K40/Chinese CO2 laser cutter/engraver buyer’s guide

[@timsmith6815]

Glad I found this channel great videos with just the right amount of info and detail. I got a K40 about 4 months ago, was from an ebay seller that shipped from California. I was very lucky my unit worked perfectly out of the box, I did tighten every cable nut bolt etc etc. 4 things I want to tell people. 1. My exhaust goes into a bathroom vent I installed in my garage, its right behind the unit so vent length is only like 2 feet, I sealed the fan and K40 tightly so air can only come in thru the vents in the front cover and exhaust out the back. If you seal the unit and have a short exhaust run air assist isn't needed. When I print the air flows so quickly over the piece I am working on and out the exhaust the smoke is instantly pulled 90 degrees away from the laser output. Smoke has never gotten close to my mirrors. 2. Cooling. The included pump and bucket idea is horrible, my laser is in the a garage in Nebraska so printing in a garage that in the summer can be 35C will not work, sure you can do the ice cube thing but thats a pain. Perfect solution is a Chili Cube from Chilipad, this company has a chilled mattress pad for you bed that uses Peltier cooling. You can get just the Chili cube on ebay for $75-100 usually. This simply works perfectly for the K40, I insulated the hoses and both ends on the laser tube as best as I could and the results are amazing, plus it look nice and clean. On a hot summer day say 29C in the garage turn on the unit in about 10 mins the K40 is chilled to about 17C and it hold's that temp while printing. Very happy with the results. I do have some RV antifreeze in the water to keep it from freezing in the winter and that works fine also. 3. Check your ground connections and clean them, they clamp the cables to a painted surface, sand to the bare metal and tighten. 4. For now my control board is fine it does everything I ask it to do, I may update to a Cohesion3D LaserBoard but for now I have no reason to. hope someone finds this info useful

[@TerryFrenchy]

Hi Tim, what do you use to connect to the output of the chili cube? Do you use their drain plugs? It's unclear what fits there, and the company only sells some "drain plugs" for $5 or so. I'm very interested but wonder how to make some hose connection to the cube. thanks

[@eclsnowman]

Also thank you for all of the safety information you included in this video. I know similar to your mains voltage heated bed video it can be time-consuming and tedious to do. But the fact that you do it really says volumes about your concern for the community and your viewers. Great work is always, keep up the good work.

[@eclsnowman]

I've had a lot of fun working with Ray over the years. He's a great guy very passionate and very understanding about answering questions for people. He's been doing it for years and I really don't know how he keeps up with supporting his product on so many different platforms. He's exactly what a maker trying to learn something new needs and is an amazing resource for the community.

[@TeachingTech]

I agree he's been very knowledgeable, helpful and patient with me so far. So far his board is great and i'm happy to showcase it.

[@originaltrilogy1]

You consistently put videos up that genuinely save me time, frustration and money. I feel I'm getting way more than the Patreon donations back in savings :)

[@QuantumRob-yt]

Michael - Pro tip on removing paper backing on just about anything. Use your heat gun or even a hair dryer. Just need to get that glue warmed up and it peels off easy. Once you get it started use the heat and slowly peel it off. I went decades without knowing this trick and now I can remove just about any sticker off anything without much trouble. Give it a go! Oh, and awesome video I've been eyeing one of these for a while now and your video will be super helpful in my purchase!

[@MaxNippard]

I wish our car mechanic knew to warm up the adhesive before he ripped of the tape I used to hold the wing mirror on after it was hit in a carpark. He took the paint off the door as he ripped the tape.

[@GaryMcKinnonUFO]

Had my K40 for 5 years, cost £280 plus i spent another £120 on it for minor upgrades. Still going strong :)

[@justinmurphy2227]

Are you able to cut quarter inch acrylic with yours? Will it cut clear cast acrylic? Thank you!

[@GaryMcKinnonUFO]

@@justinmurphy2227 You can cut that thick but it will take multiple passes and won't be a true flat cut, since the laser has a focus point then tapers off again. I do 5mm acrylics (fifth of an inch) at 5mm per second.

[@GaryMcKinnonUFO]

The above is with two passes.

