Sculpfun S9 (5.5 W diode)
Unverified starting points - test on a scrap first. These are rough estimates, not yet burned and verified on hardware; diode output varies with lens condition, focus and material batch. A verified, community-voted database (real burns, photos) is on the roadmap - it isn't built yet.
The machine
The S9 is a single-diode 455 nm engraver with about 5.5 W of optical output and a 410 × 420 mm work area (an extension kit stretches the Y axis to roughly 950 mm). Its selling point is the beam-compression lens: Sculpfun claims a spot around 0.06 × 0.08 mm, unusually tight for the class. The trade-off is a fixed-focus module with no focus knob - you set height with the supplied shim. Open aluminum frame, GRBL board, works with LaserGRBL and LightBurn; no air assist or limit switches out of the box.
| Material | Dithering | DPI | Speed | Power | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basswood, solid | Jarvis | 254 | 2800 mm/min | 60% | untested |
| Plywood, birch 3 mm | Stucki | 254 | 3000 mm/min | 55% | untested |
| Slate coaster | Jarvis | 318 | 2000 mm/min | 80% | untested |
| Painted white tile (NWT) | Stucki | 318 | 1400 mm/min | 90% | untested |
Every row is an unverified starting point, not a proven setting - burn a test grid on the same material batch before running the real photo. No verified community data yet; the submit-and-vote database is on the roadmap. Files made with: Dithering Lab · Test Grid Generator.
Prepare the photo with EngraveBot
Open Photo to Laser, load your photo and pick the material preset (wood, slate or tile) - it applies the dithering algorithm and DPI from the table above. Export a PNG at that DPI and import it into LaserGRBL or LightBurn, or export a .lbrn2 project with the layer pre-filled - then overwrite speed and power with whatever your own test grid proved. Finer control over the algorithm: Dithering Lab.
Quirks worth knowing
Focus is fixed, full stop - no knob. Loosen the module screw, rest the shim on the material, tighten. The tight spot is what lets photo DPI go up to ~318 here, but it also means a millimeter of focus error costs you more detail than on a fatter beam. No limit switches, so home manually and mark your origin; no air assist, so expect smoke staining on light woods - mask the surface or wipe after. Wear rated goggles and never leave a burn unattended.
Gear for this machine
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Related guides
Photo on wood → Photos on slate → Dithering settings → Norton White Tile →