XTOOL F1 In-Depth Setup Guide, Material Settings, Creative Space, Fixtures, Templates, and Review
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- čas přidán 31. 05. 2024
- In this video I will take you in depth into getting started with the XTOOL F1 laser cutter and engraver! I will take you right from the unboxing all the way to the complete workflow of processing your first job.
XTOOL sent me the F1 model to test and I've been impressed with how easy it was to get started working with this laser cutter and engraver. The build quality looks very nice and the experience so far has been very smooth. I was able to work with a lot of materials and in this video I shared my material settings with you to help you get started faster.
I've also provided you with a free alignment template that you can download here:
► embracemaking.com/blogs/resou...
Since the F1 does not come with laser safety glasses, I have made safety glasses available that protect your eyes from both blue and infrared laser light. (Perfect for the F1). You can find those glasses here:
► embracemaking.com/products/la...
Haven't purchased your XTOOL F1 yet? Links below for the best XTool Prices:
XTOOL F1:
► www.xtool.com/products/xtool-...
XTOOL F1 + Smoke Purifier Bundle:
► www.xtool.com/products/xtool-...
In addition to the free template, I have also designed and made available a fixturing kit for the XTOOL F1 as shown in this video. Additionally, all of the smoke and fume filtration products plus hose adapters can be found in the link below that.
F1 Multi-Fixture Kit:
► embracemaking.com/products/xt...
F1 V-Block, Pencil, Bottle Opener Jig
► embracemaking.com/products/xt...
F1 Rotary Tilt Kit:
► embracemaking.com/products/xt...
Fume Filtration and Extraction
► embracemaking.com/collections...
In this video I show that the edges of cuts on the F1 might be slightly beveled because of how the laser light emanates from the center outwards on angles. I designed a cutting clearance and fit test that I designed for slot and tab style panels / boxes. You can find that design here to test on your F1 or any laser cutter:
► www.printables.com/model/2665...
If you're looking for the setup guide for the XTOOL RA2 rotary attachment, you can find that one here:
► • XTOOL F1 and RA2 Pro R...
If you are looking for products or items I've used with the F1 in this video, see below. As an Amazon Associate may I earn from qualifying purchases (at no extra cost to you):
XTool 2"x3" Leatherette Patches
► www.xtool.com/products/lasera...
XTool Round Leatherette Patches
► www.xtool.com/products/lasera...
Aluminum Wallet 2-Pack
► amzn.to/435WasF
Tall Stainless Tumbler 4-Pack
► amzn.to/3CWBXLh
Winter Beanie Hat
► amzn.to/3ZmtCLn
Trucker Style Hat
► amzn.to/44Wuszv
Box Cutter (For scoring thin basswood sheets)
► amzn.to/3t2GVEE
4" Inline Duct Fan With Speed Controller (195CFM)
► amzn.to/44SzkWN
25ft 4" Duct Hose
► amzn.to/3LqF9Ug
Metal USB Drives:
► amzn.to/3PIEDTU
DIY Clock Movement Kits
► amzn.to/3EMyhNe
Always remember to practice proper laser safety. These lasers can seriously harm your eyes or indirectly (your lungs/health). ALWAYS wear your safety glasses! DO NOT CUT vinyl materials like PVC. Check this list for hazardous materials before cutting:
► wiki.atxhs.org/wiki/Laser_Cutt...
Thank you @xToollaser
0:00 About XTool F1
4:07 Unboxing
7:41 Setup
12:39 Engraving Example
15:42 Aligning Graphics
22:20 Fixtures
31:09 Through Cuts
35:37 Smoke Purifier
40:40 Batch Processing
45:10 Mini Project
46:48 Review
51:03 Outro
#laser #engraving #xtool
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If you have benefited from my content and are feeling generous I would love your support! You can "buy me a coffee" here:
► www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted...
By supporting my channel you are encouraging me to continue with this time consuming endeavor. A lot of time goes into design work, building my projects, filming the videos, editing the videos, etc. Plus it all costs money! Your generosity goes a long way in helping me bring you better content as often as I can!
