⭐ Galvo Alignment & Bed Leveling Jig for xTool F2 Ultra (UV)

What this is

This is a reference alignment jig designed to help you level your work surface so it is parallel to the galvo laser’s focal plane on the xTool F2 Ultra (UV).

If you’ve ever noticed:

• engraving looks sharp in the center but softer toward one side or edge
• surface engraving is inconsistent across larger areas
• depth or texture changes across the bed

…this jig helps correct the root cause.

Why this jig is needed (plain English)

Galvo-based lasers (like the F2 Ultra UV) do not always project perfectly parallel to the physical machine bed.
Even a very small misalignment—fractions of a millimeter across the work area—can cause:

• uneven focus
• inconsistent engraving depth
• poor surface engraving at the edges

This jig helps you mechanically level your work surface to the laser, instead of trying to compensate in software.

Think of it as creating a “true optical plane” for your machine.

What’s included

• (2) STL files for the alignment / leveling jig
  • There are two jig sizes.  I suggest using the "...actual 181x131" because the size of the crystal plaques can vary slightly.
• xTool Studio (XCS) file with a test pattern used to verify focus consistency

You can print the jig once and reuse it anytime.

How to use the jig (step-by-step)

1️⃣ Print the jig

• Print the STL file as-is.
• PLA is fine.
• Make sure the bottom is flat (no warp).
  • For best results - Don't Rush It! - Let it cool slowly and only remove when it pops off easily.

2️⃣ Place the jig on the F2 Ultra bed

• Position the jig on the bed where you normally engrave.
  • Preferrably in the dead center, or in the same spot you wil alway place the jig.

• This jig becomes your reference surface.
• If you normally engrave on top of a plate, glass, or fixture, place that on top of the jig exactly as you would during real work.

3️⃣ Load the included XCS file

• Open the provided xTool Studio file.
• It contains a focus / test pattern grid designed to show focus differences across the area.

4️⃣ Focus at the center

• Place a 5x7 piece of glass in the jig.
• Place a thin sheet of paper on the glass and auto focus.
• Manually subtract 2mm from the focus value that was calculated.
  • This will lower the focus closer to the surface.

5️⃣ Run the test pattern

• Engrave the pattern.
• Observe focus quality across the grid:
• center vs edges
• left vs right
• top vs bottom
• This reveals which areas are closer or farther from ideal focus.

6️⃣ Shim to level (this is the key step)

• Use thin shims (paper, foil tape, ¼ of a aluminum business card, etc.) under the jig or work surface around the corners and sides.
• Adjust until:
  • the pattern looks consistent across the entire test area
  • focus quality is uniform edge-to-edge

• You are physically leveling the work plane to the galvo.

7️⃣ Lock it in

• Once leveled:
  • Leave the jig (or your reference plate) in place
  • Use it as your standard engraving base

• You do not need to repeat this for every job unless you change your setup or placement location.

When you need this jig

• Large engravings (especially surface engraving)
• Full-bed use
• UV engraving where focus tolerance is tight
• When you see uneven results across the work area

When you may not need it

• Very small engravings near the center
• Jobs where slight depth variation doesn’t matter

Pro Tip: 

After leveling with this jig, you can combine it with:

• Curved Material Engrave
• focus compensation / mapping

This gives you:

• mechanical alignment (linear error removed)
• software correction (optical curvature handled)
• This is how higher-end galvo systems achieve consistent results.

Why I’m sharing this

This jig was created after diagnosing real-world uneven focus on the F2 Ultra UV.
It’s shared free to help other users get more consistent, professional results without trial-and-error.

More Projects
Additional laser project files and jigs created by me can be found at BarrelMadeLaserShop.com.