Framing Completed in Creative Space.

Engrave Your Tumbler

If your framing looks good, you’re on your way! Make sure you are venting your laser (I used my personal filter) and if you have air assist, turn it on.

Click Process in the upper right. Your image will be processed and then you can click start. Close your laser’s lid and press the button to engrave your tumbler!

This tumbler took about an hour and a half to engrave. So not fast, but it had a lot of detail.

Your tumbler may look really charred, but not to worry. A magic eraser and some water will clean it right up! It’s actually my favorite part of the entire process!

It looks SO good! I am really excited about using the RA2 more with other types of projects. Stay tuned!

Print

HOW TO USE THE xTOOL RA2 ROTARY ATTACHMENT

Want to make more with your xTool laser? Grab the xTool RA2 Rotary Attachment! Make tumblers, mugs, glasses, ornaments, and more with this flexible tool.

Keyword Engrave, Score, xTool

Author Cori George

Equipment

• xTool RA2 Rotary Attachment
• xTool laser
• Magic eraser

Ingredients

• Tumbler
• Free Tumbler Engraving File #L14

Instructions

• Straight Sided Tumblers

  These instructions will only work on truly straight-sided tumblers, so make sure you get truly straight-sided tumblers to make this project. The top and bottom diameter should be equal. If you want to do something with a taper, you'll have to use the chucks, which will be coming in a future tutorial.

  What's in the Box

  These instructions use the xTool RA2 Pro Rotary Attachment. Because this is the Pro version, it comes with more pieces than the regular RA2. You can still use these instructions if you have the regular RA2, but you won't have as many pieces and you won't be able to make quite as many projects in upcoming tutorials. But you WILL be able to make the simple tumbler that is being I am making in this post today!

  For this straight-sided tumbler, you will only need the cord, the large main piece with the two rollers, and a measuring tape. Everything else is for more complex projects like tapered tumblers.

  Riser Base

  You will need the riser base for your laser so there is enough room for your project. This post talks about setting up the riser base – xTool S1 Accessories. Other types of xTool machines will have different ways to set up their particular riser bases.
  
• Measuring Your Tumbler

  Next you will need to measure your tumbler. If you're using a regular-sized tumbler, you'll keep the rollers in the "C" position the RA2 comes in. For example, the 20oz tumblers used for this project are 72mm across, so they easily work with the C slot. If you have something significantly smaller, you may need to unscrew and move the rollers to the other positions:

  A position: 3mm to 50mm

  B position: 45 to 60mm

  C position: 60mm or larger
• Using the RA2 Rotary Attachment

  Choose the Right Cord – The rotary tool comes with 3 different cords. Be sure to select the cord for your particular machine. For the S1, the cord that has one end that looks like a mini USB and a white connector on the other end was used.

  Set Up the Rotary Tool

  Place your RA2 base into the bed of your laser. Try to get it as straight as you can in the machine.
  
• Plug In the Rotary Attachment

  The USB slot for the S1 is a bit hard to find. It's actually inside at the front of the machine. Plug in the rotary attachment—this will bring power to the tool.
  
• Setting Up xTool Creative Space

  Let's head into xTool Creative Space to get it set up for using the rotary attachment. (the new Beta version of xTool Creative Space is being used for this project). Note that the red + on the canvas is the location of my laser head within the machine. This is one of the things that is really liked about the xTool S1!
  
• The first thing you need to do is change our mode to use the rotary attachment instead of processing a flat object on the baseplate.
  
• Now you'll see that the size and shape of the canvas has changed.
  
• Add the Tumbler to the Laser

  Place your tumbler inside your laser on top of the two RA2 rollers. The rollers will turn as the project processes so you can engrave all the way around cylindrical objects.
  
• Determine the Height of the Tumbler

  Now you need to measure the height of the tumbler so that the laser will be properly focused. Place your laser head over the center of the tumbler. You want it to be anywhere along the highest point of the tumbler.
  
• Now back in Creative Space, click the auto-measure crosshairs to the right of the distance tool. This will prompt your machine to take a measurement of the height of your tumbler.
  
• Then move the laser head so the crosshairs are at the top edge of your tumbler in the center.
  
• Set up the File

  Now upload your file to Creative Space. This file was sized to fit most 20oz tumblers, but again you may want to double check the size of your tumbler and resize as needed.
  
• You'll need to rotate and place your image using the red + as a guide. The top of the tumbler is where the red + is. To have BOOKTROVERT read down the side of the tumbler, the image was placed centered on the red +. Make sure your image is facing "up" (in this case, up is facing toward the right because the tumbler is sideways in the machine).

  NOTE: If you'd like to use your own design, measure the height and circumference of your tumbler and make sure your design is within those measurements and align it with the red + like was done here. You can draw a rectangle and then delete it before engraving if that helps.
  
• Change the Settings

  With the image selected, you'll see that the Object tab in the sidebar is selected. First make sure your processing type is set to Engrave.

  Use EasySet panel for selecting your settings. It has been found that 75% power, 300mm/s speed, and 240 lines per cm worked really well. You may need to play around with your settings if you find that your engraving is too deep or too shallow.
  
• Framing Your Image

  Next you'll want to frame your image. Don't skip this step! This will visually tell you that your image is going to go where you think it should go. Click on framing at the top and you'll get this message.
  
• Then walk over to your laser and press the button.
  
• Watch the crosshairs on your laser as they frame around where your image will go. The rollers will spin your tumbler. If at any point during this process it looks like your image will NOT be on the tumbler, start over.

