How to Engrave on a Mug Using xTool D1 and RA2 Pro?

Personalized mugs are quite common these days. People usually like to give personalized mugs as a gift to others; companies and brands that offer personalized mugs to their customers and clients as a token of appreciation. Moreover, people also love to have personalized mugs and decorate their homes with specially engraved mugs for different events.

Engraved mugs are in great demand. You can engrave mugs for yourself, friends & family, or clients. It is also an excellent business idea because you can sell these mugs online to common people, companies, or retailers.

All these ideas we have discussed seem attractive, but engraving a mug is not as easy as engraving a piece of flat wood. Cylindrical objects need to be rotated at a certain speed during engraving, and they should also be kept stable.

In this article, we will explain how you can engrave a mug and start a business. Even if you are a beginner, you can easily follow this guide. We will explain how you can use the rotary attachment and engrave mugs using xTool D1.

Setting Up the Rotary Attachment 2 Pro

Rotary Attachment 2 (RA2) Pro is the world’s first 4-in-1 rotary attachment. It has a roller rotary, chuck rotary, ring rotary, and sphere rotary. Therefore, this single rotary attachment can work on 90% of the cylindrical and spherical engraving scenarios.

Since RA2 Pro is a 4-in-1 rotary, you need to attach and detach several parts to make the rotary you want. The assembling is pretty simple, and the user only has to pay attention to the simple steps. For engraving cups, you need a chuck rotary; therefore, we are going to give you step-by-step instructions to assemble the chuck rotary.

Note: All tools and keys required for the assembly come with the box, so you don’t need anything else.

Step 1: Once you open the box, you have the roller rotary pre-assembled. Thus, you need to convert the roller rotary to a chuck rotary. The accessories for other rotaries will be along with it.

On the roller rotary, you will see two slave-drive shafts. First, loosen two screws of the shafts from the bottom plate and remove the adjustable slave-drive shaft.

Step 2: The second slave-drive shaft has some extra two screws. These screws are on the shaft couplings. Remove these two screws and take out the second slave-drive shaft. If you can’t find the second screw, rotate the shaft, and you will see it.

Step 3: Now, you need to fix the belt pulley on the attachment. For that, rotate the shaft coupling so that its flat edge faces downward. Insert the pulley on the shaft. You need to tighten two screws. Invert the attachment and tighten the first screw. Rotate the pulley and tighten the second screw.

Step 4: It is time to put the chuck. First, place the belt on the pulley. Place the chuck in its designated place and attach the belt to it. Use the given M4*20 screws and tighten the chuck.

Step 5: Now, it is time to attach the jaws to the chuck rotary. There are two types of jaws available. The single-step jaws are specifically for rounded objects, and the double-step jaws are for flat objects. You can select the jaws you need and place them on the chuck. Use the given M4*10 screws to tighten the jaws in place.

Step 6: For engraving mugs and other objects that have handles, remove the bottom plate by removing the screws. Put the plate on the backside and attach it using the screws.

The chuck rotary is ready to engrave mugs. You can now use it with xTool D1.

Engrave on a Mug Using xTool D1

xTool D1 is a beginner-friendly laser engraving and cutting machine. Beginners can easily use it and its specialized software Laserbox Basic. Follow these simple steps and engrave a mug without any hassle.

Step 1: First, you need to make sure your xTool D1 is ready for engraving. Turn it on and connect to the computer. Open Laserbox Basic on your computer and see whether the machine is connected or not.

Step 2: Attach risers on xTool D1 and connect RA2 Pro to the machine. Place the attachment under the working area.

Step 3: Measure the dimensions of the mug. You can measure its circumference and height. Once it is measured, place it on the rotary attachment. Depending on the type of material, you can use transfer tape, tempera paint, or a cold galvanizing compound. Then, adjust the position of the laser module through the red cross and adjust its focus.

Step 4: Import the image/graphic and adjust its width, height, and rotation using the options in the software. Select the power and speed according to the material. You can see the power and speed settings from this material setting table.

Step 5: Click Start. You will see a new window on the screen. Switch on Cylinder Working. Now, click on framing, and the laser module will move across the boundaries of the image. It will give you a complete idea of the position of the laser module and the size of the image. Finally, click on the Start button to start engraving.

Check detailed user guide on mug engraving with RA2 Pro here.

Final Words

Engraving on a mug is pretty easy with xTool D1 and RA2 Pro. We have seen how you can connect xTool D1 and follow a few simple steps to engrave an object. The most important thing is RA2 Pro. It is the world’s first 4-in-1 rotary attachment that can engrave almost any type of cylinder or sphere. It works in 90% of the cylindrical engraving scenarios. You can easily assemble it and connect it with xTool D1. It makes engraving cylindrical objects, spheres, and rings easier than ever before.

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