Published: April 17, 2026
TwoTrees is one of the most popular brands in the hobby laser engraver market, known for models like the TS2 and the compact TTS-55. Out of the box, TwoTrees machines ship with a LightBurn trial license and point users toward LaserGRBL — a free but Windows-only application (see our LaserGRBL alternatives for Mac guide). If you are a Mac user, you need a different path. The good news: every TwoTrees laser engraver runs GRBL firmware over a standard USB serial connection, which means any Mac-compatible GRBL controller will work.
This guide covers everything you need to get your TwoTrees laser engraver running on macOS — from USB drivers to your first engraving job.
TwoTrees offers several GRBL-based laser engravers. The two most common models are:
| Model | Laser Power | Work Area | USB Chip |
|---|---|---|---|
| TS2 | 10W optical | 450 × 450 mm | CH340 |
| TTS-55 | 5.5W optical | 300 × 300 mm | CH340 |
Both models communicate via GRBL over USB serial. They are not locked to any proprietary software, so you are free to use whichever GRBL-compatible application works best on your platform.
TwoTrees laser engravers use the CH340 USB-to-serial chip to communicate with your computer. Whether the driver works out of the box depends on your macOS version.
Apple added built-in support for CH340 chips starting with macOS 15 Sequoia. If you are running Sequoia or newer, simply plug in the USB cable and macOS will recognize the device automatically. No driver installation needed.
On macOS Sonoma (14) or earlier, you will likely need to install the CH340 driver manually. Download it from the WCH manufacturer website, run the installer package, and restart your Mac. After restarting, the driver should load automatically whenever you connect your TwoTrees engraver.
After connecting your TwoTrees via USB and powering it on:
If the device appears, the driver is working correctly. If it does not show up, try a different USB cable — some cables are charge-only and lack data lines. Also try connecting directly to a port on your Mac rather than through a USB-C hub, as some hubs do not pass serial devices reliably.
Since LaserGRBL does not run on macOS, you need an alternative. There are two main options for controlling a TwoTrees laser engraver on Mac (see our full laser engraver software for Mac comparison):
This guide uses Lùmen for the step-by-step walkthrough. It is purpose-built for this exact workflow: connecting a GRBL laser engraver to a Mac, importing images and SVGs, and running engrave and cut jobs.
You can download Lùmen here to start the free trial.
/dev/tty.usbserial-XXXX or /dev/tty.wchusbserial-XXXX.Grbl 1.1h or similar) in the console.$H in the console. The laser head moves to its limit switches and establishes the coordinate origin.After homing, the status indicator should show Idle with coordinates near 0,0. Your TwoTrees is ready to engrave.
Start with a simple image engraving on a piece of scrap wood or plywood.
Click Import Image and select a JPG or PNG file. A high-contrast photo or logo works well for a first test.
Laser engravers simulate shades of gray by varying dot density, similar to newspaper print. Lùmen offers 7 dithering algorithms. For your first engrave on wood, select Atkinson — it produces higher contrast and is more forgiving of imperfect focus.
For a TwoTrees diode laser engraving on untreated wood, start with these values:
These are safe starting values. You can fine-tune later using Lùmen's built-in test pattern generator, which creates a power-vs-speed calibration grid for any material.
Drag the image on the canvas to position it within the work area. Use the Frame button to have the laser head trace the outline without firing. Enable the Laser Pointer during framing to see a visible dot that traces the boundary on your material.
Press Start. Lùmen begins a 5-second safety countdown (put on your laser safety goggles), then homes the machine and starts engraving. You can monitor progress in real time and adjust power and speed overrides on the fly.
While both TwoTrees models work the same way, their physical dimensions and laser power differ. Here is what to keep in mind for each:
The TS2 is the larger model with a 10W optical output diode. Its generous work area makes it suitable for bigger projects. With 10W of optical power, the TS2 can cut through 3–5mm plywood in a single pass at low speed. For cutting, try 200–400 mm/min at 100% power. The TS2 has homing switches, so always home before starting a job in machine mode.
The TTS-55 is a more compact and budget-friendly machine with a 5.5W optical diode. Its smaller footprint makes it a good fit for desks and small workshops. For cutting on the TTS-55, you may need multiple passes at lower speeds due to the lower laser power. Start with 200 mm/min at 100% power, 2–3 passes for 3mm plywood.
If your specific TwoTrees model is not listed above, you can create a custom machine preset in Lùmen with your machine's exact work area dimensions and power settings.
This is a hard limit alarm — the machine tried to move outside its work area, or it has not been homed.
$X in the console to clear the alarm$H before starting any jobYour TwoTrees laser engraver works perfectly on Mac — you just need the right software. Lùmen is a one-time purchase of €9.99 with a 3-day free trial, no subscription required. Built-in presets for both the TS2 and TTS-55 mean you can go from unboxing to engraving in minutes.