  This image shows a first time attempt making a tumbler where the framing didn't go all the way to the top but proceeded with the engraving anyway. As you can see the tumbler has a half inch of missing image at the top!

  If the framing looks good, click Framing Completed in Creative Space.
  
• Engrave Your Tumbler

  If your framing looks good, you're on your way! Make sure you are venting your laser (for this project a personal filter was used) and if you have air assist, turn it on.

  Click Process in the upper right. Your image will be processed and then you can click start. Close your laser's lid and press the button to engrave your tumbler!

  This tumbler took about an hour and a half to engrave. So not fast, but it had a lot of detail.
  
• Your tumbler may look really charred, but not to worry. A magic eraser and some water will clean it right up! It's actually my favorite part of the entire process!
  

The post How to Use the xTool RA2 Rotary Attachment appeared first on Hey, Let's Make Stuff.

I have several diode lasers, including my Glowforge Spark™ and Glowforge Aura™, and the questions I get most often are about cutting acrylic. I’m glad people are asking this question because there are some limitations to cutting acrylic with a diode laser that you should know about before making the investment in a machine for yourself!

Let’s talk about diode lasers and why they are limited when it comes to the types and colors of acrylic they can cut.

Watch the Video

Hit play below to watch my video on cutting acrylic with a diode laser! Or keep reading for a written tutorial.

What is Acrylic?

Acrylic is a popular material to cut using any type of laser. You can buy acrylic in sheets specifically designed for laser machining in every color you could possibly dream up. Acrylic can be opaque or translucent or somewhere in between. There are also patterned acrylics which can be a lot of fun to use as well.

Your machine will direct its laser beam at the acrylic and, depending on the speed and power, will evaporate the material to cut it.

Acrylic is one of my favorite materials as you can see in my Geometric Skulls and Stanley Cup Toppers.

What is a Diode Laser?

There are several types of lasers on the market, including diode, CO2, infrared, and fiber lasers. What makes diode lasers unique is their “spectrum.” Basically this refers to the color of light that a diode laser can cut. Diode lasers are on the visible light spectrum, somewhere in the “blue” wavelength.

The other lasers I mentioned are outside the visible spectrum, in infrared spectrum. These different spectrums dictate what types materials will work with the laser, as you’ll see.

Diode lasers are often marketed as Craft Lasers™. This means that they are less expensive and last longer than other types of lasers, making them perfect for beginners or those with a smaller budget as long as they know the limitations!

For this test, I’m using my Glowforge Spark. But even a higher-powered laser will still have the same issues!

What Acrylic Can You Cut with a Diode Laser?

First let’s talk about what doesn’t work and then we’ll go into what does!

Clear Acrylic

Because the wavelength of a diode laser is on that visible light spectrum, the laser beam goes right through clear materials, just like all other light does (this is what allows you to see right through the clear material). All it did was melt and kind of burn my clear acrylic.

You can’t cut clear clear acrylic with a diode laser. This also applies to other colored translucent acrylic and most frosted acrylic as well.

People say there are hacks but I have yet to see someone do it really successfully. You can crank up the power and use latex paint as a masking and maybe get the acrylic to melt a bit so you can maybe push the shape you’ve cut out of the material while it’s still hot (which means the edges will never look good). It’s really not a sustainable way to cut clear acrylic on a laser and it doesn’t work for most folks anyway.

Blue Acrylic

Blue acrylic reflect the light of the laser rather than absorbing it so it doesn’t create the necessary heat to evaporate the material. Cutting blue acrylic with a diode laser is most often a no-go, but not always!

Here is my attempt to cut a teal acrylic I’ve used on my CO2 laser. You can see that it melted the acrylic a bit, but it didn’t evaporate the material enough for it to cut nicely.

That being said, there are some blues that you can cut! I was, frankly, surprised when Glowforge released their teal Eco Thin acrylic that can easily be cut with a diode laser. My guess is that the quantity of pigments other than blue in the acrylic, so the material can absorb the laser rather than reflect it. See more about Glowforge’s Eco Thin acrylic below.

Mirrored Acrylic

Mirrored acrylic seems to have both of the above issues—with the laser passing through the clear part of the acrylic and reflecting off the mirrored backing. I have yet to find a mirrored acrylic I can cut with a diode laser. Instead it just creates a bit of a melted score line.

Opaque Acrylic

Other than those mentioned above, you can cut most 1/8″ and 1/6″ opaque acrylic in most diode lasers, especially darker colors like black, purple, green, red, and orange. These colors absorb the laser’s beam so it can actually evaporate the material.

Glowforge Proofgrade™ Materials

Glowforge makes a number of Proofgrade acrylics meant to be cut on a diode laser. These are in their Eco Thin acrylic line, which is 1/16″ thick. These have the settings dialed in for these materials in the Glowforge App and they are a great place to start if you’re new to using acrylic with your diode laser.

Other Diode Acrylic Materials

I also love shopping at Houston Acrylic, which has an entire section devoted to acrylics they have tested in a diode laser. There are a ton of beautiful colors beyond the standard colors so you can customize your projects. The listings give you the manual settings to use with each material.

I had a pinks, a coral, a yellow, and a light blue—and they all cut beautifully on my Glowforge Spark using the settings provided by Houston Acrylic. Note that I did have some charring. I just didn’t take the time to clean it up with a baby wipe.

Test, Test, Test

Once you understand what might work, the key is is to test, test, test. For example, I have found that some reds are more difficult than others because they have a higher amount of blue pigment. Yellows have worked for me but I see a lot of other people have difficulty when cutting yellow.

Always do test cuts with your acrylic before starting your real project so you can make sure you are using a setting that will work!

