I'm interested in engraving the bowls I make on the bottom with my logo. Could this be set up in a way that I can get my bowls under it? Bowls are anywhere from 2"-4.5" deep. Thank you!
For cutting through thicker stock cleanly, simply find the speed that engraves well without burning the edges, and run it multiple times till it has cut through.
This is similar to the one I started with. I paid more than $99 but it looks like that. I upgraded last year to a CO2 laser and love it but there is definitely a place for these little lasers. I gave mine like this to my sister to learn. 😊👍
Sadly, Diode lasers in this price range are barebones (which I know is the basis of this video). Though they work, they are missing some essentials. One of these essentials is a dedicated air assist setup. Typically these setups have a way to direct air right on the material where the laser is hitting it. This allows for a more precise burn and less chance of charring or burning. One problem is that the more you improve the laser, the closer you get to the high-end lasers that already have these features. Diode lasers seem better for picture quality burns, whereas a CO2 is more along the lines of a cutting tool (acrylic, wood, leather, etc). I happen to have both and use each tool accordingly. Lastly, a fiber laser is great for marking metal. You can do some marking on certain metals with a Diode and a CO2, but it is super limited and usually have to have some sort of marking spray added, like Cermark or similar. Also, for any laser, be prepared to jump down a small rabbit hole on proper ventilation (7:25 minutes into the video above), air assist and most likely an enclosure for the laser. Though most of this can be circumvented by placing a fan in the window, you want to remain present for burns as it can cause a house/shop fire if you walk away. Keep in mind that the more detailed an image you try to burn, the longer the burn times. A high def image in a size of 4"x4" can roughly burn for 2.5 to 8 hours depending.
You seem to know what you're talking about, and a fellow German. 👍 I have a full woodworking and metal fabrication shop, and 3D printers, but this will be my first laser. What's your opinion on the new Creality Falcon 2. Seems like a nice machine. With current sales and coupon it's $950. Seem worth it? Or what route would you go with a budget of $1000?
I am begging for help. I have been searching for help trying to find help with complete instructions and information concerning upgrading my 40watt C02 laser to an 80- or 100-watt C02. After two months of searching, no luck. I am sure there is a need for someone like yourself to put this information out for the hungry masses. I follow you and I know you're an excellent teacher and very thorough with need-to-know step by step instruction. PLUS you know what you're talking about and won't put people to sleep.
I was totally ready to buy one. Sucks that they are gone! I checked out the router, $130 and there are still 18 of them available. Might have to buy one of them instead.
Dam... I'm thinking about buying one for money making and gifts. Would also be nice for artwork in my bus. I wouldn't mind paying that before I knew about this, just want to make sure I'm getting the best value for the money.
Another awesome video. Maybe now that you have both laser and CNC, a follow up to a simple enclosure to remove odors and smoke would be a great follow-up for these miniature models.
Great video, you can cut with it use about 80% power and 60% feed and do multiple passes, should cut clean. Focus of laser is very important also the further out of focus the wider the beam and more chance to burn. Also always keep a fire extinguisher close.
The further out you focus the laser the longer the "waist" becomes as well, which means it keeps it's focus over a larger depth. This helps cutting thicker stock. Less flat stock will also benefit from the longer distance keeping things focused. For shallow engraving on very flat stock, a close focus gives smaller spot with higher intensity so you can engrave at higher speed.
@@No1sonuk laser modules have two power ratings: input power and output (optical) power. I suspect William is talking about output, while you are talking about input. Might want to educate yourself before commenting.
i didnt read all of the comments but it seems like if you did a few passes at the higher speed and power you might be able to cut with it. also when cutting through something you might want to get a honeycomb panel that the laser engraver can sit on to help with air flow when cutting something else out. i work with a xenetech (do not recommend) and a gravograph (highly recommend if wanting to cut things out about an 1/8 in thick) both of which do great in their own right. gravograph is so easy to learn its programing and is very user friendly. both laser engravers have a honeycomb that the projects can sit on if they need to be cut out.
I have not the slightest clue about engraving but I find that many Amazon items that seem cheap actually seem to hold themselves quite well for the amount of money. For example I got a mini multitool for engraving wood and such but got it for sanding and metal works. It was about 15 bucks and so many people complained about it. They won't do any heavy lifting but when you keeps their tasks simple and test their limits you get a cheap fairly well working tool. You just can't expect pro tier results from a low end tool but with that in mind you can get great deals for a practice tool you won't be mad about when it breaks. Which it will sooner than later.
