CO2 laser in the Cherry Grove Craft workshop in North Wales

Your First Days With a New Laser (Step One: Don't Use the Free Software)

In your first days with a new CO2 laser, install LightBurn instead of learning on the free RDWorks software, then learn focus and framing, run a Material Test grid on every new material, and engrave before you cut. On OMTech's Ruida-controlled machines you need LightBurn Pro, and there's a free 30-day trial to start with.

The crate's unpacked, the ducting's run and the chiller's filled (if not, start with our setup checklist). Now comes the part that decides whether this machine earns its keep or gathers dust: your first days at the controls. Here's the path we'd give a friend, minus the shortcuts you only learn the hard way.

Day one: choose your software — this is the big decision

OMTech's Ruida-controlled CO2 machines come with RDWorks, Ruida's free control software (Windows only, per OMTech's listing). We'll be blunt, because we wish someone had been blunt with us: in our view it's awful to learn on. It's dated, clunky and fights you at every step, and when you're new it's easy to blame the machine when the real problem is the software.

Use LightBurn instead. Think of it as a simpler version of Adobe Illustrator, built specifically for lasers — you design, arrange, set your power and speed, and send the job to the machine, all in one place. It's intuitive enough to pick up quickly, and deep enough that we still run our entire production through it every working day.

The practical bits, with prices from lightburnsoftware.com in October 2026. LightBurn comes in two licences. Core (US$99) is for GCode-based controllers, which covers most diode lasers. Pro (US$199) adds DSP controllers such as Ruida, plus galvo lasers. OMTech's CO2 machines use Ruida controllers, so you need LightBurn Pro. Both are one-off purchases that include a year of updates; after that your version keeps working, and another year of updates is optional (US$40 at the time of writing). Prices are charged in US dollars, so check the current price.

There's a free 30-day trial with every feature included, so you can start today for nothing, and you can trial Pro before you buy. When you do buy, you can add LightBurn as an option when you order an OMTech machine, or buy it direct from lightburnsoftware.com. It's the best money you'll spend after the machine itself.

Day one, part two: focus and frame

Before any design work, learn two physical habits. First, focus: set the distance between lens and material with the focus gauge (or autofocus, if your machine has it) every time the material thickness changes. A perfectly good laser with bad focus produces weak, fuzzy cuts that get blamed on the tube. Second, frame: the button that traces the outline of your job on the bed before firing. Use it on every single job — it's the difference between a perfect placement and an expensive piece of scrap.

Speaking of which: this week, cut nothing you care about. Scrap only.

Day two: run a Material Test — the habit that changes everything

This is the feature that makes LightBurn worth it on its own. Built into the software is a Material Test tool that burns a labelled grid onto a sample — by default 10 × 10 squares, varying power one way and speed the other. Ten minutes per new material and you can see exactly which combination gives you a clean cut or a crisp engraving — on your machine, with your tube, on that material.

This matters because settings copied from forums and Facebook groups rarely transfer; every machine, tube and batch of material behaves slightly differently. Run the grid, save the winning numbers into your LightBurn material library, and within a few weeks you'll have a settings library that's a genuine business asset.

Days three to five: engrave first, cut second

Engraving is more forgiving than cutting, so start there — a coaster or keyring on scrap, taken from design to finished piece. Then move to cutting, changing one variable at a time. If a cut isn't going through, check your focus and clean your lens before you reach for more power; in our experience, nine times out of ten that's the fix.

The habits to start on day one

  • Never leave the machine running unattended — laser fires are rare but real. Keep a CO2 or ABC fire extinguisher within reach.
  • Air assist on, always.
  • Never defeat the lid interlock. OMTech rates its enclosed machines Class 1 only with the lid closed and the interlocks working.
  • Know your material before you cut it. Never cut PVC, vinyl, neoprene, PTFE (Teflon), ABS, polycarbonate, or anything you can't identify. Vegetable-tanned leather is fine; avoid chrome-tanned leather and most faux leather (often PVC).
  • Start the cleaning routine now: lens and mirrors weekly. It's a big part of how our machines have run thousands of commercial hours since 2023.

Where to get help

If you get stuck, our guide for new OMTech owners lists where help comes from, including OMTech UK's support contacts and LightBurn's documentation and forum. We also run a 2-hour training session, in person or by video call, if you want help setting up.

If you haven't bought yet, come and watch our machines run real jobs first: we're an official OMTech showroom in Buckley, North Wales, and visits are free, informal and by appointment (email info@cherrygrovecraft.co.uk with a couple of dates; details on our OMTech showroom page). When you do order, our OMTech discount code takes 4% off at omtech.uk (checked October 2026).

Frequently asked questions

Do I need LightBurn Core or Pro for an OMTech laser?
LightBurn Pro. OMTech's CO2 machines use Ruida controllers, which need the Pro licence (US$199 at lightburnsoftware.com in October 2026); Core covers GCode controllers such as most diode lasers.

Is LightBurn a subscription?
No. It's a one-off purchase that includes a year of updates, and your version keeps working after that. Another year of updates is optional (US$40 at lightburnsoftware.com in October 2026).

Is there a free trial of LightBurn?
Yes. LightBurn offers a free 30-day trial with every feature included, and you can trial Pro before you buy.

Can I use RDWorks instead of LightBurn?
Yes. OMTech's Ruida-controlled CO2 machines come with RDWorks, which runs on Windows only. It works, but we found it hard to learn on and run all our production through LightBurn.

What is a material test grid in LightBurn?
It's a built-in tool that burns a labelled grid onto a sample, by default 10 × 10 squares of power against speed. It shows which settings give a clean cut or a crisp engraving on your machine and material.

Disclosure: as an official OMTech showroom, we earn a commission from OMTech on purchases made with our code or link. The 4% discount comes off your price either way.

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