Follow me on Instagram!
► / embracemaking - Věda a technologie
I recently purchased this machine and have been skimming through many videos to learn more about it. You have provided information in detail for amateurs like myself. Thank you for your patience and your innovation is to be congratulated. I look forward to other videos from you and would check out your website also. Keep up the good job.
Glad I could help and thank you so much for the nice comment :)
I really appreciate your videos. I have purchased my F1 and haven't received it yet and I am finding your tutorials very informative and easy to follow. Thank you! 🙂
This hands down is the best F1 video I have watched in my two weeks of research.. thank you so much for your time your references it really has made things a lot easier
Thank you so much! Really glad you liked it - these videos take so much time to make I'm happy people are finding them useful
I can’t thank you enough for this video ! I’ve watched so many different videos all over the internet and your video is def the best one to date!
I will def support your business 🙏🏼
Thank you so much for this very comprehensive and easy to watch tutorial! It drives me crazy to watch the inane videos of people trying to figure out the settings WHILE MAKING THE VIDEO!!! You gave concise information without a lot of unnecessary chit chat, and I can’t tell you how much that’s appreciated. Definitely will subscribe to your channel and have already purchase one of your jigs and downloaded the basic plate template. THANK YOU SO MUCH!
I appreciate your time and effort in these videos. You make things so much simpler!
I appreciate that! Thanks Michael!
Thank you. My F1 arrived today. I’ve learned so much. I will have a look at your site and order the jigs you have shown. Thank you once again.
Awesome, thank you!
I too just got mine and I’m trying to learn the settings and such. Thanks for your help. Ordering your guides now.
Glad I could help and looking forward to your order :) Thanks!
Best F1 video, period...thank you very much for sharing...
My pleasure! Thank you so much for the high praise!
Thank you very much.
You did an excellent job with your explanations and presentation is great.
I also want to compliment you on your ingenuity on making the template for aligning the material with the laser.
On a scale of 1-5 Stars, I give you a strong 10 and I look forward to seeing more from you on the F1.
I just got this for a hobby but if I do start a business I’ll have to get your templates.
Great Stuff.
Thank you so much Terry, I appreciate the kind words!
Thanks very much for the detailed sharing.❤
My pleasure, glad you enjoyed it!
Best F1 video......... thanks for all the info.......
Just ordered one of these for my company to brand samples.
Really helpful walk through on how to use it since I've not used something like it before.
Thanks.
Great to hear and thank you for your order!
Very good video. I’m just getting started and this helped me out with some stuff that isn’t in the manual. Thanks!
Glad it helped!
Excelente video explicativo, muchísimas gracias
Excellent video. I hope to buy this machine soon and this was very helpful. Thank you!
You are welcome! Thanks for watching!
Mine came yesterday evening. I will definitely use this video to help me get it set up today. I’ve never used Lightburn, so I wouldn’t know what I’m missing. This is my first laser. I absolutely want to try making a clock. The packaging was awesome! I want a P2 next.
P2 is a serious machine, I hope I can get one someday too :)
I have the M1, just ordered the F1 and my next one will be either the S1 or P2. I'm really excited to get the F1
Wow! Great, informative video. Thank you Sir!
Glad it was helpful!
At 12:58, my version of creative space seems to be missing the library to select from? Something I'm missing turning on here? Also does the triangle black guard need manual height adjustment? Thanks, good video!
Very nice video. Thank you
So nice of you, thanks!
Thank you for making this video. It was extremely helpful. We Just purchased our F1, but have not yet received it. I also ordered the two fixture inserts from your web site. These will be very helpful. ... and yes, I subscribed : )
Glad it was helpful! Thank you so much for your subscription, your order, and your support!
I just purchased this machine, and your video popped up on CZcams. 😂 Anyway. Thank you for the template I'll make sure to put it to good use.
Big tech is watching lol they know what you've been up to! Enjoy the template!
Great in debt vid !⚡What setting do you urecomend for engraving cardstock/business cards?
