Low Cost Chinese Laser Engraver For Marking Wood Projects

[21incher]

I was looking for one of the branding Irons to mark my projects with but having one custom made was quite expensive. I found this 15 watt laser engraver on a Chinese site GearBest for $165 and decided to try it. I see several members have very expensive CO2 lasers but haven't seen a post about these low cost laser diode units so I figured I would share my thoughts. It only can do  6 x 6 area and has zero safety features but does a decent job. It can just be set on larger projects for marking also. I am looking for laser rated plastic to make a shield to drop over it so I don't go blind next.


 

Here is a video link to first use and setup
Ortur 15 Watt Laser Engraver Assembly And First Use - YouTube

[btulloh]

Nifty.  Certainly more flexible than a branding iron!

[Stuart Caruk]

Certainly cheaper than the $32k I paid for my Epilog almost 20 years ago. But then it still runs like the day I bought it.

As a Sawmill, go buy some paper or adhesive backed maple veneer, and use it to engrave and cut a wooden business card. They look slick and your customers typically don't throw them away because they are unique.

[Stephen1]

I like it. Since you have to heat up the branding iron, probably not much difference in time to burn your image. I went to get some cutting boards laser engraved with my logo, they wanted $250 for set up and engraving 6 boards. 

[samandothers]

 I went to get some cutting boards laser engraved with my logo, they wanted $250 for set up and engraving 6 boards.

Gotta pay for that expensive equipment!    

[Ljohnsaw]

That is pretty slick.  I was looking at a x-y table one that was a mini-engraver and you could slap a 2500mw laser on it,too.  It is only $199 on Gearbest - the C10 Alfawise.  But, I like the idea of the open bottom for use on bigger projects.  I didn't really have a use for the rotary engraver and not sure how well it would work, anyhow.  I think I'll be ordering this one.  I got an Ender 3d printer so I'd be able to build stuff up and burn it down ;)

edit: Price went up - $175.99 and $7.87 priority shipping - good for the next 4 days.
edit: If order is over $150, then $10 discount.  So, with shipping and insurance, $178.95 out the door.  Delivery between the 17th and the 20th.

[21incher]

I like it. Since you have to heat up the branding iron, probably not much difference in time to burn your image. I went to get some cutting boards laser engraved with my logo, they wanted $250 for set up and engraving 6 boards.

The guy was probably trying to pay off his $32000,00 laser 😉. I was looking at almost $400 for a branding iron so decided to try this first. Not sure how long it will last but it is easy to customize each piece. Manufacturer says the laser can last up to 8000 hours but up to doesn't give a minimum.  played with my phone and a otg cable today and was able to run it with a code loader app. Not sure how small the text can go yet either but will soon find out. It's not a powerful co2 laser with high speed movements but it sure is a fun learning tool.🚪.

[21incher]

That is pretty slick.  I was looking at a x-y table one that was a mini-engraver and you could slap a 2500mw laser on it,too.  It is only $199 on Gearbest - the C10 Alfawise.  But, I like the idea of the open bottom for use on bigger projects.  I didn't really have a use for the rotary engraver and not sure how well it would work, anyhow.  I think I'll be ordering this one.  I got an Ender 3d printer so I'd be able to build stuff up and burn it down ;)

I have seen others make a rotary for it with a couple bearings and a rubber band to spin it. It's definitely a fun starting point.

[21incher]

edit: Price went up - $175.99 and $7.87 priority shipping - good for the next 4 days.
edit: If order is over $150, then $10 discount.  So, with shipping and insurance, $178.95 out the door.  Delivery between the 17th and the 20th.

That's abou what I paid. $165 plus $3.87 shipping from the Hong Kong warehouse.  Funny thing is I just got a email from gearbest and they want to send me other lasers to try. Their prices seem to fluctuate plus you get store credit after it's delivered.

[Ljohnsaw]

I share your concern about eye safety.  Is it the direct (and cleanly reflected) beam that is the danger or anything that is lit with the beam?  That will determine what type of shielding is necessary.  What wavelength is used on your laser?  I want to do a Google or Amazon search for some plastic.  I also have a fairly well stocked plastic fabricating house near me.  I'll probably give them a call when I know what I'm looking for.

