Software, accessories and safety
What Kind of Rotary Do You Need to Engrave All the Way Around a Tumbler or Ring?
Summary
A roller rotary handles straight tumblers. Rings, and objects whose bases aren't round, go in a chuck or a ring fixture. xTool's RA2 Pro covers all of these plus spheres, and each mode has its own diameter range.
RA2 Pro modes and sizes
| Mode | Best for | Diameter |
|---|---|---|
| Roller | Irregular cylinders, extra-long objects | 3–198 mm |
| Chuck | Objects with rounded or non-rounded bases | Up to 100 mm |
| Sphere | Balls and other spheres | 25–100 mm |
| Ring | Rings | 11–70 mm |
The standard RA2 for the D1 and D1 Pro is roller-only. To engrave the inside of a ring, the Deluxe accessory kit tilts the fixture within a 26° range, and that works on the D1, D1 Pro, F1, F1 Ultra, and S1.
Height
Material on a rotary sits above the normal bed. xTool's RA2 guide has D1 owners raise the machine on the included risers, and owners of other open-frame lasers lift theirs until the laser can reach the material on the rotary. The enclosed M1 goes on risers too, before the RA2 is connected, and which way the risers face depends on the item's circumference. With the RA2 Pro, items 0 to 142 mm around use one side and items 142 to 314 mm use the other.
Software
In XCS, choose cylindrical processing, then Roller or Chuck to match the parts you've mounted. For the chuck, enter the circumference or diameter, set a start point, and run Framing to see where the design will land. LightBurn keeps its settings under Tools > Rotary Setup. The RA2 Pro page lists xTool Creative Space and LightBurn as supported software.
Sources
- xTool — RA2 Pro product page
- xTool Support — Rotary Attachment 2 (RA2) User Guide
- xTool Support — (xTool Studio) User Guide of Rotary Attachment 2 (RA2) for M1
Specs and prices are as published on these pages on the date above and can change; check the manufacturer or retailer before you buy.