[@alafieros]

The Cohesion 3D board and Lightburn software is absolutely the way to go. The board is an easy swap and the software is so powerful and easy to use. I reached the same conclusion when I bought my K40 last year.

[@taiwanluthiers]

I don't think I'll buy the Cohesion 3D board. It costs 200 USD and I can buy the AWC 780Plus controller for the same cost which is like the Ruida controller directly from Taobao. It will work with lightburn software as well.

[@dennisrenton3897]

I've been interested in wanting to get myself a laser cutter. Having no experience with it, I went down the rabbit hole and watched this video. I think I just got an aneurism. Lol. Wow. I genuinely thought the idea of it all was a more plug and play style. Very in-depth. I'm still interested but now I know I have a hell of a lot more research to do. Thanks Michael. 🙂

[@ernestneethling9775]

Must say im glad to see you expanding content past just 3d printers, your guides and information is very well researched and effective. I always enjoy them even when I end up going customized installation route 90% of the time.

[@3dmedicvince449]

I bought a K40 laser off an local auction and appeared new. It test fired but I haven't gone any further yet. I'll be watching your videos as a reference for when I get into using it.

[@TeachingTech]

I'd highly recommend adding the ammeter if you haven't already. Too many stories about people unknowingly running them too high and killing the tube prematurely.

[@MakerFarmNL]

Wow this is BIG!.. You are THE one that can promote laser cutting.. and here you are doing just that! Fantastic!! !! The last few years the maker cult embraced 3D printing as a means to create.. and now finally the perfect addition to the additive fabrication of complex 3d shapes, the subtractive (laser)cutting of planair sheets of plastics with high performance properties (that are not necessarily thermoplastics) is here and has become affordable for most of us... A laser cutter will boost your creativity enormously!!! Thanks for including laser cutting in your videos!!!

[@EspenShampoo25]

Yeah! Im in the process off buying or potentially making a laser cutter. I have followed Further fabrication`s videos off his diy laser cutter and i am keen on making one like his. But as he says he is not that good with electronics, so i am so happy that you are also making videos on this subject! This is awesome!

[@sarahcole2753]

11:20 "Your new laser cutter might attempt to kill you in a number of ways"... I don't know why but I loved that line.

[@drdassler]

I had one of these off eBay, probably just the cheapest I could find. It took a lot of tinkering to get the settings right but it was worth it. It's really satisfying to cut things so precisely.

[@KevinStephan]

Thanks a lot for this video. This is what I needed to see. The amount of work needed to balance out the shoddy workmanship, along with the very real safety concerns makes this a bridge too far for me. I thought I'd be able to buy a cheap laser cutter for my classroom instead of investing in a Glowforge, but it's definitely worth waiting to get that safety and reliability.

[@BlekSheep_1]

I hear that Dremel is worth checking into👍

[@violentcrumble6720]

Hey michael nice to see you getting into lasers, You should need nowhere need 20+ma to cut! When i first started i thought i needed it aswell but that means something is out of focus or your lens is dirty. I now cut through 3mm plywood at 10ma sometimes even 5ma if i go slow enough. The lower you keep your laser power the longer it will last you. Rule of thumb is pretty much never need to go over 10ma. good luck with your upgrades! :)

[@TeachingTech]

I think for a k40 10ma is very reasonable but for my 80 (90?) Watt tube it's barely scratching the potential. I agree on the life but I'm already running it 3ma under the safe level from the manufacturer.

[@ACETONEWALL]

I had no idea I needed a laser cutter until I seen this, keep up the great work Michael you're an inspiration to all us novice makers. Happy Laser Cutting:)

[@dalebouckaert4356]

I had the privilege to work with a large epiloglaser laser engraver in my old job, was incredible. One of my work mates gave himself a Laser tattoo, hint, not a good idea lol

[@ChitosVids]

Make sure whatever you're using for coolant is anti-algae and non-corrosive. you don't want any growth nor do want your coolant eating away the metal pipes in your cooling system. If you live in a really cold place you'll also need anti-freeze or your tube will burst. if you live in a hot place you'll need refrigerated cooling. in this case units like the CW-3000 only blow air on a radiator. the CW-5000 refrigerates the coolant, but it's super expensive and not worth the price. I live in Australia and the summer heat can get as high as 47deg C or 116 deg F, the solution that worked for me was getting an aquarium chiller like the Heilea HC100A that can chill 100 litres of water, low noise and way cheaper than the CW-5000

[@anthonyciofalo7005]

Great video Michael, I have wanted a laser cutter for a few years now for cutting EVA foam for my cosplay hobby ... that's why I got an Ender 3 in the first place and found your channel. Huge help and it is much less daunting now.