Well they're not Amazon items. They're sold all over the Internet, including eBay. So you can't just say that buying it from Amazon you're going to have luck. It's a 50-50 chance no matter where you buy it from.
@@dangerous8333 If you want to get all---- 🤓 Ackchyually... Then that was not really the point. They were talking about budget items you can order. And this video was about the cheapest laser engraver on Amazon so that is how the poster stayed on topic. And what do you mean by 50-50 chance no matter where you buy it? That is WAY wrong. If there were a 50-50 chance of getting a decent working quality item or a crap item that doesn't work, we'd all be screwed. Plus Amazon discontinues crap that gets bad ratings, and has a campaign against fraud and knock-off products so the chance of getting better quality items HAS gone way up.
Thanks for your video! OK, you call it an engraver. I'm a silver smith, and have been looking into something like this to engrave my maker's mark onto my pieces or little tags that I hang on necklaces & bracelets. Did they say if it will engrave metal? I've seen others do it, but not sure what they were using. Thanks!
Unlikely to engrave metal, that would be problematic with any laser cutter except some super high end ($10k+) fiber lasers designed specifically for metal. Metal both requires a lot more energy to do anything to, and its reflective so the laser would just bounce off without doing anything to the metal (but could potentially cause damage or injuries). Could make some pretty cool tags out of cardstock or wood though.
There is a way to use the laser and some material to acid etch metals - the laser "cooks" the material and makes the acid. IIRC, mustard is one such material some people use, but I'd imagine it would depend on the metal involved.
Hey Andy, I'm looking to start doing a side hustle with wood projects. What would you recommend for engraving signs on oak, walnut, etc. Engraving or routering? Which would be most versatile or give the most flexibility. Just starting so don't have a lot of cash to start. Thanks, Ted
Would this laser engraver be good enough to engrave text on electronic control panels? like remove the black paint to expose the white beneath it to create text?
Have you try on different type of metals? Paint steel vs raw steel? I’m tracking the reflection and surface factor but I still would like to try. Thanks
Great video, Andy!! I'm a leather worker ~ essentially an experienced novice... I have several pieces that would probably be best completed with a laser engraver versus me using my hand held wood burner ~ I don't want to cut, just burn an image...Which brings me to this question: I currently have a customer who wants an image burned into an oval patch for the side of the purse I'm making her ~ the image she provided is a photograph of horses that is not an image found on Clipart sites and such....With this engraver, is it possible to have that specific image loaded into my computer and that image engraved onto my leather??
I am wanting to do some inlay work using 1/8", 1/4 or 3/8' dense foam. Will this laser cut up tp 3/8". I want to cut letter and other shapes so I can do Rapid Set concrete projects with inlays.
Can it make marks on stainless and carbon steel? My hand isn't what it used to be, so I'm having hard time when marking things, laser would be great if it could project solid lines on steels, it is easier to follow grooves than to make shapes for pendants on smaller pieces or knives. Or would a cnc be better for that purpose?
If you need it just for marking out, it might work. Have a look here: ua-cam.com/video/nTB1Ov3_JOA/v-deo.html and then: ua-cam.com/video/AeN8jhTkde4/v-deo.html
Wow, great video, really answered alot of my question. I just bought a small cheap one called ( Roomark 3.5W Output Laser Engraver Machine) from Amazon, I paid $69 for it on a sale and I couldnt resist, like I said its pretty small, the max engraving area is 5.12"x5.12", (13mmx130mm) but I bought it to mostly make engraved leather key fobs and coasters. you should do a review on this one for people with very limited space. Again thank you.
I heard you say the words J L 3 but never saw a shot of the brand in the video. I like to pause and screen shot so I can use as a reference for finding the product . . .
Hi and thanks for the video. Just wanted to also let you know that the cheap laser and an alternative you recommended are both no longer available on Amazon. Do you have any other $100 to $250 laser engravers you could recommend?
No way. You need a fiber laser for that. It can possibly be used to mark metal. A marking coating is applied, the laser hardens it and the excess is removed.