I am ready to order your multi -Jig for the Xtool F1. I also want the Xtool plate with the squeeze rails on each side , did not see that in your shop yet . Just discovered your channel tonight . your have great content and your explanations are spot on .
Hi Jeff, the squeeze rails jig is something I'm still trying to figure out. The prototypes so far haven't been up to my standards so I haven't released that product yet - but the other fixtures are ready to go if you're looking for those. Thanks for the kind words about my content :)
Thank you for the informative video. Just got my F1 and I was able to set it up from watching your video. However, I'm not able to open the link with the hazardous material. Do you happen to have an updated link?
Can you tell me where I can find the down load for the design studio plate alignment template? that seems to be a useful tool! (the grid that shows your workspace)
Thank you - the reference settings are horrible - I could not even get support to help me. I assumed to use the material settings as defined and I thought the machine was broken. I had to increase the settings and so far all is working. Thanks for your video and your expertise.
You're very welcome!
I love the unboxing video but had a travel question. Anyone using the xTool F1 for craft fair or even just to travel with? Should I use the box it came in or a piece of luggage.
Thank you so much for this in-depth video and the alignment template! Just FYI- in the video you say to import the template as original size and it will fit the space perfectly. That didn't work for me as it imported very large. I deleted it and scaled it to the canvas and it fit perfectly.
Ok great , hopefully it will be ready soon . I will wait and see and keep checking your shop but want to order them together to save a shipping cost .
Sounds good, although truthfully it will probably be a while before I get that one done... A few projects on the go right now and the clamp fixture is a little lower on the priority list at the moment to be transparent
Does anyone know what setting I should use to personalize a yeti tumbler???
You mentioned a link to find safe and unsafe materials to cut but I can’t seem to find that. Could you please post that link for us newbies? Thanks!
It seems as if nobody has the answer to my question...Can the xtool f1 cut other colors of acrylic...as of now I can only cut black acrylic. If you can use other colors can you explain to how....
thanks for your help
Do you have any setting for engraving pens using f1
i've got a F1 and I've been trying to engrave glass with it. I used blue painters tape and it didn't make a mark. I tried painting the tape but still no mark. I tried black poster paint and tempura paint but it streaked badly with a foam applicator so much so it kept streaking when I tried to put on another coat. I tried black card behind the glass and it barely marked it. I use the blue light on 100% power. Can you tell me what I need to do to make it work?
If you're really having that much trouble with the paint, you can use soot(carbon) from a candle and wash afterwards.
Hi what size is the exhaust pipe? I have a larger Xtool air purifier that I'd like to use at home so I may need an adapter to pull it off..
The F1 exhaust is about 2.5"
Does it work with 12V car outlets? It says it's portable so maybe there is some support for portable usage.
I believe they're coming out with / or already have made available some kind of battery pack that you can use for trade shows etc.
For some reason when I'm getting my business card set up, my laser isn't framing the entire business card. It's only putting a square on it. I put everything in just as you did. Do you know what could be causing this?
Is your image / graphic the size of the whole card?
should I use the leather product from Xtool only if I want to make silver engraving?
They have black patches that make silver markings, and also brown patches that make gold markings if you're looking for a different color
Anyone have a clue why my F1 would arrive with no line markings on the base area to assist with attaching the slide extender? Not sure if this a refurbished one as it had some scaring on the top but didnt even think about it until I went to try to install the slide extender
That doesn't seem right... I would try contacting XTOOL about that!
How long does the filter last
I can't seem to get the download for the template. It is opening a web page when I try to click on the link.
Hi Laura - yes, the webpage is my website which is where you will download the template. I can't customize the links in the CZcams video description and the actual address for the PNG file would end up looking like a strange and suspicious link. Therefore it takes you to the landing page with a description of the template and then you can click to download the free alignment template.
