Meet the Mighty Dual Laser Machine – xTool F1

I recently got my hands on a brand-new xTool F1 Dual Laser Machine. What’s so special about it? It has a pair of lasers – a 455 blue light diode laser and a 1064 nanometer infrared laser. This machine packs a punch with a ten-watt diode, capable of slicing through wood, leather, and other materials while also etching almost any material you can imagine. Today’s star of the show, though, is slate.

“Remember, regardless of the machine you own, the tips I am going to share apply to all diode and infrared lasers. So, stick around!”

Keys to Colorful Slate Engravings: Engraving Tests

Before getting creative, you’ll need to undertake a series of engraving tests. Why these tests, you ask? They allow us to understand what speed and power range our machine needs to generate different color effects. The secret sauce to colorful engravings lies in tweaking speed and power settings.

On my xTool F1, I ran four different engraving tests with both blue light and infrared lasers, using power levels and speed ranges from 10 to 200 and 100 to 400 respectively. The purpose of these tests was to explore the full gamut of color outcomes.

And remember, even if you own a different type of laser machine, this methodology is entirely applicable.

Assigning Settings for Colorful Outcomes

Next, let’s jump over to our software, pull up our desired design, and start assigning settings to our respective layers.

Setting Up With xTool Creative Space

I launched xTool Creative Space and connected it to the xTool F1— but feel free to use any compatible software like Lightburn. With my design imported and centered on the machine’s plate, I measured my engraving object (a slate drink coaster) and scaled the design to fit using digital calipers.

Then, I separated my image into different layers, each corresponding to the colors I wished to see in my final result. Here, creativity has the steering wheel. In my case, I chose a custom setting for each layer reflecting different color outcomes from my earlier tests.

Implementing colorization results was a breeze! With my setting saved, I simply selected my custom setting from a drop-down menu for each layer. For instance, my red layer, layer number two, was set to ‘Engrave’ and ‘Slate Gold Blue’ to give the darkest outcome. I followed this process for each layer until my entire design was colorized.

Lastly, I clicked on the ‘Start’ button on xTool Creative Space, which created the G code and files, sending them over to the machine for processing.

Running the Colorful Engraving

With the files and settings in place, it was time to move towards the machine. First, I cleaned off the slate surface with isopropyl alcohol, placed it into the laser machine, and focused the laser head on my material’s surface by aligning the red and blue dots.

After achieving the correct focus, I framed the engraving outline and position it as desired on the xTool Creative Space. When satisfied, I clicked ‘Stop Framing,’ then ‘Start,’ which transferred the information to the laser machine.

“Safety first, folks! Always remember to lower the safety shield before pressing the button on the side of the machine to initiate the engraving job.”

The Final Result: From Bland to Grand

After about 8 minutes, voila! I had a colorized slate coaster with an intricate design. By adjusting the speed and power settings and layering our design, we had taken a simple slate coaster and turned it into a rainbow of detail.

You might think to create such detailed and vivid engravings requires a hefty investment, but trust me, this is not the case. A diode laser machine and some good old ingenuity will have you producing your own beautiful designs in no time.

If you own an xTool machine and want to recreate this project, I’ve uploaded the design file for free on my website. Grab it and give your creativity a whirl!

Wrapping It Up

By running a series of engraving tests while adjusting the speed and power settings on your diode laser machine, you too can create intricate and colorful engravings on slate – or any material that you fancy.

There’s always more to learn, and more projects on the horizon, so be sure to check back for more content and new inspiration. As always, your questions and comments are always welcome. Happy crafting everyone, and I’ll see you next time in the workshop!