Do you want no longer available to buy on Amazon? Can you please tell me when they’re available to buy on Amazon? I love your videos. thank you for the help.
Help! I want a cheap CNC machine for crafting - to CUT 1/4 wood. Do I need a router or cutter? I’ve wasted so much time researching what to buy and still can’t decide
There is a rest button on the control board on the back. I'm not sure if that will solve your problem, but mine is still working good. Hope that solves it for you
what about if you wanted to make some plastic stencils like for making curbside numbers or designs? would you recommend this or suggest another type of cutter?
I randomly bought this last week and found your channel looking for info about it! Great video! I feel great about my impulse buy now 😂, it should be more than enough for the light projects I have in mind, on a side note, the description said you can use your android or ios device to use it through bluetooth, can you confirm?
You can cut with that: - you can't keep the material laid on the base, it has to be suspended like with a metal honeycomb, for the cheap make a bed with some one inch screws in a grid - build a small air assist with an aquarium air pump or an air compressor
Great video, how did you choose the tiger design and implemented in the program can you do the same design on a piece of the leather and do a video about it,
I tested this laser too! ua-cam.com/video/PXDsxAiTJxA/v-deo.html
I'm interested in engraving the bowls I make on the bottom with my logo. Could this be set up in a way that I can get my bowls under it? Bowls are anywhere from 2"-4.5" deep. Thank you!
@@jonlanier_it should have a thing to make it stand up higher so u can put things under it to engrave
For cutting through thicker stock cleanly, simply find the speed that engraves well without burning the edges, and run it multiple times till it has cut through.
Thanks for the info!
Sure, you could do that...but.
Time is money.
So is electricity.
sure but some people have the time but not the money@@dangerous8333
@@dangerous8333can you engrave a pumpkin?
Thank you for sharing your experience. Can you try this on glass, cups, etc.?
This is similar to the one I started with. I paid more than $99 but it looks like that. I upgraded last year to a CO2 laser and love it but there is definitely a place for these little lasers. I gave mine like this to my sister to learn. 😊👍
Do you have any advice on a good laser printer for printing on denim??
Can you engrave a pumpkin with a laser that uses co2?
Sadly, Diode lasers in this price range are barebones (which I know is the basis of this video). Though they work, they are missing some essentials. One of these essentials is a dedicated air assist setup. Typically these setups have a way to direct air right on the material where the laser is hitting it. This allows for a more precise burn and less chance of charring or burning. One problem is that the more you improve the laser, the closer you get to the high-end lasers that already have these features. Diode lasers seem better for picture quality burns, whereas a CO2 is more along the lines of a cutting tool (acrylic, wood, leather, etc). I happen to have both and use each tool accordingly.
Lastly, a fiber laser is great for marking metal. You can do some marking on certain metals with a Diode and a CO2, but it is super limited and usually have to have some sort of marking spray added, like Cermark or similar.
Also, for any laser, be prepared to jump down a small rabbit hole on proper ventilation (7:25 minutes into the video above), air assist and most likely an enclosure for the laser. Though most of this can be circumvented by placing a fan in the window, you want to remain present for burns as it can cause a house/shop fire if you walk away.
Keep in mind that the more detailed an image you try to burn, the longer the burn times. A high def image in a size of 4"x4" can roughly burn for 2.5 to 8 hours depending.
You seem to know what you're talking about, and a fellow German. 👍
I have a full woodworking and metal fabrication shop, and 3D printers, but this will be my first laser.
What's your opinion on the new Creality Falcon 2. Seems like a nice machine. With current sales and coupon it's $950. Seem worth it?
Or what route would you go with a budget of $1000?
I am begging for help. I have been searching for help trying to find help with complete instructions and information concerning upgrading my 40watt C02 laser to an 80- or 100-watt C02. After two months of searching, no luck. I am sure there is a need for someone like yourself to put this information out for the hungry masses. I follow you and I know you're an excellent teacher and very thorough with need-to-know step by step instruction. PLUS you know what you're talking about and won't put people to sleep.
No longer available on Amazon as of July 4th
Sun of a. . . . .
I was totally ready to buy one. Sucks that they are gone!
I checked out the router, $130 and there are still 18 of them available. Might have to buy one of them instead.
