Fiber 14-Day Onboarding Path
This path is fiber-specific. The Fiber tab has 35+ modules, overwhelming as a reference list. This is the order to read them in for a brand-new fiber owner, paired with progressively harder test pieces. Two weeks turns the reference manual into a course. Diode owners: see the Diode 14-Day Path. CO2 14-day equivalent coming next; in the meantime, work through the CO2 Foundations modules in order.
Before you start: shopping list
Order these so they're on the bench when you begin. Many of these (calipers, loupes, IPA, Kimwipes, OD glasses, painter's tape, microfiber cloths) are collected in the Kinetic Carving Amazon Storefront if you'd rather grab the basics in one trip than chase them down individually.
- Stainless 304 sample plates: 20-30 pieces, 50×50mm or 100×100mm. Brushed AND mirror finish ideally.
- Anodized aluminum coupons: black + one color (red/blue), 10 of each.
- Brass coin blanks 40mm: 5-10 pieces. Free-machining 360 brass for sharpest detail.
- Nickel-plated steel coin blanks: 5 pieces, cheap practice substrate.
- Test card stock: printed grid templates for taping samples to.
- Cleaning supplies: reagent-grade isopropyl, lens tissue, microfiber cloths, gloves.
- OD 5+ glasses rated for 1064nm (not optional).
- Calipers (digital, 6").
- Loupe / 10× hand magnifier for inspecting marks.
Week 1: Foundations & first marks
| Day | Read | Do |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Inside a Fiber Laser, MOPA vs Q-switched · Lens Choice · Machine Anatomy · Safety | Unbox, mount lenses, run the lens calibration wizard for both lenses. No engraving yet. |
| 2 | Lightburn Setup for Galvo · Lightburn Interface Tour · Daily Workflow in Lightburn | Install Lightburn (galvo edition), connect, save device profiles for both lenses, run a small "Hello World" engrave on scrap stainless. |
| 3 | Focusing, Three Methods · Lens Calibration · Alignment, Origin & Framing | Master focus with the focus stick. Run a ramp test to verify true focus distance. |
| 4 | Understanding Frequency · Layer Settings Deep Dive | Run your first 3×3 test grid: power × speed on stainless. Inspect under daylight LED at 45°. |
| 5 | Black Mark on Stainless Steel · Fill Modes & Hatch Patterns | Dial in production black-on-stainless. Make 5 keychain-sized samples with consistent finish. |
| 6 | Anodized Aluminum · Image Modes & Dithering | White-on-color marks on anodized AL. Make a name tag. |
| 7 | Color Annealing on Stainless / Titanium | Run a 10×10 color test card. Photograph and label every cell. This card lives next to the laser forever. |
Week 2: Advanced techniques
| Day | Read | Do |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Deep Engraving · Settings Reference Library | Deep engrave a 20×20mm pocket on stainless to 0.3mm depth. Time it, document settings. |
| 9 | Photo Engraving on Metal | Engrave a portrait photo on a stainless dog tag. Use Jarvis dither, 1016 DPI. |
| 10 | Relief Coin Engraving (read both approaches) | Run a simple relief coin on nickel-plated steel using the 3D Sliced approach. Practice piece, no customer pressure. |
| 11 | Relief Coin (continued) · Shovel Layer Method | Run a Mario-style multi-level coin using the shovel layer method on a brass blank. Apply Brass Black antiquing. |
| 12 | Knives, Hatchets & Multi-Plane Parts · Rotary Setup | Set up the rotary. Engrave a stainless tumbler with a simple logo. |
| 13 | Firearms Engraving Primer · 1911 Slides & Hardened Steel | Read only. Don't engrave firearms until you've done at least 50 stainless production pieces. |
| 14 | Maintenance · Troubleshooting · Optimization & Job Speed | Full maintenance pass. Optimize your most-run job. Set up your Material Library with 10 saved recipes. |
What you'll have at the end
- Both lenses calibrated and saved as device profiles.
- A reference test card for color annealing taped to the wall.
- A Material Library with 10+ entries you've personally validated.
- ~20 sample pieces showing your range, keep these for customer demos.
- The mental model: frequency = grit, power = pressure, speed = travel, pulse = dwell.
- Confidence to quote production work.
Skill checkpoints
| Skill | Self-test |
|---|---|
| Focus | Can you nail focus on an unfamiliar part in under 60 seconds? |
| Black anneal | Can you produce 10 identical black-stainless keychains with no visible variation? |
| Color marking | Can you hit a specific blue twice on the same stainless lot? |
| Photo engrave | Does your dog-tag portrait read well at 30cm viewing distance? |
| Relief coin | Can a stranger tell what's on the coin from across a room? |
| Recovery | If a job is wrong, can you diagnose the cause in under 5 minutes? |
Don't skip days
Skipping practice days because "I already get the concept" is the most common reason new owners struggle 6 months in. The concept is in your head; the muscle memory has to live in your hands. Run the test pieces even when they feel redundant.