If one corner of an engrave looks crisp and another looks faded or overburned, the bed or the material is probably not level. Here is how we check it in the shop.

Overscan, scan offset, and camera alignment solve three different LightBurn problems: smeared fill edges, zipper lines, and artwork that is not quite where the overlay said it would be.

The LightBurn material library keeps proven settings ready to apply. Pair that with a clear use of Fill vs Line, and your layers stop fighting each other.

Photo engraving on a CO2 laser is less about a magic setting and more about the image mode, the artwork, and a test on the real material. Here is how we approach it in LightBurn.

A dirty lens steals power and ruins focus. Here is the careful way we clean CO2 laser lenses and mirrors in the shop, and the habits that keep us from damaging them.

Ghosting and double lines usually come from mechanical slop or a scan offset that needs a tweak. Here is how we tell the difference and fix it.

When a CO2 laser leaves tabs, char, or a half-cut, don't start by turning the power all the way up. Work through focus, dirty optics, speed and power, passes, and air assist in that order.

Air assist keeps the lens cleaner, reduces flare-ups, and gives the beam a clearer path. Here are the everyday habits we use, plus when an upgraded compressor is worth it.