[Ljohnsaw]

That is pretty slick.  I was looking at a x-y table one that was a mini-engraver and you could slap a 2500mw laser on it,too.  It is only $199 on Gearbest - the C10 Alfawise.  But, I like the idea of the open bottom for use on bigger projects.  I didn't really have a use for the rotary engraver and not sure how well it would work, anyhow.  I think I'll be ordering this one.  I got an Ender 3d printer so I'd be able to build stuff up and burn it down ;)

I have seen others make a rotary for it with a couple bearings and a rubber band to spin it. It's definitely a fun starting point.

By "rotary", I mean a mini-router like tool.  Not shaping a cylinder shaped object.  Just to be clear...
But, looking at their "rotary upgrade" for labeling soda cans and such, it looks to have a stepper motor.  I think you would take the Y-axis stepper connector and plug it into that.  The trick would be to adjust the rotation (with belt and pulleys?) to have the right surface travel that the code is expecting.  I've got a drawer full of steppers from floppy and hard drives.  Could be some fun ahead.

[kantuckid]

For many years my method of "branding", i.e., personalizing my work has been to use my wood burning pen and the mark I learned in 7th grade, Jr high school art class, about 1956, when a man/teacher named Royce Fleming had us all develop our own monogram for our work.
(Looking back he was the first gay man I was around, but then we knew not much about such things.)
  Using a florish of sorts, meaning angled, cursive style, mine consists of the first letter of my last name, superimposed over the first letter of my first name with the year I made the item nearby. No lasers needed!!! No branding irons needed!!! At times I name the wood if it's unusual or came from a certain special place. Always done in a corner niche or special spot not easily seen but yet noticeable.
If I was in wood for a living I'd use hang tags, etc., with addresses and my monogram.

[21incher]

I share your concern about eye safety.  Is it the direct (and cleanly reflected) beam that is the danger or anything that is lit with the beam?  That will determine what type of shielding is necessary.  What wavelength is used on your laser?  I want to do a Google or Amazon search for some plastic.  I also have a fairly well stocked plastic fabricating house near me.  I'll probably give them a call when I know what I'm looking for.

It's 445 nm and from what I have read so far orange seems to absorb the spectrum best but plastic sellers don't spectrum analyze what they sell so that pushes the price up when it's checked. Another thing I read is don't try to engrave any reflective surface because it will send the beam back and burn up the laser. Metal must be coated with a non reflective coating such as the marker they supply.  laser grbl is very easy to change the settings so you could just change the steps per mm to match the od of your part with a stepper rotary as you suggest.  I see a lot of pen makers using the rubber band method that also seems to work good. It's turning into another fun rabbit hole to go down 🐇.

[rastis]

I just checked their site and no more shipping to US

[TKehl]

Slick!

Don't take this as gospel, but about any plexiglass structure should do.  That's what we used for a massive 248 nm laser back in college.  Anything you can't see through would also work, then add a plexi lid.  

Similar bass versus treble at the neighbors party...  Doesn't take much to stop high frequency.

[Ljohnsaw]

I just ordered a 12x12 sheet of orange plexi from JtechPhotonics.  On sale at $16.99 + shipping came to $29.99.  Says its good from 250 to 520 nm so I should be covered.

[Bruno of NH]

Can you run these type of units from a smart phone 
I don't have a computer?

[21incher]

I just checked their site and no more shipping to US

They gave me a link that I put in the description on Youtube and it's available there. Next week Chinese New Year starts and from what I was told everything shuts down for 2 weeks. I just found out there's a larger model with the same laser coming out in March.

Slick!

Don't take this as gospel, but about any plexiglass structure should do.  That's what we used for a massive 248 nm laser back in college.  Anything you can't see through would also work, then add a plexi lid.  

Similar bass versus treble at the neighbors party...  Doesn't take much to stop high frequency.

That's what I read. Any orange plastic should work but it pays not to take chances.

Can you run these type of units from a smart phone
I don't have a computer?

I just ran it from a grbl controller app on my tablet with a OTG cable so it will work but you need a computer to generate the artwork and gcode. It's a proprietary arduino and I can't figure out how to add Bluetooth to it. I bet a future version has Bluetooth.

