Which Laser engraver to buy ?

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farmer

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I want one that will cut veneers that are 0.030 to 0.060 thick .
Also need it where i can burn in company logo.
I am looking into Lightburn software .
I need something user friendly or as simple as possible please.
Durable or reliable too.

So I guess I need a laser engraver with software.
If you own or operate a laser engraver I very much would value your input .

Thank you
 
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jcm71

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I have a Muse 3D, 45 watt hobby laser from Full Spectrum Laser out of Las Vegas. It is not compatible with Lightburn, unfortunately. It is compatible with Gimp and Inkscape, and you can do some rudimentary designs with its Retina Engrave software. There is a learning curve to it, but overall I have been very pleased with it, despite the rotary attachment being obscenely overpriced. If you are close to LV recommend you stop by. The Pilsners I did for the bash were done on the Muse.
 

gimpy

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Yora is a great unit, customer service will bend over backwards for you
I highly highly highly recommend this unit
 

farmer

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I have a Muse 3D, 45 watt hobby laser from Full Spectrum Laser out of Las Vegas. It is not compatible with Lightburn, unfortunately. It is compatible with Gimp and Inkscape, and you can do some rudimentary designs with its Retina Engrave software. There is a learning curve to it, but overall I have been very pleased with it, despite the rotary attachment being obscenely overpriced. If you are close to LV recommend you stop by. The Pilsners I did for the bash were done on the Muse.
Other end of the state, I believe LV is 510 miles one way.
Yes the learning curve, I have a 3 axis CNC wood router that I made and I added a lathe on top of the the CNC .
The lathe doesn't have stepper motor on on the spindle/chuck .
That software is Cam Bam and Mach 3
Self educating myself from home Cad/Cam is the toughest thing I have ever tried or done or still doing .
I will look into the Muse 3 D.
If you were to buy new all over what would you be buying as in software and the engraver ?
Thank you tons for chiming in .
 

farmer

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Yora is a great unit, customer service will bend over backwards for you
I highly highly highly recommend this unit
Way cool, love straight to the point answers .
I will look into Yora .
Great customer support is big plus .
Thank you for chiming in
 
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I've just bought a GlowForge to engrave my pens. Reason for choosing GF? Dead easy to use software, cloud based, software always up to date and available. Easy software to understand and use. I have a mid range GF called GFPlus. There are three versions, basic, plus and pro. Can work on most materials. The laser will score paper right the way up to engraving stone. Nice little machine. In my own humble opinion it's good for what I want and easy to use. Recommended.
 

farmer

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I've just bought a GlowForge to engrave my pens. Reason for choosing GF? Dead easy to use software, cloud based, software always up to date and available. Easy software to understand and use. I have a mid range GF called GFPlus. There are three versions, basic, plus and pro. Can work on most materials. The laser will score paper right the way up to engraving stone. Nice little machine. In my own humble opinion it's good for what I want and easy to use. Recommended.
Thank you for sharing I will look it up .
 

farmer

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If you let us know your budget and engraving area it would make suggestions easier.
My main priority is to cut the veneer inlays.
Like cutting veneer washers and oval shapes like for a Celtic Knot except like at 75 degrees or more .
The Trophy shop that was cutting my veneers employee quit and the new employee destroyed the veneers I took in .
Its a mess and the next closest place to get my veneers cut is 175 mile drive one way .
One thought is to buy my own machine. Now my thought is to see if I can mount a laser on my DIY CNC wood router that I already own and understand the software .
My CNC will not cut the veneers because they are warped or not flat and the bit will explode the veneers if not cutting with the tip of the cutter .
 

duncsuss

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My CNC will not cut the veneers because they are warped or not flat and the bit will explode the veneers if not cutting with the tip of the cutter
You may find lasers don't work as well as you hope for this application; typical diode lasers (the ones used in pretty much every machine costing less than $400, and many that cost more) have a focussing lens that you adjust to get the smallest possible dot size. There's not much tolerance, an out of focus dot won't cut (although it may leave a mark).

More expensive/complex CO2 lasers and even more expensive fiber lasers might be more forgiving of irregular surface height, I don't have one so I don't know.
 

farmer

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You may find lasers don't work as well as you hope for this application; typical diode lasers (the ones used in pretty much every machine costing less than $400, and many that cost more) have a focussing lens that you adjust to get the smallest possible dot size. There's not much tolerance, an out of focus dot won't cut (although it may leave a mark).

More expensive/complex CO2 lasers and even more expensive fiber lasers might be more forgiving of irregular surface height, I don't have one so I don't know.
Hi
The place that was cutting my veneers was doing a great job .
Problem is the person operating the laser engraver did a great job, but the person hired to replace that person is brain dead .
I wouldn't want to cut my veneers any other way , the Laser engraver does that good of a job .
 

duncsuss

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Hi
The place that was cutting my veneers was doing a great job .
Problem is the person operating the laser engraver did a great job, but the person hired to replace that person is brain dead .
I wouldn't want to cut my veneers any other way , the Laser engraver does that good of a job .

