Budget laser engravers?

[MikeJhn]

Anyone have any experience of these budget laser engravers: http://www.gearbest.com/3d-printers-3d- ... 0wodvuUELQ at this sort of cost level I am not expecting much, but the video's on u-tube seem reasonable, I know there will be lots of safety issues with these things, they have to cut the cost's somewhere, but I am sure these can be managed.

Anyone have one?

Mike

 

[acewoodturner]

From what I can tell via the info supplied, the video and some of the reviews:
The laser is very underpowered. 1000mW is only 1 watt which is 40 times less than my rayjet, which is quite funny as they call it a high power laser. This means that it will struggle to mark most materials without a few passes. The engraved mark will depend on the accuracy of the moving table. Even 0.1mm out will mean that the engraving quality will be pretty rubbish.
The quality of the lens and mirrors will also be very low quality at that price and I don't know how long they would last.
The laser tube will probably not last very long and I cant find out if you can replace them, what the cost would be or if you just chuck the lot in the bin.
The software doesnt look the easiet to use.
Don't know if there are any warnings not to engrave any pvc which gives off chlorine gas when burnt.
The fact that it has 108 bolts is neither here nor there.
The elastic bands will probably snap sooner rather than later.
The engraving area of 4cm by 4cm isn't very big and is very limiting.
The area between the posts will be the limiting factor for the size of items to be engraved and that's not very big. Could you engrave wooden pens. Possibly but it would need a jig to be made. How accurate would it be!
I could go on but most folk would find it boring. I would suspect that most users would not get to the point of the tube stopping as they would have smashed it with a sledgehammer long before it ever reached that point!

 

[MikeJhn]

acewooodturner

I did note your post on the other thread, but at 3000GB for the Rayjet, that's well out of my budget, thanks for the insight, but it would be interesting to know if anyone has and used one.

Mike

 

[flh801978]

Mike
I have a SS laser on my CNC and it works fine only 3 wattt but it marks \engraves just fine
The machine you linked to will be fine within its capabilities and work envelope
You don't have a tube or mirrors to worry about
The accuracy will be fine as it uses lead screws like cd mechanisms use they are very accurate in their positioning abilities
Elastic bands are cheap and easy to replace
The software looks easier to use than any CNC software I've seen
Ian

 

[MikeJhn]

Ian

Thanks for that, this is after all a hobby machine to be used by me to mark my own work, not a commercial enterprise by any means, may have to get one and try it out, after all is said and done its very inexpensive, plus if it only works once I will have probably saved its cost, may look for one with a little bit more power.

Mike

 

[monkeybiter]

I'd be very interested in your opinions and results if you'd care to do a mini review, if you do get one.

 

[MrDavidRoberts]

I remember I made my first laser engraver already some 5years ago along with some friends for a project, If I remember correctly it didn't cost us much more than that price even back than for the materials(ok maybe 3-4x the cost, but still for a proper Laser cnc build its cheap as it can get) , however resources on how to make one back than were very limited. If you fancy a LOAD of tinkering and want to get a proper machine - build it yourself There are so many open source softs now and even cheaper ready-made solutions for some parts so it's not even that hard if you got the basic knowledge.

 

[MikeJhn]

I'd be very interested in your opinions and results if you'd care to do a mini review, if you do get one.

I am still looking at the moment, but have found some 1.5kw machines for not much more, very tempted to have a go with one.

Mike

 

[pcb1962]

I'd be very interested in your opinions and results if you'd care to do a mini review, if you do get one.

I am still looking at the moment, but have found some 1.5kw machines for not much more, very tempted to have a go with one.

Mike

A 1.5 kW laser should pretty much cut through anything you want it to

 

[MikeJhn]

I'd be very interested in your opinions and results if you'd care to do a mini review, if you do get one.

I am still looking at the moment, but have found some 1.5kw machines for not much more, very tempted to have a go with one.

Mike

A 1.5 kW laser should pretty much cut through anything you want it to

So what sort of experience do you have with these power laser cutters?

Mike

 

[pcb1962]

I am still looking at the moment, but have found some 1.5kw machines for not much more, very tempted to have a go with one.

Mike

A 1.5 kW laser should pretty much cut through anything you want it to

So what sort of experience do you have with these power laser cutters?

Mike

Enough. Here's what a 1.5 kW laser can do

 

[MikeJhn]

So enough = none at all, as I thought.

Mike

 

[pcb1962]

So enough = none at all, as I thought.

Enough to know the difference between 1.5W and 1.5kW, which you appear not to.

 

[MikeJhn]

Well don't leave it there tell us all about your machine and what its capabilities are?

What make is it? Show us some examples of your work? How fast is it? What materials can it etch or cut through?

Mike

 

[Wildman]

there are some on the market for under £100 and I was tempted but then thought why do I really need one. I already have an engraving machine I never use why buy another.

 

[MikeJhn]

I thought it would be nice to be able to personalise some of the presents I make for my relatives.

Mike

 

[Walney Col]

Well don't leave it there tell us all about your machine and what its capabilities are?

I think someone's missing the point that a 1.5kW laser is a thousand times more powerful than a 1.5W one.

Col.

 

[MikeJhn]

Nobody missed the point in any way, its just wanting to know if anyone has actual experience of these low cost units instead of just being a smart Alec and reading the spec on the net and regurgitating it.

Mike

 

[custard]

I'd be interested in some real life feedback too. I can see the potential for a small maker's mark lasered into a blank which then gets inlaid into a piece of furniture. If it was straightforward to add the client's name as well then it could be the sort of detail that's quick and cheap to execute but adds quite a lot of perceived value.