[@mihaiqw]

Hi This video was very helpful. There is a company that sells Chinese lasers, it is more expensive, but it assembles and verifies it with 2 years warranty. So I will buy from here in Romania. Thank you, I wish you all the best.

[@heidbumbee1689]

Man this stuff just looks like a minefield of problems! No "plug & play". This was very helpful as I have been looking at getting in to laser engraving. Having looked at MANY other sources the only thing I can bring to this party is that the USB cables provided with laser engravers often have to be replaced. ? All that tech and it bombs because they over cheaped on a cable. Thanks for the info which at least helped to focus on the important specs of these machines

[@bryanst.martin7134]

Ok, you convinced me, I'm making my own.

[@beebacheeba]

Hahaha, exactly!

[@lyteyearz5810]

@ roughly 40 inches x 15 inches thats a nice amount of working space. Very interesting. Thanks for posting this!

[@markhoward6981]

I was feeling anxious about working with my new OMTECH laser. But, after watching your video, I am actually scared to get started. Lol! Great video. Excellent warnings and caveats.

[@AlanAshton]

As for the safety advice, unplugging from the wall is something that I don’t advise as it separates the cutter from the ground. I made the unfortunate mistake while changing the laser tube in a k40 of unplugging the cutter from the wall, thinking it would enhance my safety. When I cut the red wire to the laser tube to replace it, it shocked me like I’d never been shocked before from the charge remaining in the power supply.

[@TerryFrenchy]

you have 2 things. keep the ground connected can help, but you need to check that the ground is still connected when the switch is off. Like with any power supply, what you need is to give it a chance to discharge its capacitors. 2 ways: let it be for a DAY or 2. (no guarantee, but pretty good), and/or use a "chicken stick". google "chicken stick discharge" as the keywords. Basically you want to go poke at any high voltage wire with a "stick" that has a path to ground. Force grounding the leftover voltage in the power supply.

[@taiwanluthiers]

@@TerryFrenchy Most of these lasers should have a disconnect plug. It looks like a giant plastic connector on the red wire. When changing tubes unplug that part before cutting the wire.

[@AndrewAHayes]

There are lots of dodgy eye protection glasses on the net, purchase from a reputable dealer and remember you can't put a price on your eyes

[@terrygunson1026]

Yep agree. One of the k40 laser guys I saw vids on had a great warning label on his cutter. "Do not look into laser beam with your remaining good eye"

[@dygonproductions7062]

i run lasers for a living, as long as your protective screens are made of plexi ( not acrylic) you will be safe. our main machine we run is a trumpf l7040 - 4000w of power and 5axis

[@monsDK]

for better ventilation move vent motor to the end outside and let it suck it out, it will work better.

[@bryanst.martin7134]

@@dygonproductions7062 Plexiglass is acrylic. Maybe you mean Polycarbonate? What is clear, to us, is not to certain optical wavelengths. Which you certainly know, but I figure the rest might like the info. But the glasses need to be rated for the wavelengths too. UV could blast through a IR rated set. Vice versa. Know your energies.

[@cpace123]

So plexi glass is the trade name for cast acrylic. I run lasers as well for a living, and also worked a plastics fabrication company for several years. Just an FYI.

[@SteveEaton]

Thanks for the video. Can we get a price breakdown? The sellers website isn't much help.

[@kevinm3751]

Thanks a ton for this guide, been researching getting one or building my own for a couple months and this info is timely for sure!

[@user-ic8vm3jk8f]

Tghbchxfskzhddlzrl

[@JointerMark]

Very interesting, thank you for posting this. I have just started exploring the world of laser cutters and I greatly appreciate the work you've done and the resources you've posted.

[@henryrey1840]

Your videos quality is exaggerated. That is why I love your channel

[@skysurferuk]

K40 Whisperer has been a godsend for me & my K40.

