Lasers....
Diode laser. - Such as the Neja laser.
Go for the biggest wattage available, Diode lasers are a good little option for simple small engraving jobs.
the Neje is one that comes in a nice little box that usually has a screen protection on it, there is an A3 sized laser that has nothing at all so it may be worth having that type of laser away from children and animals and the user will need to wear PPE>
The larger A3 lasers some come with Grbl firmware so there is a selection of better softwares available than the one supplied with the unit.
Used for engraving woods and capable of cutting 300 gsm paper.
C02 laser (K40)
The K40 is an entry level Co2 laser engraver. They are a glass tube that is filled with Co2 and works via a set of mirrors to the laser head.
They are notorious for getting them set up due to poor laser alignment, however are a very good unit when set up and working correctly.
Much more powerful than the Neje as they are capable if cutting up to 6mm Mdf, so engraving is never a problem for them.
Stock software and control boards are basic however do a reasonable job.
There is a big following and support from forums, FB pages and there is a lot of methods of up-grading to Smoothie and Grbl firmware controlled boards. That allows the use of better software such as Lightburn.
You will need to make sure that the extractor supplied is piped to the outside and remember the cutting and engraving process creates smoke and gases that needs to be extracted outside your working area.
You will also need a water tank to allow the tube to be cooled when using the laser. (Pump usually provided)
40w laser can if set up right and in good condition cut MDF up to 6mm and laser engrave many material. However will not engrave metals unless you buy a suitable engraver marker spray.
50w lasers + above.
There are many copies out there, a few simple questions of making sure that they have the RuiDa control system installed is a priority. That is a much better control system and can be used with RD works or Lightburn DSP software.
This system allows the machine to be controlled without the PC working, install a memory card or even connect to a network or router and simply run from there..
All the alignment issues with the above laser still applies.
Remember, all the Co2 lasers below £2k from China have very few safety devices and can often be operated with the lid open and cause fatality from the hidden laser beam.
Fibre Laser.
Specialised for metal marking and cutting.
There are many other types of laser but those start to get in to many thousands ££££
There are a few UK suppliers of Co2 lasers, they are all mostly manufactured in China and Taiwan but have specific safety devices as specified for our UK law. They also have the benefit of UK back up and support.
If you want to buy your own laser then make sure you read up on them as much as possible, search google and the forums to gain as much info as you can.
You also need to think about what you want to do with them as well.
Check this out.
Laser Engraver Forum - Index page