Masking

In most cases, you will want to mask your acrylic when cutting it with a diode laser (or any laser, really!). Glowforge Proofgrade materials and many other materials come pre-masked with a paper masking. Keep this on while cutting your material to ensure you don’t have charring on your final project.

Learn more about Laser Masking for Cleaner Laser Projects!

What About Engraving Acrylic with a Diode Laser?

You CAN engrave acrylic with a diode laser, however I think it’s best to stick to those diode-approved colors. You can use a tempera paint hack to engrave clear acrylic, however I don’t think the results are the best. It takes a long time to layer the paint for your project and overall, it just doesn’t feel like a sustainable way to engrave acrylic with a diode laser.

If you really want to get into cutting any color of acrylic, start to save up your money for a CO2 laser! I have the Glowforge Pro and I absolutely love it for cutting acrylic. It cuts every color and it’s really fast. It is the better choice if acrylic is going to be your primary material.

I hope you found this tutorial on how to cut acrylic with a diode laser helpful! While there are some limitations to cutting acrylic, a diode laser like the Glowforge Spark or Glowforge Aura is a great choice if you are new to the laser crafting world and you just want to give laser crafting a try without breaking the bank!

Print

CUTTING ACRYLIC WITH A DIODE LASER

If you have a diode laser you may be wondering about your machine's capabilities when it comes to acrylic. Here's everything you need to know about cutting acrylic with a diode laser.

Author Cori George

Equipment

• Glowforge Spark™ or
• Glowforge Aura™ or any other diode laser

Ingredients

• Glowforge Proofgrade™ Acrylic or
• Houston Acrylic

Instructions

• What is Acrylic?

  Acrylic is a popular material to cut using any type of laser. You can buy acrylic in sheets specifically designed for laser machining in every color you could possibly dream up. Acrylic can be opaque or translucent or somewhere in between. There are also patterned acrylics which can be a lot of fun to use as well.

  Your machine will direct its laser beam at the acrylic and, depending on the speed and power, will evaporate the material to cut it.
  
• What is a Diode Laser?

  There are several types of lasers on the market, including diode, CO2, infrared, and fiber lasers. What makes diode lasers unique is their "spectrum." Basically this refers to the color of light that a diode laser can cut. Diode lasers are on the visible light spectrum, somewhere in the "blue" wavelength.

  The other lasers mentioned are outside the visible spectrum, in infrared spectrum. These different spectrums dictate what types materials will work with the laser, as you'll see.

  Diode lasers are often marketed as Craft Lasers™. This means that they are less expensive and last longer than other types of lasers, making them perfect for beginners or those with a smaller budget as long as they know the limitations!

  For this test, a Glowforge Spark is being used. But even a higher-powered laser will still have the same issues!
  
• What Acrylic Can You Cut with a Diode Laser?

  First let's talk about what doesn't work and then we'll go into what does!

  Clear Acrylic

  Because the wavelength of a diode laser is on that visible light spectrum, the laser beam goes right through clear materials, just like all other light does (this is what allows you to see right through the clear material). All it did was melt and kind of burn my clear acrylic.

  You can't cut clear clear acrylic with a diode laser. This also applies to other colored translucent acrylic and most frosted acrylic as well.

  People say there are hacks but I have yet to see someone do it really successfully. You can crank up the power and use latex paint as a masking and maybe get the acrylic to melt a bit so you can maybe push the shape you've cut out of the material while it's still hot (which means the edges will never look good). It's really not a sustainable way to cut clear acrylic on a laser and it doesn't work for most folks anyway.
  
• Blue Acrylic

  Blue acrylic reflect the light of the laser rather than absorbing it so it doesn't create the necessary heat to evaporate the material. Cutting blue acrylic with a diode laser is most often a no-go, but not always!

  This image shows an attempt to cut a teal acrylic using a CO2 laser. You can see that it melted the acrylic a bit, but it didn't evaporate the material enough for it to cut nicely.
  
• That being said, there are some blues that you can cut! Glowforge released a teal Eco Thin acrylic that can easily be cut with a diode laser. The quantity of pigments used other than blue in the acrylic, helps the material absorb the laser rather than reflect it. See more about Glowforge's Eco Thin acrylic below.
  
• Mirrored Acrylic

  Mirrored acrylic seems to have both of the above issues—with the laser passing through the clear part of the acrylic and reflecting off the mirrored backing. Instead it just creates a bit of a melted score line.
  
• Opaque Acrylic

  Other than those mentioned above, you can cut most 1/8" and 1/6" opaque acrylic in most diode lasers, especially darker colors like black, purple, green, red, and orange. These colors absorb the laser's beam so it can actually evaporate the material.
• Glowforge Proofgrade™ Materials

  Glowforge makes a number of Proofgrade acrylics meant to be cut on a diode laser. These are in their Eco Thin acrylic line, which is 1/16" thick. These have the settings dialed in for these materials in the Glowforge App and they are a great place to start if you're new to using acrylic with your diode laser.
  
• Other Diode Acrylic Materials

  Houston Acrylic, has an entire section devoted to acrylics they have tested in a diode laser. There are a ton of beautiful colors beyond the standard colors so you can customize your projects. The listings give you the manual settings to use with each material.
  
• Test, Test, Test

  Once you understand what might work, the key is is to test, test, test. For example, some reds are more difficult than others because they have a higher amount of blue pigment. Yellows have worked, a lot of other people have difficulty when cutting yellow.