[@kyletremblay5295]

I heavily appreciate you posting this. Felt very overwhelmed when taking a look at laser cutting.

[@SamPinchesMakerShop]

Great guide Michael. Thanks for covering all the details, especially safety. Maybe worth mentioning a little about safety considerations when cutting certain materials, and what materials not to cut.

[@TeachingTech]

In time I'd like to return to this topic once I have more experience.

[@SamPinchesMakerShop]

@@TeachingTech So.... it could be said you're going to do some cutting edge research? 😎 All the best.

[@davidhawley1132]

Useful info. A summary of the necessary upgrades and costs thereof would complete the story.

[@VNNZTC]

Greetings from across the ditch...Excellent video...I am going to buy a machine soon, however the choices are mind boggling...I found your video very informative and have downloaded it so ai can watch it again and again...You have a new Subscriber...Thank you for an informative video without all the glitz and glamour of some of the American videos...Brrr, I hate them, they have good information on some of them but are very hard to listen to...Thanks Michael, great effort, I will watch some more of yours...

[@taiwanluthiers]

I would like to add something. MAKE SURE THE AXIS IS SQUARE!! When I bought mine the cuts weren't square, and when I cut something, then flip over to cut or engrave the other side, it would not match up. Your laser may be slightly out of square, probably knocked out of square during shipping. So check it with a square. The solution to this problem is to gently hit the out of square part with a rubber mallet to knock it back into square. Then burn a square and check to make sure they are square. This is probably less of a problem for linear rails...

[@jawa6988]

I have a question. How do you know the power level that you needed? I just bought a K40 and am basically setting it up following your guide instead of trying to chase the info down as to what is needed and how to operate it safely within specs. BTW: That being said: I really appreciate your channel and all the work you put into it. Always informative and the information is trustworthy. I REALLY appreciate the printer calibration page you set up. I've set up 5 machines from scratch from various manufacturers and FWs and it just works every time. I've sent lots of newbies there instead of trying to explain how to set up a machine LOL It's GREAT to have all that info in one place

[@lv_woodturner3899]

Thanks for the video. I am considering getting a laser cutter. This video helps me understand this will take a good amount of research. Lots of options, a big spectrum of vendors. Lots of potential need for tinkering. As you said, similar to my Creality CR10S which has had its share of upgrades. Dave.

[@SequoyatecCoLTDJinan]

Hi, this is Sophia from JINAN,China. We are manufacturer of cnc routers with high quality and good price. whatsapp:+ 86 13539465576 Web:www.sequoyatec.com

[@NeilWNC]

Hi Michael -- Like you, I have recently purchased a Chinese laser cutter, in my case it is a 600x400mm unit with motorized Z-axis. I got it from a dealer in California (name withheld) who is really nothing more than a middle-man -- they are useless for information or help. The unit I got claims to be 100W, with the W2 Reci tube. After I added a ma meter I found that I needed to limit the power to 58% or less to keep it under the suggested 25ma value. It's unfortunate that these machines are designed to easily overdrive the tubes, and without an ammeter (not included) uninformed users will likely burn them out very quickly. My unit has the Ruida controller, and I am using Lightburn (a great program). Through Lightburn it was easy to make settings in the machine's firmware to limit the power to 58%, no matter what the user requests. I also designed my own rotary axis, and modified the machine's wiring to allow rapid plug-replacement of the Y-axis motor (with power off of course). BTW I put the rotary design up on Thingiverse, it's available open-source: www.thingiverse.com/thing:3906379. Many thanks for a great video, and wishing you well -- Neil

[@jakegarrett8109]

At the end where it couldn’t connect to your computer, man I hate that when it happens! I fired up my new 3d printer today (my Frankenstein Prusa I built 7 years ago looked like he needed a printing playmate), and for the life of me I couldn’t get my Windows 10 laptop to connect! My Linux laptop went just fine, but Windows sucks at connecting to anything... Half the time I have so many workarounds like software emulating Xbox controllers on game pads to faking drivers when using Windows. Thankfully on Linux everything I’ve ever connected has just worked. From Android phones to IPhones without ever installing iTunes garbage, to windows machines and bridging networking connections etc to basically you name it like flight controllers, Linux has always just worked. Same software, same settings, same baud rates and everything, but for who knows what reason the much new top of the model line (and upgraded on top of that) with the most popular desktop OS on Earth just can’t compete vs my trusty old 2012 duel core Linux laptop because it works for everything. (And I really don’t get it, because I’ve programmed arduinos and stuff on the Windows machine, so it does have COM port drivers working etc)

[@kingkongz88]

Thanks so much for presenting some caveats that I had no idea about.

