Hubert H
Member
What is the best Laser for wood pen barrels?
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Laser
- Thread starter Hubert H
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SteveJ
Member
The one you have…
Seriously, just about any laser on the market today is capable of engraving wood pens. The question of which is best is quite complicated.
There are three main types of lasers, fiber, CO2, and diode. Each has various powers available. Each also excels at different aspects of engraving. There are also a broad range of prices in each format with improvements, particularly in the diode realm, coming out almost every month.
Here are some questions you need to answer for yourself before buying.
1. What is your budget?
2. Do you hope to do anything other than wood pens in the future?
3. How important is engraving speed?
4. How important is engraving small details?
5. How much room are you willing to dedicate to your laser?
6. What comes included with the laser? (Exhaust fan, honeycomb bed, enclosure, chiller [for CO2], rotary)
7. What software does it require?
Having said that and answered each of those questions for myself, I chose a Roly Automation MK2 10/20W model which comes in at around $1200 and includes the enclosure, exhaust fan, honeycomb bed and a chuck style rotary.
I have the benefit of my father in law gifting me the majority of the expense, so it fit my budget.
It allows me to engrave a fairly large area (15x15) as well as doing a good job of both cutting and engraving.
While not as fast as a CO2 laser it is plenty fast for my purposes and does well with details.
It sits on a desk in my shop and takes up a 2 feet by 2 feet space.
It will easily engrave as deep as you would want on a pen but it won't cut through a half inch board easily. It will engrave stainless steel but won't do much on acrylics. (I haven't actually tried to since I seldom turn acrylics).
Hope this helps. Feel free to message me with other questions.
Steve
Seriously, just about any laser on the market today is capable of engraving wood pens. The question of which is best is quite complicated.
There are three main types of lasers, fiber, CO2, and diode. Each has various powers available. Each also excels at different aspects of engraving. There are also a broad range of prices in each format with improvements, particularly in the diode realm, coming out almost every month.
Here are some questions you need to answer for yourself before buying.
1. What is your budget?
2. Do you hope to do anything other than wood pens in the future?
3. How important is engraving speed?
4. How important is engraving small details?
5. How much room are you willing to dedicate to your laser?
6. What comes included with the laser? (Exhaust fan, honeycomb bed, enclosure, chiller [for CO2], rotary)
7. What software does it require?
Having said that and answered each of those questions for myself, I chose a Roly Automation MK2 10/20W model which comes in at around $1200 and includes the enclosure, exhaust fan, honeycomb bed and a chuck style rotary.
I have the benefit of my father in law gifting me the majority of the expense, so it fit my budget.
It allows me to engrave a fairly large area (15x15) as well as doing a good job of both cutting and engraving.
While not as fast as a CO2 laser it is plenty fast for my purposes and does well with details.
It sits on a desk in my shop and takes up a 2 feet by 2 feet space.
It will easily engrave as deep as you would want on a pen but it won't cut through a half inch board easily. It will engrave stainless steel but won't do much on acrylics. (I haven't actually tried to since I seldom turn acrylics).
Hope this helps. Feel free to message me with other questions.
Steve
Hubert H
Member
Steve, Thank you - yes it is a big help.