I got laid off and decided to try creating event favors since I am a godmother to 3 and am sure there are more to come. I have my unique vision of event favors so I bought the S1 20W and the 2w. I had no idea what the difference was so I’ve been practicing w the 20w only. Gosh there’s so much to learn. This video made me realize my mistake 😅and why some engravings were coming out blurry on acrylic or metals. THANK YOU SO MUCH 🙏🏽
SUPER helpful. You are the only person I’ve found so far talking about the IR laser attachment. Have you tried it on white or clear acrylic? (Since diodes can’t work on those.) How did it do? Can it cut as well as engrave? Thanks!
So glad you found this helpful! It won't cut, only engrave. I just got a bunch of new xTool acrylic so I will try some other colors. I doubt it will do clear but we'll give it a shot. Keep an eye out for a video.
@@SarahVanderkooy Hey! Just ordered my S1 with IR laser using your affiliate link! There are a ton of really helpful videos online, but yours really helped me make the final decision. The fact that you answered my question definitely made me want to use your link. Thanks again!
Thanks for the info. I have been able to engrave on metal with the 40W though. On Chrome and Zinc. But on plain raw steel it wasnt great. Ill have to try the IR and see how different it is.
I purchased an IR 2W 1064 module for my S1. In conclusion, I don't think you need to buy it. I wish I hadn't bought it. First of all, the 40W module was sufficient for metal plates such as dog plates and stainless steel tumblers, and we were able to print very clearly. The default parameters of the xtool software (xtool Creative Space) were not suitable for metal products. The low power of about 50% of the 40W module, the medium speed of about 120, and the high engraving density of 300 are ideal for metal products and have almost the same quality as the 2W IR module. The 2W module produced better colors than the 40W module, but some people may find the 40W more beautiful depending on their taste (my wife did). Also, after engraving a few metal plates using the 2W module, the output became weak, and the output did not recover until I left it for a while. As a result, some tumblers fell victim to engraving errors. I suspect that the 2W module may have a structural defect. After all, I just bought it, and the output recovers after a while, but it's strange that the output drops immediately after continuous printing. I was able to engrave the logo on the front of the tumbler beautifully, but the logo on the back.... With continuous engraving, the engraving output decreased and became blurred. Also, although you may be able to engrave beautifully on both sides, the output will decrease after a while (it does not operate for a very long time). Of course, the same phenomenon occurs even after cleaning the laser module lens and reattaching it. I contacted xtool the day before yesterday and requested a repair, but I have not received a response yet. I don't know if it can be repaired or replaced, but since I just purchased it and it's still under warranty, I will contact xtool again next week. A 40W module is sufficient. At the moment I do not recommend 2W modules. There is no doubt that xtool S1 is a very nice machine, but support is not very promising at this time. Also, most of the videos on RU-vid are sponsored by his xtool, and there are few reviews from people who have actually paid for them, so I would like to make videos and blogs that include the good and bad points. Since it is from Japan, it will be in Japanese.
I haven’t tried engraving on copper yet. I have tried 40W on metals like stainless steel, IKEA tumblers, cutlery, and black or rose gold dog tags, but honestly, there isn’t a big difference between IR and 40W (of course, some items do come out with nicer colors with IR, but it’s not a significant difference). The trick is not to set the 40W power too high (to avoid excessive engraving) and to increase the density (200 to 300)@@feliciamann
If using cardstock paper, the standard diode laser module can cut and engrave that. It's done with a very light power and you get really intricate and beautiful results.
Hi i’m still using s1 xtool 20w, but until now i have difficulties to find for the right power and speed for acylic and pendat stainless. Hope you can help me. Thank you🙂
I am interested in engraving metals, such as copper, brass, and sterling silver. I am also interested in engraving in stone. I saw the Cricket Maker 3 engraves metal but not sure the metals I want. Would a laser be better? I do small work…3x6” is largest. No idea what to get!
If you want to work with metal and stone definitely look at a laser. A Cricut Maker 3 can engrave very thin, soft metals but it takes a while. The xTool F1 might be a good fit for you, it's small and portable. Take a look at this comparison tool and scroll down to the types of materials you can work with. www.xtool.com/pages/tech-specs
I've not been able to remove the 20w laser module in the S1. I follow the easy instructions but it just won't move. I've had to clean the laser module in-situ. I'd like to buy the IR Module but I can't see how I can remove the current stuck 20w.😢
I always start with the xtool recommended settings in XCS. Choose gold or stainless steel or whatever material you are using. In my experience those settings tend to work well.
No it cannot, it's similar to the 40w or 20w in that the laser goes through the acrylic without leaving a mark. You'll need a CO2 laser to work with all types of acrylic.
You can do work with clear acrylic you can use washable black paint or black PVC card. But to be honest washable black paint is the best to get the best results.
I really enjoy your videos! I wanted to bring to your attention that another creator used a bit of your content. You “were not” tagged, no RU-vid card, nothing in the description, not even mentioned in the voice over. I put a link below just in case you want to review the video. There was credit given, but it is barely visible, and I believe that is on purpose. Currently the video has gone viral at 277k. . ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-tqGK0wdil9w.htmlsi=BdUWGBDyJHIxas8c
@@SarahVanderkooy - No problem! I saw in the comments section that one of the creator’s already spoke out, and he shrugged it off. So I “assume” that he didn’t reach out to you either? I believe this was very deliberate. Meaning, that lack of tagging, no voice over with credit, nothing in the video description, then a hard to see credit in the bottom left didn’t settle very well with me. At the minimum if you are going to use another creator’s content without permission, at least do your best to represent them! He used several of your clips, and it is “my belief” he didn’t represent any of creators in this video that is set to hit 280k views.