"The Laser engraver THEY HAVE does that good of a job." I'm willing to bet it isn't a diode laser. Please note: I'm trying to help you avoid what could turn out to be a costly mistake. Just verify the unit does what you want before you buy.
 

farmer

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"The Laser engraver THEY HAVE does that good of a job." I'm willing to bet it isn't a diode laser. Please note: I'm trying to help you avoid what could turn out to be a costly mistake. Just verify the unit does what you want before you buy.
I didn't get the name of the engraver they use .
Yes super clean cuts without burn marks , really I am sold on using a laser to cut all my veneers patterns .
I will have to do more research into which laser I need
I thank you for helping .
 

farmer

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I wonder if the had the veneer clamped between clear plates to cut. A water jet may work, too.
Hi
No the veneers are not clamped
I was there when the original employee was cutting my stuff .
No clamping and if you did it would crack the sheets of veneer .
Thats one reason I cant cut the veneers on the CNC wood router
 

farmer

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I have never been around hi pressure water cutter.
I can't use one for the engraving on my wood products.
 

MRDucks2

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Actually I used to help build water jet CNC machines at a company I worked for. We could get you into a nice 4x10 CNC for $10-15k. Water jet head was an add-on for about another $10k as I recall. While I was there they were using water only for the materials we were demonstrating for customers.
 

hcpens

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gimpy said:
Yora is a great unit, customer service will bend over backward for you
I highly highly highly recommend this unit:

Thanks for the recommendation; the website was awe-inspiring, along with the price.
 

low_48

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Actually I used to help build water jet CNC machines at a company I worked for. We could get you into a nice 4x10 CNC for $10-15k. Water jet head was an add-on for about another $10k as I recall. While I was there they were using water only for the materials we were demonstrating for customers.
Like I said, pricey.
 

farmer

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Yora is a great unit, customer service will bend over backwards for you
I highly highly highly recommend this unit
Hi
Got my duckies all together to buy a Engraver , Called Yora Home support phone number and its been disconnected.
No support,, is a problem .
 

farmer

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I've just bought a GlowForge to engrave my pens. Reason for choosing GF? Dead easy to use software, cloud based, software always up to date and available. Easy software to understand and use. I have a mid range GF called GFPlus. There are three versions, basic, plus and pro. Can work on most materials. The laser will score paper right the way up to engraving stone. Nice little machine. In my own humble opinion it's good for what I want and easy to use. Recommended.
Do you have a referral code ?
Its 500.00 off if you do
 

boatemp

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I don't have a laser hooked yet but I know the fellow at Zen tools that sells laser burners for his cnc machines. Your best bet would be to put a diode on your cnc machine. I'm pretty sure that a 20 watt would cut veneer. Your cheapest bet would be to use your cnc since you know the machine and the software.
 

farmer

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I don't have a laser hooked yet but I know the fellow at Zen tools that sells laser burners for his cnc machines. Your best bet would be to put a diode on your cnc machine. I'm pretty sure that a 20 watt would cut veneer. Your cheapest bet would be to use your cnc since you know the machine and the software.
I am getting two different directions on the Laser type One Co2 and the other is a diode .
Worst part is the only people I know are the salesman.. Right now the GlowForge Is around 5 to 6 K That is for a engraver with a CO2 bulb
Worst part is its 3 plus inches too short, I need something around 24 inches long X axis.
My budget of 1500.00 might e a pipe dream
 
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farmer

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Check out this: https://monportlaser.com/collection...products/monport-40w-lightburn-laser-engraver

It is a 40W CO2 laser for under $600.It works with Lightburn which is unique in CO2 lasers.

LaHobbyGuy recommends it and he does reviews on lots of different lasers. You can get a discount from his websiste.

I don't have one and I'm not associated with either him or monport
Thank you for the info, I am not prepared to pay thousands of dollars on a laser engraver at this time,
 

farmer

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Check out this: https://monportlaser.com/collection...products/monport-40w-lightburn-laser-engraver

It is a 40W CO2 laser for under $600.It works with Lightburn which is unique in CO2 lasers.

LaHobbyGuy recommends it and he does reviews on lots of different lasers. You can get a discount from his websiste.

I don't have one and I'm not associated with either him or monport
I will be calling them tomorrow Thank you
Looks like I can get the engraver, chiller, and air filtration plus Lightburn software for about 1125.00 That fits my budget ... thanks again .
 

farmer

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I checked out this laser engraver, Ya I was about ready to pull the trigger.
The price of this engrave is more then half the price of other engravers. Its in my budget .
So I thought I better check the reviews, I don't know what to say , if anyone is interested in reading the reviews, here they are.
Me the reviews make me leery.
This is turning into job just finding the right laser engraver that the company back/supports the product .
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/monportlaser.com?stars=1&stars=3
https://monportlaser.com/collection...products/monport-40w-lightburn-laser-engraver
I wonder if I shouldn't join a laser engraver forum ?
 

SteveJ

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Just to be clear, I don't have a monport laser and can't vouch for them, I had just read about it on the lahobbyguy forum and thought I would pass it on. I think it is possible that if you joined that forum you would be able to interact with Rich (the owner of the forum) about your concerns. One thing I really liked about it is the ability to use lightburn with it. Of course if it doesn't run it doesn't matter what software it uses!
 

farmer

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Just to be clear, I don't have a monport laser and can't vouch for them, I had just read about it on the lahobbyguy forum and thought I would pass it on. I think it is possible that if you joined that forum you would be able to interact with Rich (the owner of the forum) about your concerns. One thing I really liked about it is the ability to use lightburn with it. Of course if it doesn't run it doesn't matter what software it uses!
No issues, I am posting what i am running into . Trying join a laser engraver forum right now.
I thank you for all the info , I thought the info you gave my was great . I was on it ready to buy .
 
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