It's back but over 200 now
Dam... I'm thinking about buying one for money making and gifts. Would also be nice for artwork in my bus. I wouldn't mind paying that before I knew about this, just want to make sure I'm getting the best value for the money.
@@DakotaTrucker I can't find it when I hit the link.
Another awesome video. Maybe now that you have both laser and CNC, a follow up to a simple enclosure to remove odors and smoke would be a great follow-up for these miniature models.
Hmm. Thanks for the idea!
My brother's wood cutting machine has a small attachment near the drill for a shop vac
Great video, you can cut with it use about 80% power and 60% feed and do multiple passes, should cut clean. Focus of laser is very important also the further out of focus the wider the beam and more chance to burn. Also always keep a fire extinguisher close.
Thanks for the tips!
The further out you focus the laser the longer the "waist" becomes as well, which means it keeps it's focus over a larger depth. This helps cutting thicker stock.
Less flat stock will also benefit from the longer distance keeping things focused.
For shallow engraving on very flat stock, a close focus gives smaller spot with higher intensity so you can engrave at higher speed.
Upgrading to a 10 Watt laser module should not be a problem.
@@Willeecue Description says it's already 20W.
@@No1sonuk laser modules have two power ratings: input power and output (optical) power. I suspect William is talking about output, while you are talking about input. Might want to educate yourself before commenting.
So, as you mentioned, it's an engraver not a cutter but for cutting balsa wood sheet 1/16, 1/8, 1/4 it should work?
I think you could. It would just take some trial and error
i didnt read all of the comments but it seems like if you did a few passes at the higher speed and power you might be able to cut with it. also when cutting through something you might want to get a honeycomb panel that the laser engraver can sit on to help with air flow when cutting something else out. i work with a xenetech (do not recommend) and a gravograph (highly recommend if wanting to cut things out about an 1/8 in thick) both of which do great in their own right. gravograph is so easy to learn its programing and is very user friendly. both laser engravers have a honeycomb that the projects can sit on if they need to be cut out.
What is the best unexpensive tool to print permanently on small plastic surface please? Any suggestions as of Dec. 2023? Thanks
What happens if you just make two or three passes over the same pattern will it cut deeper?
Yes, that's possible, although it won't be a clean cut and will looked pretty charred.
I have not the slightest clue about engraving but I find that many Amazon items that seem cheap actually seem to hold themselves quite well for the amount of money. For example I got a mini multitool for engraving wood and such but got it for sanding and metal works. It was about 15 bucks and so many people complained about it. They won't do any heavy lifting but when you keeps their tasks simple and test their limits you get a cheap fairly well working tool. You just can't expect pro tier results from a low end tool but with that in mind you can get great deals for a practice tool you won't be mad about when it breaks. Which it will sooner than later.
Well they're not Amazon items. They're sold all over the Internet, including eBay.
So you can't just say that buying it from Amazon you're going to have luck. It's a 50-50 chance no matter where you buy it from.
@@dangerous8333 If you want to get all---- 🤓 Ackchyually...
Then that was not really the point. They were talking about budget items you can order. And this video was about the cheapest laser engraver on Amazon so that is how the poster stayed on topic.
And what do you mean by 50-50 chance no matter where you buy it? That is WAY wrong. If there were a 50-50 chance of getting a decent working quality item or a crap item that doesn't work, we'd all be screwed.
Plus Amazon discontinues crap that gets bad ratings, and has a campaign against fraud and knock-off products so the chance of getting better quality items HAS gone way up.
It says item not in stock and they don't know when its coming back. Any other place i can find the item?
Can you engrave soft metals? Aluminum, brass, bronze, nickel, etc...?
Thanks for your video! OK, you call it an engraver. I'm a silver smith, and have been looking into something like this to engrave my maker's mark onto my pieces or little tags that I hang on necklaces & bracelets. Did they say if it will engrave metal? I've seen others do it, but not sure what they were using. Thanks!
Unlikely to engrave metal, that would be problematic with any laser cutter except some super high end ($10k+) fiber lasers designed specifically for metal. Metal both requires a lot more energy to do anything to, and its reflective so the laser would just bounce off without doing anything to the metal (but could potentially cause damage or injuries). Could make some pretty cool tags out of cardstock or wood though.
