First, I have Mac OS Sonoma. 2023 computer. Brand new.
Second, I have a new laser etcher/cutter; Creality CR-Laser Falcon with a 7.5 watt laser
Software:
LightBurn 1.5.01, built Tue 2024-02-06 @ 20:55
Created by LightBurn Software, LLC
First problem:
USB-C to C would not find laser when in the "Find My Laser" mode.
First solution: Exchange C to C for A to C with a USB Hub. That worked. The software found my laser.
Second problem:
I have created the most simplest thing on LightBurn (LB), a rectangle with a hex in the middle. Went through all the settings - and I know someone is going to say 'Maybe you missed a setting?'. Well, I've been here for hours check and rechecking settings. Following YouTube examples - and nothing. I just get a message:

Does Anybody - I mean ANYBODY - I MEAN - ANY-FRICKEN-BODY have an idea or know something I don't know?

My wife gave this to me as a gift and I'm chomping at the bit to play with it.

And finally, there's no need to warn me about lasers and safety goggles or other safety warnings. Thank you, I'm already acquainted with them.

 

More likely it is some physical initializing step that was not mentioned in the instructions, or the homing procedure step that is not mentioned.
It may also be a connector not fully seated. Probably on that checklist that did not accompany the device.
Or it could be that one of the axis is not quite in the position it should be in to indicate ready, not yet busy. Really, being out of position, or just thinking it is out of position, could easily be the problem. Not mentioned in the trouble-shooting guide for some reason.
Those are the things that I have run into on machine startups.

 

Is there an emergency stop that has to be reset? Closed or opened?

 

First, I have Mac OS Sonoma. 2023 computer. Brand new.
Second, I have a new laser etcher/cutter; Creality CR-Laser Falcon with a 7.5 watt laser
Software:
LightBurn 1.5.01, built Tue 2024-02-06 @ 20:55
Created by LightBurn Software, LLC
First problem:
USB-C to C would not find laser when in the "Find My Laser" mode.
First solution: Exchange C to C for A to C with a USB Hub. That worked. The software found my laser.
Second problem:
I have created the most simplest thing on LightBurn (LB), a rectangle with a hex in the middle. Went through all the settings - and I know someone is going to say 'Maybe you missed a setting?'. Well, I've been here for hours check and rechecking settings. Following YouTube examples - and nothing. I just get a message:
View attachment 315693
Does Anybody - I mean ANYBODY - I MEAN - ANY-FRICKEN-BODY have an idea or know something I don't know?

My wife gave this to me as a gift and I'm chomping at the bit to play with it.

And finally, there's no need to warn me about lasers and safety goggles or other safety warnings. Thank you, I'm already acquainted with them.

Sounds really frustrating, Tony!

The manual says there is an indicator light. What state is it in? (steady, blinking, throbbing)—also, is the laser operating in low power (preview) mode? I mean, can you see the laser operating?

 

Well, I don't know what fixed it but it's fixed. Here's what happened: The printer (laser) was powered, in the standby condition, light breathing as they call it, throbbing is another way of putting it but it wasn't flashing on and off, nor was it on continuously. All connections were secure and complete.

Meanwhile my computer, which is new, seems to be having an issue with another program, TurboCAD for Mac. There are times when I have to force a shut down and restart. Well, that happened last night. This time I did not power down the laser, I just forced shut down and restart. When the computer restarted I heard the cooling fan power up on the laser. I pushed the HOME button and the laser moved to the home position. After that I put a sheet of paper on the platen just to see if I could get the laser to trace a line. Extreme low power AND safety glasses on, I hit start. And the laser went through the motions with the beam barely on.

From there I continued to up the settings until the laser burned a line on the paper. So maybe that's it - the computer needs to see the laser when the comp' powers on. Today I'll be messing with it a bit more.

To recap all the troubles I had: USB-C to C didn't work. The solution was a USB Hub and a USB-A to C cable. That enabled the LightBurn program to find the printer. All parameters were automatically loaded up to LB. Then I couldn't make the laser move. Then I restarted the computer and the laser connected.

Reminds me of something I read thousands of years ago about Window's and Macintosh (Mac today): If Windows and Macintosh were to each make a car the Window car could only be started by unlocking the passenger side door while one foot touches the passenger side front tire and holding the radio antenna. The Macintosh car would be much easier to start but could only be used on 4% of the roads.

I guess Mac has a bit of a way to go yet. At least I can burn, etch and cut. And I don't have to hold three keys down to do it.

 

guess Mac has a bit of a way to go yet.

Glad to hear it is working.

Not to stray too far off-topic, but I wanted to say that I use the Apple ecosystem extensively and I am certain your problem is not because you are using MacOS or Apple hardware. I use all sorts of programs and connected hardware and more than 90% of the time it is entirely trouble free.

When it isn’t, it’s usually not hard to fix—but that 2% of the time when it‘s one of those baffling problems, is, in my experience less of the time then with Windows or Linux. (More similar to Linux, I would say).

At this point, with a great deal of expertise in MacOS and Apple hardware, I am confident in saying that it has gone as far as the SoTA in desktop and small device computing goes. It’s a really great platform and your regrettable experience is far from typical or characteristic.

If you stick with it, you’ll see what I mean as you gain more experience. It’s the reason I am happy to make MacOS and the rest of the ecosystem “home” even while having and using other platforms and being able to select any of them.

 

Funny, if you care to continue to watch this thread:

I spent some hours laying out a cut pattern for cutting foam packaging, the kind that comes in sheets of white but reflective foam bubbles. I set a 10 minute cut at max power to cut a 130mm line just to gauge how to set it up. Started low power and high speed but slowly increased power and slowed feed rate. In the end the bubbles are just too reflective. At best I could barely scribe a shallow line. If I wanted to cut the foam pattern (for my hand planes) IF it could cut through at all, it would take all day running.

So thanks for the support y'all.
MisterBill2
DNA Robotics
Ya’akov

 

Well, my very fist suggestion," More likely it is some physical initializing step that was not mentioned in the instructions, " was it. Starting the computer with the laser package on. Just like my win7 laptop cant find the scanner if the scanner is not on at boot-up. That is a basic flaw of some operating systems. And a grievous flaw indeed.