China K40 laser review and test

[@heidbumbee1689]

Great impartial review and I have watched many before and after I purchased my K40. I had read that the wiring could be dodgy so I looked inside and thought it all looked ok - earth / grounding wire in place.... After watching your review I had a look at the grounding connection and it was completely insulated by paint. When I tested it with the multimeter sure enough the grounding was not working at all. Thanks to your advice and a bit of sandpaper my chances of surviving using the K40 have increased.

[@WayofWood]

Great that the video was helpful for you. The grounding is one of the things I really don’t understand - it would be so easy to fix at the factory and still seems to be a consistent issue.

[@bri11222]

the most well explained by far. thanks a lot for great info

[@WayofWood]

bryar osman Thank you!

[@PashtoPCTutorials]

ډېره په زړه پورې وېډيو مننه ژوندی اوسې

[@WayofWood]

Pashto PC Tutorials Thanks!

[@DanielH]

Thanks for this video. I think I will buy this laser

[@WayofWood]

Glad the review was helpful for you!

[@schnitter75]

6:30 hat mich gut zum lachen gebracht! :) jetzt habe ich deine Playlist fast durch. nächste Woche kommt der Laser und mein 3D Drucker ist schon am arbeiten für Air Assist etc. Hornbach wird sich sicher wieder über meine Besuche freuen. Dank dir für die gute Arbeit! sry that I did not take the time so write all this in english, but mine might be a little rosty

[@WayofWood]

Schnitter Design Freut mich, dass Dir das Video geholfen hat!

[@OnePotMeals]

Great review and conclusions

[@WayofWood]

Thank you!

[@sandlinjames]

amazing video for those of us with a k40 and looking to streamline.

[@WayofWood]

Thank you!

[@MilanKarakas]

At 3:58 - air assist still can cause fire if wood is too thick. Tried to cut 22 mm oak wood and too slow cutting speed causing great fire from below. So, instead small fire above workpiece, now we have big flame below the workpiece.

[@WayofWood]

Good advice. You should never let the laser do it’s thing without looking at it. But 22 mm is also far too thick for a 40W laser. I would consider 4mm the max it can handle.

[@MilanKarakas]

@@WayofWood Ye, 4 o 5 mm is okay. I did it just as a curiosity, whether is possible to do it.

[@WayofWood]

I think you could do up to 10 if you carefully cut from both sides...

[@MilanKarakas]

@@WayofWood Thanks.

[@WayofWood]

I found that at least for my machine you can’t cut 8mm with several passes without creating a piece of charcoal. 😏 My focus is right above the bed but still even after a couple of passes I don’t get through 8mm.

[@jamienoel]

Cohesion3D LaserBoard, LightBurn and the LightBurn camera are amazing upgrades!

[@WayofWood]

jamienoel The software looks interesting but it doesn’t work for the K40 without upgrading the board. So far I haven’t found any reason to go for a board upgrade as the K40 with K40 m Whisperer does all the work we need. What is the most interesting feature from your point of view?

[@jamienoel]

@@WayofWood Since having my camera, I can't imagine being without it. Same with the drop-in replacement Cohesion3D LaserBoard. The Cohesion3D LaserBoard is nice because it uses PWM to control the power supply current levels and allows such things as true grayscale, plus non-stop automation from scanning to cutting, all at different power levels you set in LightBurn. Whisperer was ok for a short time, but as with the Camera, I couldn't imagine not having LightBurn. I even upgraded my Full Spectrum laser with the C3D LaserBoard! Aligning, tracing and getting every last MM out of your material, or engraving small things like dog tags, pocket knives etc. without the need for jigs or time consuming alignment are some of the things helped by the camera. I use it almost every time I need to create or engrave something now!

[@WayofWood]

jamienoel Thanks for the answer. PWM certainly is a game changer and the camera is a nice feature. I have to admit that I didn’t used the laser for greyscale engraving so far as most of the work is rather functional cutting but if we get more into engraving this seems like a great option. Do you know how much the software, camera and a new board would be?

[@jamienoel]

​@@WayofWood The software is $40 for the GCode version and the official LightBurn camera is $80. All can be purchased at cohesion3d.com The greyscale feature is great if you ever want to get into 3D engraving, people have made some amazing things using it. The board is amazing, too! here's a vid of me cutting paper. kzbin.info/www/bejne/e3bPfJ2Zrbp2r9E I changed my lens to a 38.1mm fl and was able to do things you aren't supposed to do, like cutting 19mm wood. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pKTZY2CNlqiNpc0 Here is with reduced power, 10mA. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pKCmin-hmNqMhdk And using the LaserBoard, 500mm/s kzbin.info/www/bejne/f3zccnWCrZmgY6M

[@WayofWood]

jamienoel Thanks a lot. I will have a look!