There is a way to use the laser and some material to acid etch metals - the laser "cooks" the material and makes the acid. IIRC, mustard is one such material some people use, but I'd imagine it would depend on the metal involved.
Thanks for the review. Unfortunately for me, it looks like everyone else beat me to it and it is no longer available. 😳
For sure. Hopefully they'll be back in stock soon
Can we have the brand name? Trying to find it@@AndyBirdBuilds
U are amazing, what u are doing testing and showing to us is fantastic 😍, great idea, thanks 🙏
would you say it can cut 1/16th inch balsa cleanly.
I think so
@@AndyBirdBuilds sweet I've been looking for one that can cut plans for models on light balsa.
Hey Andy, I'm looking to start doing a side hustle with wood projects. What would you recommend for engraving signs on oak, walnut, etc. Engraving or routering? Which would be most versatile or give the most flexibility. Just starting so don't have a lot of cash to start.
Thanks, Ted
Do you know if this can engrave on acrylic?
Very cool! I’ve seen your cheap CNC and now the laser engraver, have you ever tested a 3D printer? Thanks
It isn't available on amazon today. Do you know where else i can buy it?
Would this laser engraver be good enough to engrave text on electronic control panels? like remove the black paint to expose the white beneath it to create text?
Have you try on different type of metals? Paint steel vs raw steel? I’m tracking the reflection and surface factor but I still would like to try. Thanks
Hi, I can’t get mine to work properly. Which software do I download for apple
Great review! Thanks for doing this video. Did you try it on leather?
What about multiple passes to cut through thin wood?
Hello ,thank you very much for you time , I have a question , can I engrave saxophone (brass) ?
No
Add air for cutting to clean the char out of the Kerf as well as help prevent fire and I will bet you can cut just not very thick stuff.
Do you HAVE to use the supplied software, or can you use something better?
You can use something better
Great video, Andy!! I'm a leather worker ~ essentially an experienced novice... I have several pieces that would probably be best completed with a laser engraver versus me using my hand held wood burner ~ I don't want to cut, just burn an image...Which brings me to this question: I currently have a customer who wants an image burned into an oval patch for the side of the purse I'm making her ~ the image she provided is a photograph of horses that is not an image found on Clipart sites and such....With this engraver, is it possible to have that specific image loaded into my computer and that image engraved onto my leather??
What did you use to burn
Can u put a rotary attachments to these ?
Can I use of this to engraving baseball balls?
can any of these do glass too? wine glasses?
any other recommendations since amazon no longer sells these?
I am wanting to do some inlay work using 1/8", 1/4 or 3/8' dense foam. Will this laser cut up tp 3/8". I want to cut letter and other shapes so I can do Rapid Set concrete projects with inlays.
No it won't
Would a laser like this Ingrave QR codes on aluminum or stainless steel?
It will mark metal but will not engrave or cut
i lost the thumbdrive for this, where can I download the software online?
Can it make marks on stainless and carbon steel? My hand isn't what it used to be, so I'm having hard time when marking things, laser would be great if it could project solid lines on steels, it is easier to follow grooves than to make shapes for pendants on smaller pieces or knives.
Or would a cnc be better for that purpose?
A fiber laser would work best for this
If you need it just for marking out, it might work.
Have a look here: ua-cam.com/video/nTB1Ov3_JOA/v-deo.html
and then: ua-cam.com/video/AeN8jhTkde4/v-deo.html
Can u engrave on metal with this sort of machine? Or only wood
It won't work on metal
If you trace the same pattern over and over would it get deeper? And possibly be a solution to cut without burning?
This is doable. It's a bit easier with a 3-axis machine that can automatically shift the focal point down.
will a chromebook work with the program?
Wow, great video, really answered alot of my question. I just bought a small cheap one called ( Roomark 3.5W Output Laser Engraver Machine) from Amazon, I paid $69 for it on a sale and I couldnt resist, like I said its pretty small, the max engraving area is 5.12"x5.12", (13mmx130mm) but I bought it to mostly make engraved leather key fobs and coasters. you should do a review on this one for people with very limited space. Again thank you.
Does it cut vinyl templates that go into led stands?
How is it holding up?
Laser says currently unavailable, got another link?
Unfortunately, no I don't. Im.not sure when the seller will have more available. Horrible timing
What about the fumes etc. is it safe to use in a average indoor room?