[@mrdkuss5012]

Nice info fella well executed & extremely helpful for the people who are looking for a new machine brilliantly delivered thanks 🙏 for sharing your knowledge.

[@parkflyer68]

Great video thanks Michael, I am looking at getting a K40 but I want to be able to use lightburn. A lot of information to research!

[@originaltrilogy1]

I started with that little pump, and ended up getting a much, much bigger one, it does seem to be the more air assist the better, but a poor tubing setup can really affect the flow.

[@DRIX3D]

The more watch you channel, the more I love it. THANK YOU VERYYYY MUCH for sharing your work and your knowledge ;)

[@abarasabwehttam]

I bought a 7050 60 Watt (The red and black one you showed) about 4 months ago and have loved it! I use mine to etch in anodized aluminum and it is pretty flawless. Interested in the analog amp meter, think I will look at putting one in. LightBurn is AWESOME, I tried several other softwares before settling on it and have been very happy with it.

[@aurimasandrijauskas2172]

Can you cut metal with these machenes? 🤔

[@abarasabwehttam]

@@aurimasandrijauskas2172 No

[@NinjaNige]

Thanks For Your Time To Upload This Info ... Very helpful ... Great Links ... Going To Save Me A Lot Of Time And Money ...LED Laser Set Up Is Worth Buying ... But Make Sure The Board Is GBRL Compliant ... At Least You Will Be Able To Use The Machine ... But Yet Again Many Pitfalls In Buying One Of These ... No Fume Cabinet etc ...

[@IBoughtItMyself]

Amazingly good and comprehensive buyers guide. Thank you.

[@Arek_R.]

I think you should've asked the seller to replace this control board for you even though you'll use something else at some point.

[@MakenModify]

Nice, by the looks you found some space to put it :D really looking forward to this series. Bout a k40 a year ago and moded the hell out of it. But as there is always something to learn I'm quite excited for your videos ;)

[@robb233]

You can peel off protective backing more easily by using a strong piece of duct tape on the corner.

[@SasamiRari]

This has been most informative to me...and kinda squashed my dreams of ever being able to laser mark my guns with custom designs :(

[@toms4123]

Professional production. Your videos are always a great resource.

[@kimpirihi]

Hay, I just saw my K40 on your video. You know, The dodgy one you showed. I ended up purchasing a 305x305 mm "Certified" WIN-002 CO2 10,600nm laser safety window plus a pair of EP17 laser glasses. I was unsure if my K40 was a clone or not, thus having an inferior viewing port, ( among other things ). The glasses also help protect my eyes when using my Diode cutters. I've thrown a Mini "Gerbil" 2 Axis Controller which is made right here in Australia. So it gives me instant axis to Lightburn. Good vid

[@NolanCreate]

Nicely done had someone ask me about my thoughts on my k40, gave my opinion but also recommended your vid.

[@MRobertMarks]

Your video helped me a lot, thank you! There are so many considerations I had no idea I should keep in mind.

[@henmich]

I bought one and the biggest lesson I learned was about import tariffs... In the end, I spent almost 2k in taxes and duties... make sure to figure that in, or you will be screwed.

[@iteerrex8166]

With so many mods and fixs, its almost like a kit. Very nice video with so many references and resources. By the way how much was the final cost of this system?

[@nottingham82]

Great video. I'm doing diode lasering. I want a k40 style but the market is a bit overwhelming. This helps.

[@BlekSheep_1]

Thanks for posting this. I have been to that point...bombarded with tons of different ones from different places. Thanks to your vid, I will hold off a while longer, get a cheap offline one for what I want to do and .....wait👍

[@Z-add]

Trotec laser has a speedy 400 with upto 250W CO2 laser in a small format machine 1428 x 952 x 1050 mm. Trotec is a reputable european brand. How did they manage to do that. It is indeed a CO2 laser as per their website.