Hey love your videos and website thank you so much. Im having trouble with the F1 alignment tool. I click the link on your website to download it and it just opens it up in a new tab? I drag it to the canvas on F1 but it covers up my content I will engraving. I am a brand new beginner, excuse the noob questions! Thank you!
for exmaple its in the way as an iage, so when I try selecting just my artwork it is also selecting the image
Yes so when it opens in the new tab just right click on it and save image. Then import it into your xtool creative space like any regular image. If it is covering your other artwork you can select it and use the commands at the top of creative space to "send to back." On the bottom left corner you can also use the layers options and move the images to different layers - the template would go to the bottom layer or layer 1. Your other art can go to higher layers. Also just like in the video, select the template and make sure it is set to "ignore" and always make sure when you click on the template it should be 115mm x 115mm otherwise it has been resize and won't be accurate. Thanks!
@@EmbraceMaking Dude youre a beast. Thank you SO much for your channel and website.... ur products (esepcially F1 template and hose adapters) will make my life so much easier, thank you.
What’s the best way to remove or go over something that previously been engraved
You can probably remove the entire surface that's been engraved with a wood planer or hand planer... or even some kind of belt / palm sander depending on the size of what you're doing
I did! The vector files burn great. Just nothing when it’s an image.
What material are you using? And are you sure you have the right laser selected? Blue or IR?
@@EmbraceMaking I tried the slate coaster and metal card. I also went into xcs and brought in someone else’s project of a photo of an animal and didn’t change their settings at all. It’s just strange that the lasers aren’t even working. I really think there’s something wrong with the machine. It’s just weird the vector engraving and cutting are perfect.
Please, somebody can explain me if on the f1 is possible to use the slide extension and rotary system at the same time?????? Thankss
I don't think this is possible... it wouldn't physically fit.
So when you put your work piece in the machine the blue and red dots hit the back of your hand, this isn't harmful?
The red laser shouldn't be harmful, the blue laser power is extremely low at that point so it should also not be harmful. When the machine is actually running and the blue laser power is increased this is when you do not want to stick your hands in there.
Hello, I'm trying to use your template. They have changed the software a bit so the choices are a little different, BUT my big issue is that when i drag text onto the template, it dissapears. It's like its behind your template. How do I move your template to the back?
If you open the layer menu (the little button in the bottom left corner of the screen that looks like a stack of papers) then you can see the various objects in your workspace. The template will likely be shown as an "image" and the text will be in the list as "text". Click and drag the "image" to the bottom of the list and this is the order of your objects in the workspace from back to front. Let me know if that helps!
@@EmbraceMaking Perfect - thanks. That worked......
@@EmbraceMaking Sorry, I have two more questions: 1. how do I make lines thicker? 2. How do I make the engraving (in metal) more vivid or distinct? Is it slower speed, faster speed, more line per cm, etc.? Thanks sooooo much!!!
I just bought this but it's not working. I don't have the filter, would that prevent it from firing?
Nope if you don't have a filter it shouldn't matter. When I first tried my machine I forgot to remove the lens cap and couldn't figure out why it wasn't working. I had one of *those* moments lol... did you remove the protective lens cap? It can happen to the best of us lol
My card won’t frame to size even at 0.2 and I can’t find a fix/help anywhere
I am unable to input a negative number for my material I am using .8mm thick black business cards. I input - 0.7 and the field will not take it as a value. Any advice?
I tried to reply to you by email but I think you may have entered your email address wrong on the website form. Anyways, I think XTool recently disabled the ability to type in negative numbers on the later versions of Creative space. I recently noticed this too.
That being said you can just use the knob on the side of the machine to focus on the top of the business card or other materials.
I have another F1 video coming out soon and in that video I demonstrate the ability to engrave on a curved surface (up to a point). The focus is actually not that sensitive so the manual focus for the negative values works great. Thanks!
@@EmbraceMaking Amazing thanks for the reply. Looking forward to it!
I recently purchased F1.. I'm facing an issue when I ised IR on silver flat coins, after only a few pics.. the printing becomes without any details on the coin.. kindly advice
Have you tried using the IR preheat option to make sure it is up to temperature before the engraving starts?
I need some help with the framing! My F1 have problems for read the material, always engraves in big size. Can some body help me with this. The customer device at Xtool it’s horrible.
