Dual Image (ghost) on final product

[reneisla]

I have been tinkering with this Chinese made Redsail M500 laser engraver for 3 weeks now. Although I would say that it has limited capabilities, it fits my needs. One problem that I have been trying to fix is the ghost image it creates on the product. I was able to line up the image along the x-axis but there is still the secondary image directly below the original image and parallel to the Y-axis, it stays, no matter how I tweak the settings. If I will use a crosshair image as a guide, I could line up the vertical lines but uniting the horizontal lines drives me crazy.

If I do single pass engraving, everything is crisp and clean, but bi-directional engraving produces the other image directly below the original on the laser head's return trip

[Rome69]

Sounds like backlash!? Have you checked for that?

[MonoNeuron]

Rome69 is probably right by the sounds of it. Check for loose screws on the timing pulleys and on the motors or any loose things on the guide rails.

[drepetto]

I had ghosting on my laser for a while (a similar model from BrightStar). It disappeared after I readjusted the focusing head (making sure it was perfectly square to the table) and did a thorough cleaning of all mirrors and lenses.

douglas

[zittware]

Could the head be "twisting" on the return trip; making the head assembly jog in the vert direction?

Does bidirection look more grainly than single pass?

I don't own a redsail; got an older universal - so I don't know how this model is put together?

[FlyGuy007]

I get ghosting when the focusing lens on the head is not perfectly focused, sometimes its really bad. Its almost like the beam reflects off something in the cone and deviating from the main beam.

Carelfully realigning the beam should take care of it.

Mike