[@joseantoniosalcedoavila9364]

Hello, do you think it worked for me to record the lenses and glasses of sunglasses?

[@WayofWood]

I don't know but I have engraved Glas and acrylic - so most likely it should work...

[@ScaldaYT]

Great review and overview. I am still looking to get one of these in due course and yiu videos are great and will help myself and others

[@WayofWood]

ScaldaYT Thank you! I tried to make a video that answers the questions I had before buying the laser. Let me know if there are specific questions that are not covered.

[@erwinholowick288]

Good video. Helpful. How big is that pass thru slot in the back for overlength materials.

[@WayofWood]

Erwin Holowick The slot is an exhaust slot. Without modifications the K40 can’t process overlength material.

[@erwinholowick288]

@@WayofWood Thank you. Hopefully a hole can be cut in the front panel, if there is a clear path inside. I have a 15 inch long x 3 inch wide x 1/2 inch high (0.1 inch material thickness) nylon part that I need to cut a 2 inch x 2 inch hole in one end.

[@WayofWood]

Erwin Holowick I am currently not in the shop and can‘t look at the laser but I think it should be feasible to cut an opening in the front. The back would be trickier as there’s the laser tube in the way...

[@enyoc3d]

4:34 could you use the cooling fluid used for overclocking PCs? E.g. PrimoChill? And combine it with a PC tower radiator?

[@WayofWood]

John Coyne I am planning to use a PC radiator and incorporating it in the cooling flow but stick with water as the cooling fluid . Let’s see how it goes...

[@hermantibbs5644]

I was thinking the same thing. Where do you get the air assist or what is used to make it?

[@WayofWood]

The air assist is my own design that is described in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h16amZqkjtCampo. In the description is a link to the free thingiverse model that you can print on a 3d printer.

[@hans-joachimbierwirth4727]

@@WayofWood water as in distilled water or from osmosis because tap water takes some hundred volts by induction in the tube.

[@mansoorraza4903]

Can it cut tempered glass?

[@WayofWood]

It can score glass but it cannot cut it.

[@janethgalvan7330]

have you tried leather?

[@WayofWood]

Yes. It engraves nicely and you can cut it decently. Marking the outline and cutting by hand is my preferred method - also given the smell...

[@edwinjangao]

You've saved many lives

[@WayofWood]

Hopefully at least improved the safety of a few machines. 😏

[@trivender007]

Very Nice.

[@geekhubmru2802]

Hello. How thick can it through clear acrylic please ?

[@WayofWood]

I have been cutting 5mm clear with no issues. I guess 8 or 10 could also work but I never tried myself.

[@chetanokade9635]

Great video and insight. I have a query, I wanted to use this 40watt laser to personalise and engrave on Bamboo/Wood/Leather Products, would this be a good option to have? Say about engraving hundreds of small items a month... Thank you!

[@WayofWood]

Chetu Okade Thanks. If you want to run production grade amounts with the laser I would think about an improved cooling system and I would actually think about getting 2 machines so that one can cool down while the other is running ... and you would have a spare one if one tube dies - which will happen sooner or later

[@chetanokade9635]

@@WayofWood Understood. Thank you for your time.

[@jagadeswarens9471]

Is it possible to cut metals like copper and brass?

[@WayofWood]

Jagadeswaren s No. You would need a Fibre laser to even etch them. The only thing that you could do is use an etch resist such as lacquer and remove parts of it with the laser. You can then etch these areas with chemicals.

[@shelby50411]

on this style laser what parts have limited life and need to be replaced regularly ?? and where do you get the parts?

[@WayofWood]

der ddd Strictly speaking the laser tube will be end of life after a certain usage - which is most likely not relevant for hobby usage. You can get a replacement tube on eBay...

[@prototypeeight9503]

will it CUT leather?

[@WayofWood]

Yes

[@pedrocaballero1497]

I have seen some newer K40 machines that claim to be upgraded with quite a few things including improved safety. Have you seen these machines and/or worked with them to see exactly what the alleged improvements are?

[@WayofWood]

I have not seen one of these. Do you have a link?