Can you buy the laser by it self? I have a CNC machine and just need a laser to start engraving but can’t find any
Check out Jtech
Does the software allow for multiple pass so that you can cut the material with out burning?
Does it engrave aluminum?
Will this engrave a cutting board.
Yes
Does it work on metal?? Thx.
I heard you say the words J L 3 but never saw a shot of the brand in the video. I like to pause and screen shot so I can use as a reference for finding the product . . .
Link in the description to the exact product
How's this engraver working now? Any update?
Would this cut 3m vhb tape??
can you put a link in the description
Can this machine works on glass surface?pls Answer
Will something like this engrave on steel?
Very good Job...always something a little different. Big fan of these.
I wonder how it would do with a piece that is stained and sealed.
Does this work on metal like glock slides?
Hi and thanks for the video. Just wanted to also let you know that the cheap laser and an alternative you recommended are both no longer available on Amazon. Do you have any other $100 to $250 laser engravers you could recommend?
Will this cut acrylic
Is there any chance to cut iron 3 mm ?
No
@@AndyBirdBuilds
So is there any laser could use it to cut iron less than 0.5 cm
Look up fiber laser for small stuff. You'd need a plasma table to cut large dimensions
@@AndyBirdBuilds
Ohh ok
Thank you
I would like to see what it would do to metal.
Does engrave metal?
could you engrave clean lexan on this unit
does it work on stainless steel?
Are engravers like these powerful enough to engrave metal?
No way. You need a fiber laser for that.
It can possibly be used to mark metal. A marking coating is applied, the laser hardens it and the excess is removed.
What's cheapest laser for cutting stones with 22 mm or iron with 22 mm?
Do you want no longer available to buy on Amazon? Can you please tell me when they’re available to buy on Amazon? I love your videos. thank you for the help.
Help! I want a cheap CNC machine for crafting - to CUT 1/4 wood. Do I need a router or cutter? I’ve wasted so much time researching what to buy and still can’t decide
Have you tried this on any hard plastics? I want to label my planer boards and maybe some fishing lures.
can it do aluminum tags fine detail
but could it cut threw softer materials such as gasket paper sheets is my question?
do I get to create my own design or just use there pre loaded designs.
You can create your own
Both links show that these version are no longer available. Any other alternatives?
any test on metals?
Can it do metal or plastic?
Great Job on the video. Thank you !!!
Glad you liked it!
Thanks, for the cutting part, did u try to do it in a few passes instead of one pass?
I have the same one but mine dose not connected to the software and the Lazer will not turn on
im looking for some wood so i can engrave with my laser do you know where i can get some decent wood from to engrave.
would this work for engraving leather patches to be used on hats?
Yes
I bought one of these a couple weeks ago, I got two engravings out of it and now it doesn't move, is there a reset or something I'm missing?
There is a rest button on the control board on the back. I'm not sure if that will solve your problem, but mine is still working good. Hope that solves it for you
what about if you wanted to make some plastic stencils like for making curbside numbers or designs? would you recommend this or suggest another type of cutter?
I randomly bought this last week and found your channel looking for info about it! Great video! I feel great about my impulse buy now 😂, it should be more than enough for the light projects I have in mind, on a side note, the description said you can use your android or ios device to use it through bluetooth, can you confirm?
Cool. I didn't try the Bluetooth option.
Did you ever figure that out?
I’m looking to buy this but I don’t have a computer, I do have an iPad and a few phones I can use.
One of the reviews says the QR code for the Android driver does not work.
can i engrave on 3/4" stock? I make wood trays and like to offer personalize for the customers.
The pixelated letters and the squarish heart was that the laser, software or drawing's problem?
I have the exact same laser you can update the firmware to be able to use lightburn…. I paid a lot more
Good to know
You can cut with that:
- you can't keep the material laid on the base, it has to be suspended like with a metal honeycomb, for the cheap make a bed with some one inch screws in a grid
- build a small air assist with an aquarium air pump or an air compressor
Thanks for your help. Good job!!!
Glad it helped!
Great video, how did you choose the tiger design and implemented in the program can you do the same design on a piece of the leather and do a video about it,
what software do you use on computer
Does is work with the Apple OS?
Can be used for metal?
It will mark metal but will not engrave or cut
can i cut fabric with this ?