Your laser just showed up and the manual assumes you already know what you’re doing.
Why This Matters
I’ve unboxed four Monport lasers at this point. Two CO2 machines and two fiber units. Every single one arrived with at least three things the manual skipped or buried in bad translation.
The manual tells you to “install the machine” and “check all connections.” That’s not helpful when you’re staring at 200 pounds of equipment in your driveway and you’ve never owned a laser before.
This is what I wish someone told me before I fired up my first Monport. These are the things that will save you from wasting a day troubleshooting or worse, damaging the tube before you even finish setup.
Steps
1. Check for loose screws before you plug anything in
Shipping is rough. I don’t care how much foam they used. Open the panels and check every visible screw on the gantry, the laser head assembly, and the belt tensioners. I found two loose on my 40W CO2 and one completely missing on the 60W.
Use a basic metric hex key set. Most screws are M3 or M4. Tighten anything that moves when you touch it. Do not overtighten. Snug is enough.
2. Fill the water system and run it before you fire the tube
This is the number one way people kill a CO2 tube in the first week. The tube needs water flowing through it or it will crack from heat in under 30 seconds.
Fill the reservoir with distilled water. Not tap water. Minerals will clog the system and reduce cooling efficiency. Run the pump for two minutes and watch for leaks at every connection point. If you see drips, tighten the hose clamps.
Check the water flow indicator on the side of the machine. It should show steady movement. No bubbles. No stuttering. If the flow looks weak, bleed air from the lines by loosening the tube inlet slightly while the pump runs.
3. Set up LightBurn and run the frame test
The manual points you to RDWorks. Skip it. LightBurn is better and the trial version gives you 30 days to figure out if you want to buy it.
Connect via USB or Ethernet depending on your controller. Most Monport CO2 machines use a Ruida controller. LightBurn will auto-detect it if your cable is good.
Load a simple square. 100mm by 100mm. Set the speed to 100mm/s and power to 10 percent. Run the frame function first. This traces the cut path without firing the laser. Watch the head. If it skips or stutters, your belts are too loose or your stepper drivers need adjustment.
4. Run your first test cut on cardboard
Do not use expensive material for your first cut. Grab a piece of cardboard or cheap plywood.
Set focus using the acrylic ramp tool that came with the machine. Place it on the material and lower the bed or raise the head until the laser nozzle just touches the top of the ramp. Remove the ramp and fire a 10mm square at 10 percent power and 20mm/s.
If it barely marks the surface, increase power by 5 percent and try again. If it cuts all the way through on the first try, you’re in the ballpark. Write down those settings.
5. Check your air assist pressure
Most Monport machines come with an air pump. It’s loud and weak. You’ll want to upgrade it eventually but it works for now.
Turn it on and put your hand near the nozzle. You should feel a steady stream of air. If you don’t, check the hose connection at the pump and at the head. The little plastic barb fittings love to pop loose during shipping.
Run a test cut with air assist on and one without it. The difference in edge quality will be obvious. Air assist blows smoke and debris away from the cut and reduces charring on wood.
Common Mistakes
- Firing the laser before checking water flow
- Using tap water instead of distilled
- Skipping the frame test and going straight to a full cut
- Setting power too high on the first test and burning through the bed
- Forgetting to turn on the exhaust fan and filling the shop with smoke
- Not tightening the lens retaining ring after cleaning and having it fall into the cut mid-job
Quick Settings for First Cuts
These are starting points for a 50W to 60W CO2 Monport. Your machine will vary depending on tube condition and alignment.
- Cardboard: 20mm/s, 15 percent power
- 3mm plywood: 10mm/s, 50 to 60 percent power, multiple passes if needed
- 3mm acrylic: 8mm/s, 40 to 50 percent power
- Paper: 100mm/s, 8 to 10 percent power
Focus height matters more than you think. If your cuts are inconsistent, recheck focus before you change power settings.
What I Do in My Shop
I keep a dedicated cardboard test sheet next to every laser. Before I run a paid job I fire a small test square to make sure nothing shifted overnight. It takes 10 seconds and it’s caught loose mirrors twice and a failing air pump once.
When I unbox a new machine I also take photos of every panel and connection before I move anything. If something breaks later I know what it’s supposed to look like. I learned this after spending an hour trying to figure out which way a belt was supposed to route.
I also run the machine at 25 percent power for the first few hours of cuts. Tubes need to break in. Running them at full power right away can shorten their lifespan. Monport doesn’t mention this anywhere but it’s common knowledge in CO2 laser groups.
Next Step
Run 10 test cuts on cheap material. Change one variable each time. Speed, power, focus height, air pressure. Write down what works. This is your settings notebook and you’ll reference it every week.
If your cuts are inconsistent or you’re getting weird burn patterns, check mirror alignment next. That’s a separate process and it matters more than any setting.