  Always do test cuts with your acrylic before starting your real project so you can make sure you are using a setting that will work!
• Masking

  In most cases, you will want to mask your acrylic when cutting it with a diode laser (or any laser, really!). Glowforge Proofgrade materials and many other materials come pre-masked with a paper masking. Keep this on while cutting your material to ensure you don't have charring on your final project.

  Learn more about Laser Masking for Cleaner Laser Projects!
  
• What About Engraving Acrylic with a Diode Laser?

  You CAN engrave acrylic with a diode laser, however it's best to stick to those diode-approved colors. You can use a tempera paint hack to engrave clear acrylic, but the results are not the best. It takes a long time to layer the paint for your project and overall, it just doesn't feel like a sustainable way to engrave acrylic with a diode laser.

  If you really want to get into cutting any color of acrylic, start to save up your money for a CO2 laser! The Glowforge Pro for cutting acrylic, cuts every color and it's really fast. It is the better choice if acrylic is going to be your primary material.
  

The post How to Cut Acrylic with a Diode Laser appeared first on Hey, Let's Make Stuff.

Screen printing is a type of decorating technology that I haven’t talked about here before! But when xTool recently asked me to review their new xTool Laser Screen Printer, I really wanted to give it a try. I wanted the actual experience of screen printing so I could compare it to other types of decorating, including HTV, sublimation, and DTF printing.

So all of that being said, I’m still very new to the screen printing world. If you want a huge variety of tutorials for different screen printing methods and techniques, definitely check out my friend Jennifer at Pigskins and Pigtails. She’s a screen printing pro and has the experience and expertise whereas I’m just learning!

Watch the Video

Want a video walkthrough of this entire post! I highly recommend it because there are some details that are difficult to show in photos! Just click play below!

Before we get to the actual tutorial for using the xTool Laser Screen Printer, let’s talk a little bit about screen printing in general.

What is Screen Printing?

Screen printing starts with a design that is used to create a stencil on a mesh screen. Then ink is applied across the screen using a squeegee. This allows ink to pass through some of the screen (the design) but not all of it, allowing for intricate designs to be reproduced on t-shirts, tote bags, paper, and more. You can use more than one screen to create layered designs and you can mix ink colors to create custom looks.

Many of my readers might be familiar with screen printing using a Cricut or Silhouette. You cut the stencil out of vinyl and apply it to the screen. But in this tutorial, we’re using specialized screens designed specifically for laser cutting.

How is Screen Printing Different than Silk Screening?

Basically these are the same thing. Most screens today are made from man-made materials like nylon or polyester. Before that, however, silk was the primary medium for screening for a long time. So silk screening, is basically screen printing with silk. It is still done in some art applications. But most modern screen printing is done with a man-made material.

What Can You Screen Print?

Screen printing has a wide variety of applications. Garments (t-shirts, hoodies, tank tops, etc) are probably the most popular, but you can also screen print on bags, posters, art prints, flags, towels, mousepads, notebooks, wood panels, and more.

For all but one of my screen printing tests so far, I’ve used BELLA+CANVAS shirts. I found that there was no ink bleed into the fabric with BELLA+CANVAS compared to a bargain blank shirt.

Combine that with the fact that BELLA+CANVAS tees are so much softer and fit better, plus they have eco-friendly manufacturing practices, and they are definitely my go-to brand!

Did you know you can buy BELLA+CANVAS garments at wholesale pricing without a reseller license? Get a BELLA+CANVAS Maker’s Account! This account allows you access to the wholesale side of their business without the need for any permits or licenses. Even better? It’s free! Learn more in my post Buying Wholesale Blanks without a Resale License!

Note that you may want to research different types of ink based on your blank. For example, there are fabric inks and acrylic inks from other brands that may be better for your particular project.

How Do Screen Prints Wash and Wear?

Screen printing is one of the most durable decorating processes and is great if you have a shop where you are selling a lot of the same t-shirt or other product. Screen printing gets soft and vintage-y and it doesn’t like peel up like HTV sometimes does. Over time it just gets little cracks that just make it the whole design feel even softer.

Okay! Now let’s talk specifically about the xTool Laser Screen Printer.

Which xTool Lasers work with the Laser Screen Printer?

You can use the xTool Laser Screen Printer with the following lasers. To use the multi-color kit, you will need the frame fixing pieces (which help you align your frames so they are all lined up), which only work on some of the machines as mentioned below. For the others, you’ll want to use the basic kit, which is for single-color screen transfers.

• xTool S1 – multi-color set or basic set
• xTool D1 – multi-color set or basic set
• xTool P2 with riser – multi-color set (make your own DIY frame fixing piece) or basic set
• xTool M1 with riser – basic set
• xTool F1 – basic set

What’s in the xTool Laser Screen Printer Box?

I got the multi-color set, so if you ordered the basic set, it will contain fewer items. The screen printing system was very well packed, making the most of the space in the box. I do think storing everything when it’s not in use could be a bit tough because it’s sort of awkward and has lots of pieces. But the packing box is actually really great as a storage box, so think twice before recycling it.

In the multi-color box, you’ll get:

• Screen printing base
• Wood work surface
• 4 metal screen frames
• 12 screens (coated screen, 100-mesh)
• 11 ink jars (2 red, 2 yellow, 2 blue, 2 black, glitter silver, glitter gold, and glow in the dark)
• Placement sticker sheets
• Sticky mat
• Practice tote bag
• Wood squeegee (with internal magnet)
• Palette knife
• Frame fixing pieces for the S1 and D1

This is almost everything you need to get started! I would also suggest having a few other supplies on hand depending on your preferences (I talk about all of these in the tutorial below so you can decide if you need them or not):

• Compressed air
• Screen cleaning solution
• 2″ painter’s tape
• Teflon sheet
• Heat press
• Heat gun
• White screen print ink (if you want to do more custom colors)
• 8oz jars for mixing custom colors

You can also buy additional screen print frames and screens.

