xTool F1 Workshop | Setup Guides, Material Settings & Project Ideas - Portable Dual-Laser Engraving Made Simple

Getting Started with Your xTool F1

Follow these four steps and you will be engraving within 30 minutes of opening the box.

Unbox & Position

Remove the F1 from its packaging and place it on a flat, stable surface. The machine weighs approximately 4 kg and fits on any standard desk. Remove all protective inserts and the lens cap.

Install Software

Download xTool Creative Space from the official website. Available for Windows 10+ and macOS 11+. Installation takes under 3 minutes. Connect the F1 via the included USB-C cable.

Camera Calibration

Run the one-time camera calibration using the included test card. This aligns the camera preview with the actual laser path. Takes about 2 minutes and ensures placement accuracy for all future jobs.

First Engrave

Load the sample file included in Creative Space. Place the included test material (anodized aluminum card) in the work area. Hit start. Your first engraving should finish in under 2 minutes.

Material Settings Quick Reference

These are starting-point parameters based on our lab testing. Always run a small test area first, as material thickness, coating, and brand can affect results.

Fiber Laser Settings (1064nm)

Material	Power (%)	Speed (mm/s)	Passes	Notes
Stainless Steel 304	80-100	800-1200	1	Dark mark; reduce speed for deeper engrave
Anodized Aluminum	40-60	1500-2000	1	Removes anodizing to reveal silver base
Brass	90-100	600-900	1-2	Best results on polished surfaces
Gold / Gold Plate	30-50	1000-1500	1	Low power to avoid burning through plating
Titanium	70-90	500-800	1-2	Color marking possible by varying speed

Diode Laser Settings (455nm, 10W)

Material	Power (%)	Speed (mm/s)	Passes	Notes
Basswood (3mm)	60-80	200-400	1	Can cut up to 3mm with 2 passes at full power
Leather (vegetable-tanned)	20-40	300-500	1	Start low; darker leathers need less power
Acrylic (clear, 3mm)	80-100	100-200	2-3	Engraving only; may not fully cut clear acrylic
Cardstock / Paper	10-20	600-1000	1	Cuts cleanly; keep power low to avoid charring
Glass (coated)	70-90	150-300	1-2	Apply masking tape first for cleaner results

These parameters are guidelines for the standard xTool F1 (2W fiber + 10W diode). The F1 Ultra has different power ratings; refer to its dedicated settings page. Individual results vary with material brand, thickness, surface finish, and ambient temperature.

Project Ideas to Get You Inspired

Real projects created by xTool F1 users and our applications team. Each includes approximate material cost and engraving time.

Branded Stainless Steel Tumbler

Corporate gift or retail product. Fiber laser, 80% power, 1000mm/s. Each tumbler takes about 90 seconds to engrave a 50mm x 30mm logo. Material cost: approximately $5-8 per blank tumbler.

Fiber Laser ~90 sec / unit

Personalized laser-engraved wooden cutting board

Personalized Cutting Board

Wedding gift or housewarming present. Diode laser, 70% power, 300mm/s on maple. A 100mm x 80mm family name design takes about 4 minutes. Material cost: approximately $8-15 per board (pre-cut blanks).

Diode Laser ~4 min / unit

Monogrammed laser-engraved leather keychains

Monogrammed Leather Keychains

Fast-moving retail item or event favor. Diode laser, 25% power, 400mm/s on vegetable-tanned leather. Each keychain engraves in under 15 seconds. Material cost: approximately $1-2 per blank (bulk sourced).

Diode Laser ~15 sec / unit

Inside Ring Engraving

Wedding bands and anniversary rings. Fiber laser, 40% power, 1200mm/s with rotary attachment. 20 characters of text takes about 8 seconds. Requires the optional RA2 Pro rotary attachment for proper ring holding.

Fiber Laser + Rotary ~8 sec / ring

Glass wine glass with frosted laser etching

Frosted Glass Wine Glasses

Wedding favors and wine club merchandise. Diode laser on masking-taped glass, 80% power, 200mm/s. Results in a frosted white finish. Apply and smooth tape carefully; air bubbles cause inconsistent marks. Each glass takes about 3 minutes.

Diode Laser ~3 min / unit

Custom Pet ID Tags

High-volume market stall or online product. Fiber laser on stainless steel blanks, 90% power, 900mm/s. Batch mode handles 20+ tags per run on a single bed. Each tag takes about 20 seconds. Material cost: approximately $0.50-1.00 per blank.

Fiber Laser ~20 sec / unit

xTool F1 Model Comparison & Laser Technology Overview

Choosing between the F1 models and understanding how they compare to other laser types helps you invest in the right tool for your workflow.

F1 Family: Side-by-Side Specifications

Specification	xTool F1	xTool F1 Ultra	xTool F1 Lite
Fiber Laser Power	2W (1064nm)	20W (1064nm)	None
Diode Laser Power	10W optical (455nm)	20W optical (455nm)	10W optical (455nm)
Work Area	115 x 115 mm	165 x 165 mm	115 x 115 mm
Weight	~4 kg	~5.5 kg	~3.5 kg
Metal Engraving	Yes (fiber)	Yes (fiber, faster)	No
Galvo Speed	Up to 4000 mm/s	Up to 10000 mm/s	Up to 4000 mm/s
Released	2022	2024	2023
Price Range	$1,599 – $1,899	$3,999 – $4,499	$899 – $1,099
Best For	Small businesses needing metal + organic engraving	Production shops needing speed and larger work area	Hobbyists and educators working with non-metal materials only

Laser Technology Comparison: Fiber vs. Diode vs. CO2

Each laser type has distinct strengths and trade-offs. No single technology is ideal for every application.

Parameter	Fiber Laser (1064nm)	Diode Laser (455nm)	CO2 Laser (10.6μm)
Wavelength	1064 nm	445–455 nm	10,600 nm (10.6 μm)
Typical Power (desktop)	2W–50W	5W–20W optical	40W–150W
Metals	Excellent (direct marking)	Limited (marking spray required)	Poor (cannot mark bare metal)
Wood & Leather	Limited	Good (engraving + thin cutting)	Excellent (engraving + cutting)
Acrylic Cutting	No	Thin only (≤3mm)	Excellent (up to 20mm+)
Source Lifespan	~100,000 hours	~10,000–20,000 hours	~2,000–8,000 hours (tube)
Typical Desktop Price	$1,500–$5,000	$300–$2,000	$2,000–$10,000
Safety Class (enclosed)	Class 1	Class 1	Class 1
Key Limitation	Small work area in galvo systems; limited organic material depth	Cannot mark bare metals; slower on thick materials	No metal engraving; tube replacement cost; larger footprint

This comparison reflects general capabilities of desktop-class systems as of 2024. Specific performance varies by manufacturer, model, and configuration. The xTool F1 combines fiber and diode in one unit, covering the first two columns but not the CO2 column.

Video Tutorials

Watch step-by-step demonstrations from our applications team and experienced community members.

Unboxing & First Setup

Complete walkthrough from opening the box to your first engraving. Covers camera calibration, software installation, and your first test cut on the included sample material.

Tumbler Engraving Guide

How to set up the rotary attachment, align a cylindrical tumbler, and dial in fiber laser settings for a crisp, permanent mark on stainless steel drinkware.

xTool Creative Space software tutorial video

Creative Space Deep Dive

Master the software: import designs from SVG and AI files, use material presets, set up batch processing, and calibrate the camera for precision placement.

xTool F1 Workshop: Guides, Settings & Project Ideas