LaserUser.com Forum (formerly RDWorksLab)

Hello,
I just got my laser on Thursday. It's a 50 watt Chinese Ebay. Saturday I was able to turn it on and cut out of cardboard a couple of patterns. We only used 20% power. My amp meter is on order.
Anyway, I want more than anything to be able to cut out those Thunder Laser toy projects for my Grandkids. I only have LIghtburn and Inkscape. I do have Publisher in my Office suite. I have no experience with cad or cnc. I'm a woodworker. I'm retired. I'm 67. The files are .cdr and .rld.
Is it possible for someone to tell me how to cut those toys out using the tools I have? Or am I asking too much?
I can provide my phone number via PM if someone wants to help.
Thanks again.
RP

You should be able to import the CoralDraw files into Inkscape. Then save them out as an SVG or AI for Lightburn to use. I am away from a PC at present but will run one my end and try and write you a quick guide later.

Even without your Ma meter, you should be able to cut comfortably in the 50% range. My 80W tops out at 62%, but it has a weird power curve and I'm still on the Top Wisdom controller. Won't know my 'true' numbers until I get it swapped out for the RuiDa.

I was watching this video a few days ago on designing in Inkscape for Lasers. Well worth a watch as the explanation is very clear https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1FIl5Eq4PQ My preference is for Fusion 360 but I got a few Inkscape tips from it which is where I do my pre processing for my Laser.

As an example I picked this file from Thunder Laser https://www.thunderlaser.com/sample-clu ... ravan.html

In my case the default software for CDR files is Libre Office Draw so right click on the file and select 'open as' and point it at Inkscape if it isn't your default. The other option is open Inkscape then open the CDR file. Either works without an issue.

** Zoom way on out ! The origin of the CDR file is no where near Inkscapes page. In this case for me the drawing was way right by multiple default pages.

Then either select it and drag it to your page or better yet use 'Document Properties' (on the file menu) and expand the 'resize page to content' part by clicking the + box. I like a small margin on my cutting so either add a little on the sides or not then hit the 'Resize page to drawing or selection' button.

This does a couple of things it gives you a page to work on and also resets the zero datum.

Then either do your preprep for the Laser here and save it as an SVG or drop it into Lightburn and open your SVG and do it there.

Below in the ZIP file is the same downloaded file from the link but I have saved it as an SVG if anyone wants to play with it.

Quite often the scale difference is mm vs. in. If you are set for in. and the drawing was saved in mm the software does not convert. Try opening it with a metric option and I bet your scale gets a whole lot better. You can switch back to in. once it's opened.

Tomorrow I will go get some 3mm plywood and try to do this.
Thanks for all your replies.

RP

Personally, for playing and testing, I got a ream of card stock. I set my laser down to 7.5 to 8% for marking in cut mode at 150mm / sec. And 15% still at 150mm / sec for actual cutting. I tried paper from the laser printer, but no matter how low I set my laser I couldn't get it to mark and not cut. I have the tail end of a roll of that heavy red paper they put down at construction sites, but haven't tried that yet.

The paper is not quite as satisfying as actually cutting wood or MDF, but it's a WHOLE lot cheaper. Leftover Christmas wrapping paper cut from the back works excellent for the bed squareness test and such. Same with making any jigs. Lets you get the dimensions right before wasting good material. Anything with tabs and slots will still need to be cut from actual material.

One note for MDF and plywood. You can get the cheap stuff at the home store, but do yourself and your laser a favor and find a wood supplier for the good stuff if you plan to cut a fair amount of it. Around Kansas City I give a little under $12 with tax for a sheet of premium 1/8" ( 3mm ) MDF, and it's an over sized sheet 49" x 97". My shop isn't all that big so I only get a half a dozen sheets or so at a time. I know a guy down in your neck of the woods that supposedly buys it by the full bundle.

The birch you get at Home Depot will have three layers, use nasty glue, and be a bit unstable. The premium you get at the supply house will have either five or seven layers, be stable, and the fumes from the glue won't screw up your lens'.

Same with the MDF about the adhesives. I picked a scrap piece of 1/4" ( 6mm ) MDF up from Hope Depot they were going to pitch to try instead of my usual 1/8" to experiment with, I made one cut and I DID pitch it.