Setting the Screen in the Frame

To start, you’ll need to set the screen in the frame piece. Set the frame piece on your work surface with the back side facing up (the side with the rails).

Open the six clamps toward the outside of the frame. This will loosen the rails so you can insert your fixing pins.

Take one of the screens (do NOT remove the cardboard) and set it in the frame with the cardboard facing down. The cardboard is perfectly sized to fit in the frame.

Add the fixing pins (these sit inside the rails). I like to do the two long fixing pins first, then the two short ones. These can be a bit tough to put in—you’ll want to angle them at a 45° angle and press them down, pushing the screen into the rail.

Once you get a fixing pin in, press down on the flat part toward the frame to lock it into place. Repeat with the other three fixing pins.

Then close the six outer clamps. This will tighten the screen in the frame. Your screen should be tight without any wrinkles.

Flip the screen over and remove the cardboard. Just pull it up and recycle it. I had a bit of trouble with some of my cardboard and I had to peel up the adhesive strips as well. You may want to use a little alcohol or Goo Gone to remove any leftover adhesive.

Setting Up the Laser for Screen Printing

For this project I am using my xTool S1. This means I can use the multi-color set. This means that I can have more than one frame for the same image because they are all being burned in the same location. You’ll see what I mean when we make the project below.

Remove the riser and honeycomb tray if you are using them, and install the baseplate in the machine. Remove the two screws in the middle of the right side of the base of the machine.

Fit the frame fixing piece inside xTool S1 with the screws. Your frame fixing piece comes with longer screws, so use those instead of the ones you removed.

Setting Up Your Screen Printing File

Now we can go to the xTool Creative Space to set up our file. Open Creative Space and create a new file. To start, on the right, we’re going to change our processing type from Laser Flat to Screen Print.

This will tell the laser that we are using the screen printer. You’ll see a green rectangle appear on the Canvas—this is the area of the screen itself. So you’ll want to keep your design within those margins.

Next we’ll upload our file. Go to the file folder image in the upper left and click Import Image. Navigate to your image and add it to your Canvas.

You’ll get a warning at the top that tells you to insert that frame fixing piece (we already did that) and to reflect the image horizontally. So let’s go up to Reflect and reverse our image horizontally.

Now resize and rotate your image to fit on your garment or other project. Note that the hinge of the screen printer will be on the right and the top of your shirt will be on the left. So you want the top of your image to be toward the left of the screen.

Now this particular SVG has two layers—the otter and the words. We want it to be a single layer. So with both layers selected, go to Combine > Subtract.

This will “subtract” the letters out of the otter shape, leaving you with a single layer.

With the image selected, change your processing type to Engrave on the right.

And change your material to Coated Screen.

Finally, we need to auto-measure the height of the screen. Make sure your laser head is toward the center of your screen (you can just move it by hand).

There’s a small targeting icon next to the distance box in the panel on the left. Click the icon and your machine will automatically measure the height of the screen.

Click Process and you’re ready to burn your screen!

Burning Your Screen

Turn the frame with the screen so the backside is up. Slide into the machine. The frame fixing piece we installed earlier has two pins and the frame slides into place. This ensures the design is in the same place every time, which is particularly important if you are doing a multi-color design like we are here.

Then you can click Process in the xTool Creative Space program and your laser will burn your screen!

Preparing to Screen Print

Remove your screen from the laser when it’s done processing. To clean your screen, use a little canned compressed air. This will remove any extra material that didn’t get removed inside the laser.

Remove the sticky mat protective sheet from the back side and place on the wood base. Then peel off the other side exposing the sticky side up. This will give your blank project something to stick to so when you lift up your screen, your project will stay in the exact same space. You can also use the tack spray I mentioned in the supplies list above.

Thread your shirt onto the wood base, with the back of the shirt going below the wood base. Press well on the sticky mat so that it adheres with no wrinkles.

Make sure you are avoiding the brackets underneath the base so that the shirt doesn’t interfere with closing the screen.

If you have a project that is not “threadable” (like a tote bag or baby onesie) then use some of the provided cardstock between any layers to prevent ink bleed-through.

Open the levers on the hinge of the base. Then slide your frame into the hinge and close the two levers to lock it into place.

Add painter’s tape on all four sides to make clean up and storage much easier! The tape will prevent ink from going between your screen and the frame.

There’s a knob on the right side. You can use this to adjust the height of the screen. Hold onto the screen and when you have it in a place you like, turn the knob to tighten.

There are also directional knobs on the machine, to make incremental changes to where your base plate is in relation to the screen.

Screen Printing using the xTool Laser Screen Printer

Choose your ink color. For this project, I went with the “red” (more like magenta) right out of the jar. You can mix your own custom colors if you’d like. Stir the ink really well.

Using the spatula, spread a layer of ink above your design.

Lightly pull the squeegee through the paint and toward you at a 45° angle. This is called flooding or priming the screen. You’re not pressing the ink into the design yet.

Next, start at the top of the design once again and press down and pull toward you. Depending on the width of your design you may need to do more than one pull across your design.

Note that pressing too hard or pulling too much ink can result in ink bleed. Check out this video on screen print ink bleed for more tips and tricks for getting the perfect ink transfer.

Lift up the screen to see your design. If you’ve used the sticky mat or tack spray and your image hasn’t moved, you can lay your screen back down if you feel like you need more ink coverage.

