Wooden Easter Tic-Tac-Toe Game

Setup and Connection

1. Power On: Turn on your laser engraver and ensure your exhaust fan or air purifier is running.
2. Connect to XCS: Open xTool Studio on your computer. Connect your machine via USB, Wi-Fi, or Ethernet. You should see your specific machine model recognized in the top right corner of the software.
3. Place Your Material: Open the lid and place your blank material on the honeycomb panel or baseplate.
4. Measure Distance (Focus): This is critical for a sharp engraving.
   • If your machine has a camera, refresh the bed view.
   • Click the Auto-Measure icon (usually a small ruler) in the top right panel so the laser head physically measures the thickness of your material.

Design and Placement

1. Import Your Design: Import my design that you have downloaded from Atomm.
2. Scale and Position: Click and drag the corners of your design to scale it to the correct size.
   • Tip: If your machine features a built-in camera, simply drag your design over the live background image of your material. If not, position it on the digital canvas relative to where you plan to start your laser head.

Engraving Settings

1. Select Processing Type: Click on your design to select it. On the right-hand panel, ensure the processing type is set to Engrave (rather than Cut or Score).
2. Input Parameters: * Power (%): Determines how hard the laser fires.
   • Speed (mm/s): Determines how fast the laser head moves.
   • Lines per cm / LPI: Determines the resolution of the engrave (higher numbers mean a denser, darker engrave, but take longer).
   • Tip: Use XCS's default material library drop-down to find a baseline setting for common materials like basswood, acrylic, or leather.

Framing and Execution

1. Frame the Job: This is the most important step to prevent ruining a blank. Click the Framing button in the software or on the machine. The laser head will move in a bounding box (emitting a weak, safe laser crosshair or red dot) to show exactly where the engraving will happen on your material. Adjust your material or digital design if it's not perfectly centered.
2. Process: Once you are happy with the framing, click the green Process button in the bottom right corner of XCS.
3. Start the Engrave: A preview window will pop up showing the estimated time. Click Start on the screen, put on your laser safety glasses (if your machine doesn't have a fully enclosed safety lid), and press the physical blinking start button on your machine.