[@nerfmepls1]

About to buy a 1060 and this will be some amazing information soon, thank you!

[@davidritland7949]

Every time I do something new (like buy a chinese laser cutter recently) you've already got my back with informative vids, thanks! Is there more explanation of what you did to the door safety switch wiring to make it only turn off the laser, not the controller?

[@invaziq]

Bro you basically saved many lifes here now :D I don`t know if you realize that or no :D And thanks of course I am about to by 40w machine and I didnt have any idea of what I am going to buy..

[@JAYTEEAU]

Great stuff Michael, I'm toying with the idea of getting a laser but not for a while. Lots of good info here and I'll check back when I get closer. Cheers, JAYTEE

[@BrianHeplerSasquatch]

I have to admit, I was not expecting the CNC focused seller's website to also sell stripper poles.

[@markchambers7147]

Great Video, already want a part 2 and presuming part 3

[@theDesignClass]

Another excellent video, thank you Michael.

[@stevetaylor9189]

I would love a walkthrough for a full alignment for this laser, I have this one, and i've gotten pretty close to where it needs to be but still having issues with it being slightly off in different spots. Or even better, mirror mount upgrades would be great!

[@jacobhn2]

An idea could be a power meter in the socket for the laser cutter to give an idea of ​​how much power the tube uses of course there are other things that use power but if you stay just below the max for the tube input power then you should be on it safe side, but the less power you use the better, laser cutter machines use PWM makes the tube only lit in small chunks but in full power output. if it is at 50% power the tube is lit for half the time it is like a hammer to the steel

[@mikefromwa]

Great video with lots of useful information, thank you!

[@LayerCakeMakes]

I am really looking forward to the future videos about this. I really would like to get myself a laser too but I am worried about the safety a lot.

[@5speedfatty]

ive had my K40 for 2 weeks... man you shoulda put this up earlier

[@TomFYouTube]

If you have to upgrade so much, wouldn’t it be better to spend a couple hundred more and get something that doesn’t frustrate and need upgrading? Thanks for the video.

[@GetRealwithMike]

Good video. I wish you would have come up with a way to mount the mirror system on to the MPCNC. I have the regular one, not the Lowrider. I want to work from home make model railroad buildings. The CNC machine can cut the pieces but the laser would be great too. If you figure it out while tinkering, please let me know. Hooray.

[@MatBettinson]

Outstanding Michael, thanks for this.

[@LanceThumping]

@3:30, You might rethink how your arrange slides like this in the future. You change the orientation of the related items and that could confuse someone.

[@IndieCthulhu]

Really good video. As an Aussie can you link me to the seller you used on gumtree? You clearly seem to have had a good experience. Also I saw you insulate with hot glue. You can get liquid electrical tape for future projects from your local Jaycar

[@spikekent]

Awesome advice and guidance Michael

[@SamChaneyProductions]

Thanks so much for this! I got a solid state laser for my 3D printer and I've been having a blast but I already want to upgrade! I'm stuck between trying to build my own 5.5W solid state laser engraver or buying a CO2 laser cutter. I would build my own CO2 cutter but it seems very difficult to purchase a CO2 laser tube on its own.

[@ericspurlock860]

I'm trying to do the same thing to my homemade 3d printer. I printed a mount and put a standard spindle that is just not powerful enough. I have a "20 w" laser engraver but its just not powerful enough. I wouldnt mind having that on my 24×24 " printer tho can you suggest a good place to buy a little more powerful laser than those Chinese 20w. And how are you making the file so the printer understands it is using a lazer and not 3d printing

[@brucefox6580]

Outstanding effort, great information. Looking forward go the upgrades.

[@cnccarving]

i got the 1060 works very well only thing i regret, i should wait till i have plus a grand and buy a 4feet by 3 feet sized

[@priyankaverma5520]

CALL NOW MACHINE PURCHASE 9711996981

[@hydrogen18]

Did you wire that meter in series with the high voltage of the laser tube?v I don't think that using that meter in that application is in any way safe. The voltage across the meter should be tiny, but if the wire after the meter went open circuit you'd likely wind up with thousands of volts of potential at the meter face.