Then pull your project off the screen printer and you’re done! Screen printing is great for batching, so keep using that screen to make as many projects as you’d like.

Curing the Screen Print Ink

xTool’s screen print ink says that it just needs 48 hours of air drying to cure.

Other ink, however, needs a heat press to cure. Let your project dry for 24 hours and then press it for 30 seconds at 350° using a teflon sheet on top of my project to protect it.

You can also use a heat gun set to 350° to speed up the drying process instead of letting it dry for 24 hours. Just make sure you aren’t getting the heat gun to close because it can burn or create bubbles in your ink.

Cleaning Your Screen

Remember how we used that tape around the edge of our screen? Peel that off! Now you don’t have ink in the space between the screen and the frame. Use water to clean your ink from your frame.

If you are struggling with getting your screen clean, you can use a screen cleaning solution, which I linked in the supplies list above.

Reusing Your Screens

You can definitely reuse your screens. The easiest way is to leave them in their frames. You can buy more frames, though they aren’t inexpensive (there is a bulk order discount on that page). If you have a small business, however, and you have a certain number of designs you make, you could buy enough frames for those designs and continue to reuse them until the screens no longer work. Then you can just replace the screens.

There are also smaller 9×12 frames and replacement screens for smaller projects!

If you do not want to leave the screens in their frames, you can check out this hack for reusing your screens!

Hope you found this tutorial for using the xTool Laser Screen Printer helpful! Stay tuned for a tutorial on making prints with more than one color!

Print

xTOOL LASER SCREEN PRINTING

Screen printing starts with a design that is used to create a stencil on a mesh screen. Then ink is applied across the screen using a squeegee. This allows ink to pass through some of the screen (the design) but not all of it, allowing for intricate designs to be reproduced on t-shirts, tote bags, paper, and more. You can use more than one screen to create layered designs and you can mix ink colors to create custom looks.

Keyword Laser, Screen Printing, xTool

Author Cori George

Equipment

• xTool Laser Screen Printer

Ingredients

• Compressed air
• Screen cleaning solution
• 2" painters tape
• Teflon sheet
• Heat press
• Heat gun
• White screen print ink (if you want to do more custom colors)
• 8oz jars for mixing custom colors
• additional screen print frames
• additional screen print screens
• Free Otter SVG File #L13

Instructions

• Setting the Screen in the Frame

  To start, you'll need to set the screen in the frame piece. Set the frame piece on your work surface with the back side facing up (the side with the rails).
  
• Open the six clamps toward the outside of the frame. This will loosen the rails so you can insert your fixing pins.
  
• Take one of the screens (do NOT remove the cardboard) and set it in the frame with the cardboard facing down. The cardboard is perfectly sized to fit in the frame.
  
• Add the fixing pins (these sit inside the rails). Do the two long fixing pins first, then the two short ones. These can be a bit tough to put in—you'll want to angle them at a 45° angle and press them down, pushing the screen into the rail.
  
• Once you get a fixing pin in, press down on the flat part toward the frame to lock it into place. Repeat with the other three fixing pins.
  
• Then close the six outer clamps. This will tighten the screen in the frame. Your screen should be tight without any wrinkles.
  
• Flip the screen over and remove the cardboard. Just pull it up and recycle it.
  
• If you have trouble with some of the cardboard, peel up the adhesive strips as well. You may want to use a little alcohol or Goo Gone to remove any leftover adhesive.
  
• Setting Up the Laser for Screen Printing

  For this project a xTool S1 is being used This means the multi-color set can be used, and that you can have more than one frame for the same image because they are all being burned in the same location. This will be better understood when the project below is made.

  Remove the riser and honeycomb tray if you are using them, and install the baseplate in the machine. Remove the two screws in the middle of the right side of the base of the machine.
  
• Fit the frame fixing piece inside xTool S1 with the screws. Your frame fixing piece comes with longer screws, so use those instead of the ones you removed.
  
• Setting Up Your Screen Printing File

  Now go to the xTool Creative Space to set up the file. Open Creative Space and create a new file. To start, on the right, change the processing type from Laser Flat to Screen Print.
  
• This will tell the laser that we are using the screen printer. You'll see a green rectangle appear on the Canvas—this is the area of the screen itself. So you'll want to keep your design within those margins.
  
• Next upload the file. Go to the file folder image in the upper left and click Import Image. Navigate to your image and add it to your Canvas.
  
• You'll get a warning at the top that tells you to insert that frame fixing piece (you already did that) and to reflect the image horizontally. So let's go up to Reflect and reverse our image horizontally.
  
• Now resize and rotate the image to fit on the garment or other project. Note that the hinge of the screen printer will be on the right and the top of your shirt will be on the left. So you want the top of your image to be toward the left of the screen.
  
• This particular otter SVG has two layers—the otter and the words. We want it to be a single layer. So with both layers selected, go to Combine > Subtract.
  
• This will "subtract" the letters out of the otter shape, leaving you with a single layer.
  
• With the image selected, change your processing type to Engrave on the right.
  
• And change your material to Coated Screen.
  
• Finally, you need to auto-measure the height of the screen. Make sure your laser head is toward the center of your screen (you can just move it by hand).
  
• There's a small targeting icon next to the distance box in the panel on the left.
  
• Click the icon and your machine will automatically measure the height of the screen.

  Click Process and you're ready to burn your screen!
  
• Burning Your Screen

  Turn the frame with the screen so the backside is up. Slide into the machine. The frame fixing piece that was installed earlier has two pins and the frame slides into place. This ensures the design is in the same place every time, which is particularly important if you are doing a multi-color design like you are here.

