How to Use Creative Space with the xTool F1 Slide Extension

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

If you’ve just gotten yourself an xTool F1 Slide Extension Kit then start by checking out our xTool F1 Setup & Calibration post to get it all setup and calibrated.

Once you are done with the setup, you are ready to start your first project.

For this, you will need to have the Creative Space software installed on your computer. To download the software CLICK HERE.

Where to Buy the XTool F1 Slide Extension

If you don’t have an xTool F1 Extension Slider and would like to purchase one, then click here to buy (aff link).

Let’s get started

So let’s start with our first project. Choose a material that you want to work with and place it on the slider. If necessary, use the clamps that came in the box to hold your material securely in place. ( Check out our blog post on how to use the xTool F1 clamps.)

In our case, we went with a long piece of scrap hard wood.

And the first thing we need to do is focus by lining up those red and the blue laser dots.

So we turn the focusing wheel on the side of the machine.

As you turn the wheel, you will see the two dots come together. When they do, you have focused correctly.

Then back in the software I am going to click on the text option and type some text. You can also import an image in if you prefer.

You’ll notice when you select that TEXT option that you get a new menu on the left hand side that allows you to type in your text and make changes to the font and sizing.

At this point, you might want to measure your material so that you can size your text or image correctly.

Settings for our first project

I want to engrave this text so I click on the ENGRAVE option from the processing options.

And as you can see just below that, you can select the power and speed to suit but I’m actually going to go with a default setting from the software itself.

So I click on the grid and then the side panel changes and I can now select from the Material options and I am going to click on MORE from the drop-down.

And I am going to click on MORE and then click this drop-down and select the WOOD option.

And from here, I’m going to select the 3mm basswood plywood option.

Framing the project

Now we need to click the FRAMING option so we can see where the text is going to engrave on our piece of wood.

The xTool F1 slide extension moves to the ruler and then stops and displays a frame on the wood (watch the video above to see this in action).

Obviously this frame is smaller than what we are going to engrave, so in order to see the full framing area, just turn the focus wheel on the side of the machine.