[Old Greenhorn]

Hang on guys. I am just jumping in because this is a safety issue and I am not sure where your info is coming from, but I have to add something here. Years ago as part of my job i had to purchase, install, and design and build an interlocked safety enclosure for a production engraving laser and get the laser permits our state requires. 
 Any lexan or plexi is NOT acceptable. Any colored stuff is also not acceptable unless is it tested and rated for the wavelength of your laser. There is a reason the glasses are in different colors and it is not a fashion statement. ;D It is to match the laser wavelength.
 This stuff is sold by the square foot and it not crazy expensive, nor is it cheap. I used this company for my supplies.
 Now understanding that you guys are using pretty low power lasers, you can probably get away with less, just don't look at the laser cut for more than a glance. At least get glasses. Also, don't breath that smoke. 
 I've been enjoying this thread and may consider one myself for logo work down the road. 
 I just wanted you all to know that you have to be careful with what you read on other sites and word of mouth.

[Ljohnsaw]

I used this company for my supplies.

I just took a look and found one interesting oxymoron.  In the "laser window" section, they offer a plastic that blocks IR, UV and Visible light.  So it is shown as black.  Not sure what value that has as a "window".;)

[21incher]

This unit also has safety features built in. If the drives stop moving it shuts off the laser to prevent a fire and if it is shifted,  picked up or bumped while running the laser shuts down.  wood seems to absorb the laser beam and with the included glasses it seems ok but I am investing in a better pair of glasses with  actual paperwork to replace the included pair. Just don't try reflective materials as they say. Any shielding I add is mostly in case someone walks in the room without protective glasses and will be certified plastic. It's amazing I see lasers being added to sawmills and people using them without proper eye protection. l guess some don't value their eyesight. I worked in Engineering for JDSU (Zurich), Nortel (Canada), and Bookham Technology (UK) developing ultra high vacuum cleaving and coating systems for pump laser manufacturing and was also the safety officer at our location so I have been around shielding requirements with high power process systems as you talk about Old Greenhorn.   

[21incher]

Been having a lot of fun with it working out the settings and also some frustration with photographs. Turns out others are having the same issues and Ortur is now working on a fix that will most likely be a firmware update after the Chinese New Year. @ljohnsaw if you got one I will keep you updated. The PWM setting not clearing the register at certain power levels is causing problems with the grey-scale when you aren't in the dither type engraving. Everything else is awesome. Got a good certified pair of glasses and built a barrier around it for now. Going to add an exhaust fan soon. Here are some pics of my results so far.


 

 

 

 
I am finding Lightburn software is much better then laser GRBL and it takes different power and speed levels that can be saved to a library in Lightburn. Works great on hardwood, cork, bamboo, plywood that I have tried so far. Once the PWM issue is worked out looks like it will be great for photos also. Takes to many passes to cut wood so I don't plan on using it for much of that. Will be trying more materials as I get my hands on them. With a class IV laser this is certainly not a toy.

[Old Greenhorn]

I have to say I am impressed with the quality of your burns, very nice stuff weighed against your heady investment. :D
 What software are you using to convert the artwork into the laser code? Or can you just load in a JPG or something like that?
 You have me thinking hard about picking one of those up as I get growing along.

[Ljohnsaw]

My laser came Monday.  And, yes, takes longer to unbox then to assemble it!  Four nuts and two screws.  I'm cleaning up my shop because I certainly can NOT be running this in the kitchen like the 3D printer!  Might get to test it tomorrow.

[21incher]

I have to say I am impressed with the quality of your burns, very nice stuff weighed against your heady investment. :D
What software are you using to convert the artwork into the laser code? Or can you just load in a JPG or something like that?
You have me thinking hard about picking one of those up as I get growing along.

The laser grbl program that comes with it does a good job of converting artwork and pictures to the code and streaming the code to the machine but that is all it can do and its hard to customize. I have been trying a demo of lightburn that does the same thing but makes it a much easier process to save and keep track of settings for different materials in a library along with a set of tools that allow you to create simple artworks. It is a $40.00 program that I think I will invest in but not sure that I will need the $20.00 dollar a year update charge once everything it's properly setup and working. You do not need to know anything about creating gcode as both programs do a good job with a simple interface. It's hard to believe what this machine can do for the price. I have a new model that will do a 16" x 20" area coming sometime in the end of Feb when it is released that should let me do large signs and plaques for under $250.00. Not a big Co2 laser that will cut and engrave acrylics and metals but I have other machines to do that. Always fun to try new things to keep me out of the wife's hair.