  Then you can click Process in the xTool Creative Space program and your laser will burn your screen!
  
• Preparing to Screen Print

  Remove your screen from the laser when it's done processing. To clean your screen, use a little canned compressed air. This will remove any extra material that didn't get removed inside the laser.
  
• Remove the sticky mat protective sheet from the back side and place on the wood base. Then peel off the other side exposing the sticky side up. This will give your blank project something to stick to so when you lift up your screen, your project will stay in the exact same space. You can also use the tack spray I mentioned in the supplies list above.
  
• Thread your shirt onto the wood base, with the back of the shirt going below the wood base. Press well on the sticky mat so that it adheres with no wrinkles.
  
• Make sure you are avoiding the brackets underneath the base so that the shirt doesn't interfere with closing the screen.

  If you have a project that is not "threadable" (like a tote bag or baby onesie) then use some of the provided cardstock between any layers to prevent ink bleed-through.
  
• Open the levers on the hinge of the base. Then slide your frame into the hinge and close the two levers to lock it into place.
  
• Add painter's tape on all four sides to make clean up and storage much easier! The tape will prevent ink from going between your screen and the frame.
  
• There's a knob on the right side. You can use this to adjust the height of the screen. Hold onto the screen and when you have it in a place you like, turn the knob to tighten.
  
• There are also directional knobs on the machine, to make incremental changes to where your base plate is in relation to the screen.
  
• Screen Printing using the xTool Laser Screen Printer

  Choose your ink color. For this project, the "red" ink was (more like magenta) used right out of the jar. You can mix your own custom colors if you'd like. Stir the ink really well.
  
• Using the spatula, spread a layer of ink above your design.
  
• Lightly pull the squeegee through the paint and toward you at a 45° angle. This is called flooding or priming the screen. You're not pressing the ink into the design yet.
  
• Next, start at the top of the design once again and press down and pull toward you. Depending on the width of your design you may need to do more than one pull across your design.
  
• Note that pressing too hard or pulling too much ink can result in ink bleed. Check out this video on screen print ink bleed for more tips and tricks for getting the perfect ink transfer.

  Lift up the screen to see your design. If you've used the sticky mat or tack spray and your image hasn't moved, you can lay your screen back down if you feel like you need more ink coverage.

  Then pull your project off the screen printer and you're done! Screen printing is great for batching, so keep using that screen to make as many projects as you'd like.
  
• Curing the Screen Print Ink

  xTool's screen print ink says that it just needs 48 hours of air drying to cure.

  Other ink, however, needs a heat press to cure. Let your project dry for 24 hours and then press it for 30 seconds at 350° using a teflon sheet on top of my project to protect it.

  You can also use a heat gun set to 350° to speed up the drying process instead of letting it dry for 24 hours. Just make sure you aren't getting the heat gun to close because it can burn or create bubbles in your ink.
• Cleaning Your Screen

  Remember how the tape was used around the edge of our screen? Peel that off! Now you don't have ink in the space between the screen and the frame. Use water to clean your ink from your frame.

  If you are struggling with getting your screen clean, you can use a screen cleaning solution, which is linked in the supplies list above.
• Reusing Your Screens

  You can definitely reuse your screens. The easiest way is to leave them in their frames. You can buy more frames, though they aren't inexpensive (there is a bulk order discount on that page). If you have a small business, however, and you have a certain number of designs you make, you could buy enough frames for those designs and continue to reuse them until the screens no longer work. Then you can just replace the screens.

  There are also smaller 9×12 frames and replacement screens for smaller projects!

  If you do not want to leave the screens in their frames, you can check out this hack for reusing your screens!

The post How to Use the xTool Laser Screen Printer appeared first on Hey, Let's Make Stuff.

xTool recently sent me the xTool S1 diode laser to review (you can read all about it in my post xTool S1 Review & Guide for Beginners). They also sent me quite a few accessories to try with my new machine to expand the number of things the S1 can make and to make my laser crafting easier!

In today’s post, I’m going to talk through the xTool S1 accessories you can get and how to use them! While the xTool S1 is a really capable laser on its own, you really can do a lot more using these accessories. Let’s get into it!

Watch the Video

I went through all of the xTool S1 accessories in this post in a recent YouTube video! Click play below to watch, or keep reading for a full written review.

xTool S1 Riser Base

• Cost: $199

First up is the xTool S1 riser base. This accessory allows you to lift your laser machine up higher to make taller projects, such as engraved wooden boxes, tools, tumblers (with the rotary tool—see more below), and more.

The riser base is labeled for Left (L), Right (R), Front (F), Back (B) for easy assembly. Putting it together is surprisingly easy and the xTool instructions are pretty clear. Set up the riser base where you want to use your laser. Once you have the laser on the riser base, you won’t want to move it because it could damage the base.

Start by attaching the front and back pieces to the left and right pieces using four screws. You’ll notice the front and back pieces open up to allow for passthrough. Keep them open for assembly. Once the screws are tightened, close the front and back flaps. (I have to say, I like this so much more than my xTool M1‘s base—that doesn’t secure with screws so it’s a bit frustrating to move it around.)

Next, you’re going to remove the base tray from xTool S1—yes, we’re removing the actual bottom of the laser. Unscrew the metals screws inside the machine and lift out the base tray. The bottom of your S1 machine will now be open.

This is where you’ll need two people. Lift your xTool S1 machine and place it on top of the riser base. Make sure it fits snug on top—you may need to carefully adjust where the riser pieces are so the laser seats properly. Then add the longer screws that came with the riser base to secure in place.