[@coolerkater1991]

Hey so i got a question what kind of Machine would i need if i want to cut fabrics like felt insert with adhesive, fusible web and satin? it needs to be precise and not burn the material.

[@WayofWood]

I don't know. I have been cutting felt with the K40 without problems; don't know how other materials would work.

[@arturaszube4442]

Thanks for video :) Just quick question, is this laser is able cut through stone/slate veneer (1-2mm)?

[@WayofWood]

It's able to engrave slate but it will not be able to cut through it. You might however be able to score the veneer and the break it along the score line.

[@arturaszube4442]

@@WayofWood thanks for your time and answer :)

[@MrAdamZapel]

Awesome vid!!! Is the 40w laser enough to cut through fabric?

[@WayofWood]

Maarten Griffioen That’s a great question. I never thought about cutting fabric with it but just gave it a try and it cuts like butter ... as long as you avoid flammable material 😏

[@WayofWood]

Maarten Griffioen A thick fabric cuts with 5mA at 30 m/s

[@MrAdamZapel]

WayofWood Thank you so much! I am planning to buy the laser cutter as well and your vids are a great inspiration!!!

[@WayofWood]

@@MrAdamZapel Glad that the videos were helpful. Let me know if you have further questions.

[@farhansulaeman6001]

hi the, i just bought my k40 laser. when i started , its home to top right corner. how to set it to top left corner?

[@WayofWood]

Never happened to me - sorry I don’t know how to fix this...

[@AndrewAHayes]

What is highest thickness of plywood you can cut with your K40?

[@WayofWood]

Without messing around too much you can cut around 4mm. With cutting in several passes and turning the piece you might be able to push that boundary to around 6-7mm

[@TheWouterdebondt]

I'm currently thinking about buying a laser cutter, but I have some questions about how powerful the laser has to be. I understand this laser has a power of 40 Watts, but you only ever seem to use 25 mW. Is it ever necessary to use a higher power than 25 mW for cutting things, or is 40 W in fact more than you need?

[@WayofWood]

The power is in mA and for the 40W tube you should not go above 15mA. The K40 will cut Acrylic and Plywood of around 5mm. As a rule of thumb you can assume that you can cut 1mm acrylic for every 10W of the laser tube.

[@TheWouterdebondt]

@@WayofWood all right, this helps a lot, thank you!

[@mrme8419]

Is it possible to have laser cut with different programs like cad/cam all the way up 2+3 axis!

[@WayofWood]

Mr Me I have a video dedicated on CAD solutions for 3D printing and laser cutting. I use Inkscape for organic shapes and FreeCAD for 3D models (a separate video on 3D models for the laser is in the making). Using K40 whisperer you can use any CAD model that outputs DXF. CAM is not possible with the K40 as it doesn’t speak GRBL. There is a replacement board called Gerbil that will enable full fledged CAM. But I honestly didn’t missed a CAM feature as you anyhow are limited to cutting lines and rasters - which is covered by K40 Whisperer.

[@erodriguex2k]

I guess when you compare the initial cost 300+400 is a steal and a no brainer but from the videos, I have seen it seems to get this baby running it requires lots of time and lots of upgrades. Like the video stated if you have the abilities or additional making tools no problem but if you don't I am sure the add ons add $$ and time $$ as well. What is the typical cost of a machine upgraded to a point that is reliable and stable? I am sure that it's still cheaper than a glowforge or full spectrum but not 10x cheaper.

[@WayofWood]

erodriguex2k We have a recent video: China K40 laser review and test kzbin.info/www/bejne/mmauoHaEpctmqpI that goes through all the necessary upgrades to make the laser safe and working properly. It really comes down to your skills and available material. For an average maker that knows which end of the soldering iron to touch it will be 2-3 days of work and an additional 100 bucks. Have a look at to vid above to help you with the decision.

[@erodriguex2k]

@@WayofWood The link is for the same video. Can I ask you have much is the true cost of getting the k40 up and running in the same similar fashion as the one you have?

[@WayofWood]

erodriguex2k Ah sorry; I thought the comment would have been for an earlier video... For me the necessary safety modifications were around 100€ except the bed and the new cooling unit. They are not safety relevant and might add another 100€. But I have a soldering iron, a 3D printer, cables and some left overs from other projects such as LED strips. If you have to buy a soldering iron, have to order 3D prints from shapeways, etc. it could easily be double that amount.

