"Laser cutters" Topic

I was thinking about buying a laser cutter so I could cut bases and possible cut terrain walls and scenics etc.
Any advice as to what I should look for, good brands, things to avoid?
Any advice anyone has would be great…. I'm new to this aspect of the hobby
Thanks all!!

Out of curiosity, are you planning on doing it commercially or for home use? As an owner/operator of a laser cutting/engraving business, in my opinion they have vastly different requirements based on how much use you are expecting. I run my machine roughly 8 to 12 hours a day, 5-7 days a week, so I went big, investment wise.

How much money do you have to invest is also another important question, if you don't mine me asking. The prices of different machines vary drastically depending on where they are made, their useage requirements, wattage of the laser etc. Chinese lasers will be the economical direction, but they can be fiddly. The domestic western made lasers tend towards a superior quality in my experience, but at a dramatic price increase.

If you are buying for 'domestic use', why not buy a cutting mat and use a steel rule and Stanley knife? You could buy a lot of new blades for the cost of a laser cutter.

For commercial use, well I would follow KSC's advice and treat the money you spend as a business investment. You'll need something reliable, and something that can cut up larger sheets of MDF. If you are going to sell what you cut you don't want an inferior machine leading to customer orders backing up because it's simply not up to the job.

Just my two penneth.

James

Not commercial. But I would cut for myself and 6-8 friends…. I don't mind spending upward of $1,000 USD, over that I'd really weigh it's worth.
I'd like something that's decent quality and would cut 1/8 inch Masonite or plywood without constant breakdown. I'd also get into cutting simple buildings or walls to construct after…. that type of thing. Hoping it could cut magnet on attached to that as well. It's soemthing that's interested me for awhile, a friend aproached me about this and was willing to lend a hand, so I thought why not?
Wondering if anyone could steer me in the direction of something that fits that type of bill.

With your budget it will be hard to find something reliable, in my experience. Also, as a warning, Masonite is tempered hardboard, and differs drastically from MDF. I learned the hard way that lasers do not like tempered hardboard at all. There is a ton of resin, and they don't cut well. And for whatever reason, for those of us in the US, 1/8 MDF can be a bear to find without mailorder.

The best direction you could go is one of these Chinese lasers like this:

auction

I am not recommending this, just providing it as an example. With Chinese lasers, they can perform well, but they often have a lot of maintenance issues, and require a good deal of tinkering. It would be hard for me to say they are anywhere close to plug and play.

You will also have to factor in the cost of venting with a good blower and duct work etc.

Check out the reviews of Chinese laser cutters, on YouTube. There are number of videos which discuss the pro's and con's of various models. They also cover the required alignment methods, as well as venting issues.

More power means better cutting ability. A 40W laser is the minimum to consider; a 50W laser is better. Pay attention to the video reviews which discuss the lifespan of the lasing tube.

Also pay close attention to the cooling discussions: the hotter the lasing tube runs, the shorter its life will be. Putting ice into the cooling water bucket is a good idea, as long as it does not cool the lasing tube too much. The more you know, the better off you will be in making your purchase, and in using it afterwards. Cheers!

That's definitely a good direction to start, really appreciate your help!