To protect your work surface, slide the base tray into one of slots in the riser base. Depending on what you’re cutting or engraving, you’ll place this tray at different heights. The xTool instruction book is helpful in figuring out where you need to place the tray depending on the height of your material.

Note: By utilizing the riser base, the product no longer complies with Class 1 laser safety certification. Make sure to use safety goggles if you are using the laser with the bottom doors open (like when using the conveyor feeder, which I mention below). The xTool S1 riser base does come with a pair of safety googles.

Is the xTool riser base worth it? If you want to do taller projects, definitely yes. If you are satisfied doing mostly flat projects, you may not need it.

Honeycomb Panel

• Cost: $169

The honeycomb panel can replace the triangle prisms as a base for your material. It allows air flow below your projects while cutting and engraving. You can use the honeycomb panel both with and without the riser base at different levels depending what you’re cutting. It also includes material pins to assist with securing your material while cutting/engraving.

The instructions I received say that you can place the honeycomb tray within the riser base. But I don’t seem to have the same riser base that is featured in the instructions (nor does it exist on xTool’s website). So instead, I placed the honeycomb tray on my base tray. The base tray can be lifted to different heights on the riser base and the honeycomb panel can be adjusted that way.

The tray can be LOUD when adjusting height. Like nails on a chalkboard loud. Just be prepared if the metal happens to hit the wrong way!

The honeycomb panel also comes with pins to hold materials down flat. This is especially handy for pieces of wood that may not be entirely flat. To use these magnetic pins, place them on each corner of your material, press down (careful, the magnet is strong!), then pull the metal tab toward your material to ensure a more secure fit.

Is the honeycomb panel worth it? Absolutely. This is my favorite of all of the accessories here because I really do not like the triangle prisms.

Air Assist

• Cost: $169

The air assist helps to circulate air while cutting material. This reduces charring and the risk of fires within the laser machine by blowing air on your project as you are cutting.

The xTool S1 air assist has different levels you can chose with a turn dial knob. It also comes with filters to clean the air, which is a nice addition.

The setup is really easy, especially compared to the M1. Simply plug both the tube and the USB cable into the back of the laser and attach to the control box. Then turn it on It will beep, which means it’s ready to go!

To use the air assist, turn it on to whatever level you choose (I need to do some more testing to see how the levels differ from each other. It’s quite loud when it’s running, especially at the higher levels. It does have a jiggly (?) base so it doesn’t clatter on the worktop.

My only complaint is that I wish the S1 machine came with an air assist built in like with my Glowforge lasers. It’s nice to not have a separate piece to have to purchase.

Is the air assist worth it? Yes, I think that most people will appreciate how much cleaner their projects are when using an air assist, though masking your materials can help with that too.

RA2 Rotary Attachment 2 Pro Tool

• Cost: $269

The rotary attachment allows you to engrave cylindrical objects with what xTool calls “circular processing.” This was the accessory I was most excited for, yet also the most nervous about!

Note: There are two versions of the rotary tool: the RA2 and the RA2 Pro. I have the RA2 Pro, which allows you to do a larger number of engraved projects.

It comes with so many parts and I found it really intimidating. I took my time and made sure to pull out and match each accessory to the manual.

Because this tool has so many different ways to use it, I’m not going to go into them here. Instead, I am going to do a separate post with a very detailed tutorial for a variety of objects. This post would be twice as long as it is if I went into it all here!

Is the RA2 rotary tool worth it? If you want to make circular objects, it’s a must. You do need to have the riser base to be able to use the rotary tool, so keep that in mind. The rotary tool is one of the accessories that really sets the xTool machines apart from other laser brands and you can make so much more with it.

Smoke Purifier

• Cost: $799

Laser cutting and engraving creates smoke and debris and you need a way to remove that from the machine and not have it go directly out into your workspace. You can do this one of two ways—venting out of a window or using the xTool personal smoke purifier. If you don’t have access to a window, you will need the purifier.

The purifier is a separate unit and you’ll run the vent pipe off the back of the laser into it. I find it heavy even though it’s on wheels, and it is loud.

Is the smoke purifier worth it? If you don’t have a window, yes. You need it so that all those fumes and smoke and debris doesn’t go into your lungs. But if you have a window, I’m not sure I’d spend the extra money. It’s quite expensive and it’s a bit cumbersome.

Other S1 Accessories

These are a few of the additional accessories available that I don’t own at this time, but I thought I would cover them here so you know all of the options.

Automatic Conveyor Feeder

• Cost: $419

The automatic conveyor feeder allows you to process materials that are 118″ long x 18.5″ wide. This would allow you to cut one large thing or multiple smaller items at once. It’s perfect for batching!

You do need quite a large space to be able to use this accessory, but it does store in a much smaller space so you don’t need to keep it out when you’re not using it.

Fire Safety Set

• Cost: $169

If you’re worried about fires in your machine, then the fire safety set might be for you. It automatically detects flames and once it does, it triggers an alarm, cuts power, and extinguishes the fire using CO2 gas that doesn’t ruin your machine like spraying fire extinguisher foam into it might. I think this is a great accessory and I plan on getting it for my machine.

Note that the fire safety set does NOT replace machine supervision. You never want to leave your machine unattended.

Hope you found this post helpful in deciding which xTool S1 accessories you want to get and which ones you don’t need right now! If you have any questions about anything I’ve featured in this post, feel free to ask them in the comments. Happy crafting!

The post xTool S1 Accessories appeared first on Hey, Let's Make Stuff.