[@erodriguex2k]

@@WayofWood No worries I appreciate your response and it is a great video . thanks again

[@shelby50411]

hey was wondering if you could help me with some info my neighbor has one of those cheap ebay blue colored 40w c02 lasers.8x12 ...with no accessories...all he has is the laser machine no sofrtware no dongle no pump no fan no accessories at all if i buy a cheap water pump ..would i b able to communicate with this maching using lasergrbl or something..or does this machine need some unique software/dongle to actually work? or is it just an ugly doorstop at this point?

[@WayofWood]

You only need to invest 15 bucks for an aquarium pump and as a software you can use the free K40Whisperer. With some of the additions described in this videos (esp. air assist) you should be good to go...

[@shelby50411]

@@WayofWood thANks my neighbor selling it to me for $40 never used...just didnt want to buy a doorstop lol...

[@shelby50411]

@@WayofWood thanks so the only items i would need to actually run the laser would be a water pump and k40 whisperer(controller soft).......air exhaust recommended but is not necessary to run machine correct?

[@mtanner47]

I am looking for some help. I have NEJE burner that makes pictures pretty well by burning and not engraving. I got this new k40 thinking it would laser etch pictures and not burn down in and not fill with black to make outstanding pictures. I have worked with it all day today with different settings in the k40 whisperer starting from 100 to 2000 on the raster engrave. Am I missing something? can I just do a burn without engraving on this?

[@WayofWood]

Matt Tanner What do you mean by burning and engraving? The only way a laser can engrave wood is by burning it. I don’t understand your point.

[@marthahafner4282]

Looking for someone with experience with K40 in the New England area. Is that you?

[@WayofWood]

Nope. Germany. :-)

[@pacitastyle2358]

En español porfavor ✌️

[@WayofWood]

Can't you use the auto translation?

[@kostaki154]

Hi, thanks for the review! Could you advice if K40 would be able to engrave black granite, like those used for headstones, but smaller size of course, thanks in advance!!

[@WayofWood]

BG Printing Black granite I don’t know but I recently engraved black slate - which worked out nicely. Have a look at my Instagram for the slate engraving.

[@kostaki154]

@@WayofWood does it take long time to engra slate?

[@WayofWood]

BG Printing Same Settings and same speed as wood.

[@asalbct1973]

thank honey

[@edgotbait]

I got my k40 and ship for $375 would I love a glowfordge but TOTALY out of my price range There is a great k40 group on Facebook

[@WayofWood]

edgotbait Thanks for the tip - I will check it out.

[@edgotbait]

WayofWood it the Chinese K40 laser group It has 9.5k members

[@enythingandeverything5892]

what is the setting fro crystal glass about 0.75 inch thick? I am try to engrave but its going thru..what is the right distance?

[@WayofWood]

Enything End Everything To me this sounds like the piece being so thick that the surface is no longer in focus. You should lower the bed so that the upper surface of the glass is in focus. If you are unsure about the focus put a piece of wood at an angle in the laser so that the lower end touches the ground and the upper end is close to the laser. If you engrave a line it will look like an hourglass. The focus is in the Center of the hourglass.

[@WayofWood]

Enything End Everything To me this sounds like the piece being so thick that the surface is no longer in focus. You should lower the bed so that the upper surface of the glass is in focus. If you are unsure about the focus put a piece of wood at an angle in the laser so that the lower end touches the ground and the upper end is close to the laser. If you engrave a line it will look like an hourglass. The focus is in the Center of the hourglass.

[@WayofWood]

Enything End Everything To me this sounds like the piece being so thick that the surface is no longer in focus. You should lower the bed so that the upper surface of the glass is in focus. If you are unsure about the focus put a piece of wood at an angle in the laser so that the lower end touches the ground and the upper end is close to the laser. If you engrave a line it will look like an hourglass. The focus is in the Center of the hourglass.

[@enythingandeverything5892]

WayofWood i will try to do that. Also how can you put the image inside the crystal? Thanks!

[@WayofWood]

Enything End Everything I don’t think this is possible with the K40. It will always interact with the first surface it hits.

[@cpace123]

Glow forge!!!!!! you lost me even mentioning that machine. You can get a much better machine for less then the GF!!!

[@WayofWood]

hobbyhands When I first looked at lasers the Glowforge to me seemed like a good standard. After working with the K40 for quite some time I have to say that the GF might be easier to use but it’s definitely not than the K40...