Hm can you explain your problem more? What do you mean that it always engraves big and that it doesn't read the material?
I cannot download the template. I went to your website directly (outside of CZcams). The template opens up, but there's no download button. I can right-click and 'save image as' but the only option is to save as a WEBP file. Suggestions? TIA!
Instead of clicking the link and then trying to save the picture, just go back to the link itself, right click the link and select "save link as" and then it should bring it back to PNG format. Thanks for the heads up on this - I'm wondering if my web hosting service changed the way they handle opening those images or if it's a browser thing... I'll look into it!
@@EmbraceMaking, thank you! I was going to do that, but wanted to make sure it's the correct size. My experience with using this method can change the dimensions. Hopefully, you can figure it out!
What kind of laptop would you recommend to help run the system?
As far as I can tell, if you're just using xtool creative space software you won't need anything fancy. You can find the official system requirements for their software here: support.xtool.com/hc/en-us/articles/14461510592279-Download-and-Install-XCS-on-a-Computer
Other than that, usb port for the connection and you're off to the races.
@@EmbraceMaking thank you! I need a computer with those requirements didn't know if you had one specifically in mind or not.
This thing is driving me nuts - do you know why when I go to start after adjusting the settings,- nothing happens? I tried to engrave a QR code with user defined settings - and when I start - the machine starts up but no laser is seen - I opened a case with support and so far they have not been helpful. Thanks
Sorry I see you have two comments - did you get it working eventually by changing the reference settings, or no? Seems to be the case based on your other comment
@@EmbraceMaking hello thank you for your response yes I have it working I assumed the reference settings were the assured settings but they don’t seem to always work. However there are times where I go to start a job and nothing happens and then I have to increase the power I’m still fiddling with everything so I think I’m OK at the moment thank you so much
Where you buy all this laserable object such as the wallet or a water bottle
In the video description I have some amazon links to various things like water bottles and wallets in 2packs / 4 packs - let me know if those work for you!
Make sure u use the older version software with the new 2.0.55 not framing is very BAD
I have noticed that the framing takes longer than usual lately... I've asked XTool about it - perhaps there will be a bug fix in the next update.
i do not see the round jig on your website?
It's a combination kit that comes with both :) embracemaking.com/products/xtool-f1-multi-jig-and-circular-fixture-kit Thanks!
I tried to download the grid file and its just not working, even using your instructions. Is it user error?
What kind of issue are you having? I noticed that my website provider has automatically converted some of my images to some other file extension when you click on them now. Are you able to download the template as the original .png file or what is the extension? This might be your problem...
Hi, I know you should not cut PVC, but is it ok to do a light engrave on a PVC card?
I wouldn't. PVC very bad.
I would not advise to do this either...
That document doesn't work, I don't get the option Yes scale it to fit on canvas. It ends up very small on my canvas right away
When you click on the link from my website it should show up as a very large image in the browser where you can then right click and 'save image as' ... is this how you downloaded it?
@@EmbraceMaking Yes it does but then when I upload the image in Xtool itself, I don't get that option of full size or make the image fit, it reduces the image right away and it should come in at full size
Can you engrave on a watch dial face like you logo or name of the company
When you say dial face do you mean the metal face inside the watch or the glass cover?
The metal dial face.
"I bought the machine, and I love it. I have a question: Is it possible to mark ceramic cups?"
Wish I could get the F1. Way out of my budget.
Keep an eye on Facebook... I believe there is an XTOOL group and you might find gently used units pop up at lower prices
@EmbraceMaking not in my area. People sell used stuff at are above new prices lol
Xtool has no customer support, no one picks up the phone, calls back or responds to an email other than AI generated responses which make no sense.
Great video! I just got mine today. The vector files are working great but when I import a png photo and select the material I’m engraving on, I hit start and it says it’s working but no lasers are firing. I can’t figure this out! I let it run its course l, it stops like it’s finished but it didn’t do anything just made a sound like it’s running. Any advice?
First question is did you remove the black protective lens cover? Admittedly I forgot to do this on my first job and was confused and then realized I was burning the plastic lol.