I’m not new to my CNC, but I am a total nube to the Laser world. I want to be able to cut and engrave. Do I want the 24w or do I go for the gusto and get the 44W?
I got the 44 and it works great!
Everything shown for the 44W shows it cutting not engraving or etching. There is no real info out there to make a valid decision on which laser I have seen people suggest for engraving and etching to use the 14W but to cut use the 24 and 44W
what have been your experiences engraving and/or etching with the 44W?
Thanks,
Dan
@MorganHop is working on a ‘all things laser’ video that will come out soon (next 2-3 weeks ish). It will show off all 4 lasers engraving and cutting.
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Saying you want to cut and engrave is not specific enough. What types of materials do you want to cut and engrave? Lasers are not magic knives that can cut any material. A “blue” diode laser, for example, can not cut common clear acrylic. A CO2 laser can cut clear acrylic. Some materials like PVC should not be cut with a laser as it gives off toxic chlorine gas. What do you want to cut and engrave is the question?
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I have done some engraving and it did just fine. Haven’t done any photo engraving yet. Some thoughts . . . The J-Tech lasers have a useful life of about 5,000 hours when run at higher levels. If I can gem my work done at a lower power level, then the laser should last longer. Sounds like a win win to me.
It would primarily be wood of varying thicknesses, but plexiglass and acrylics would be nice periodically
Ok, so wood is fine. Clear plexiglass and acrylic can’t be cut but colored acrylic can be, I don’t have experience engraving clear acrylic with a diode laser but the physics lead me to believe that it doesn’t work.
One of my mentors in lasers just published a diode laser video today. I have not watched it but I am sure it will be very informational: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wermWuSbK4w
He is very watchable and has 100s of excellent videos on CO2 lasers so he is going to go deep.
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