[@TeachingTech]

It's on the low voltage side. You never touch the fat red wire from the lpsu for the reason you mentioned.

[@MilesLucis11]

Hi, I'm David, and I really liked your video, although I don't understand much English, but when I was able to translate people's comments, I realized that you know a lot about it. I am new here in Australia and I am trying to buy a laser engraving, but I do not trust the web pages that came out in the google search engine. So when I saw your video, I was wondering if you could sell me a machine like the one you have shown in this video. I don't think I can do it myself, my job is full time including Saturdays and some Sundays. I would like to communicate with you privately.

[@simonwebster3629]

Aussie here: who was your gumtree seller? Looking to buy but dont want to ship from China if I can help it.

[@kstof]

Id be very much interested in buying one from here in Aus. Any luck?

[@mickmccluand4677]

Key Notes: "Do not clean exterior surface of the output WIDOW with tools such as TAMPON" 4:54

[@jjames3793]

the only output window that can not be touched with anything except a tampon and only if its essential is the window/mirror that's on the negative end of the laser tube that the beam comes out of. That is never supposed to be touched with a swab or even with a lint free rag because they can still leave dust and fibers on it that will get burned on and will cause output power to drop... Tho the reason why a tampon is used it because its soft and will not scratch the soft coating that's on that mirror. and they leave NO Dust or lint behind. you also can not use acetone to clean that mirrored window. because it will wipe the coating right off then the laser tube is ruined and voids any warranty that it may have.

[@Mobile_Dom]

Oooooh, did you get a new lens Michael? the intro shot looks sharper with a more defined foreground and background.

[@TeachingTech]

I changed the focus more on the camera to hopefully stop the annoying focus fluctuations. Maybe a bit brighter lighting too since there were no large printers in the foreground.

[@theinternal]

You really should have bought a version with a better motion system IMHO. The one you got is made just like the cheapest K40s. Mine is the same and the motion system is probably the worst part of the machine. By the way: from the looks of it, your laser head looks like an (height) adjustable one, so using that, might be much quicker than moving the bed up&down to adjust the focal length.

[@TeachingTech]

I didn't have much choice in Aus, but this one ticked most of my boxes. I will explore the head, thanks for the tip.

[@richwhilecooper]

I think this has convinced me to buy my laser from a local business that specialises in such things. They do delivery, installation, set up training and maintenance (optional) and everything is included upto the coolerr etc. They will supply a filter but as an optional extra. The downside it the cost which is £2995 for a 300 x 500 mm max cut size,. They do sizes up to 900 x 1300 which is 6 K. They are more expensive than alternatives but their machines come with better controllers and free software.and is still cheaper than glowforge. Do you think this a good alternative for people who are not tinkerers?

[@benwest123]

Awesome info mate, very much appreciated for someone wanting to try this out. Subscribed. I look forward to seeing the rest of your laser cutting videos.

[@timkors1346]

Why not buy an CO2 laser tube and convert the lowrider?

[@TeachingTech]

I would need to build a huge enclosure over the top to make it remotely safe, and I need the table to work on so it wasn't a realistic option for me.

[@terrygunson1026]

This was one of my first thoughts when I saw the lowrider. Would be interested to see if the lowrider is rigid enough to maintain the laser path and or if it has too much vibration compared to the linear rail systems.

[@JanPaternosterCreJan]

Nice video from... Your voice sounds different than the footage voice. Nice guy..

[@RinksRides]

great bit of info, thanks Michael.

[@rienboom]

Hi Michael, I have been following you on KZbin for years and have learned a lot from it. I am 74 years old and working on my K40 laser with the Cohesion3D board and the Lightburn software. Bought me a LightObject Z table, but run into a problem. When I move the table 10 mm, the software tells me to have moved the table 10 mm. But in reality it has moved only 1 mm. Depends on the steps per mm but I can't find how to change this in the config of the Cohesion3D board. I live on Curacao, a small island in the Caribbean where people cannot help me. My question now is, can you help me solve this problem? Regards, Marinus Boom

[@SinkyYT]

Have you priced replacement laser tubes yet? I worked in an office with a laser engraving machine back in 2002 and we used to have to get the big boss to call up and threaten the company with legal action to be able to buy a replacement tube. The tube only lasted 400 hours so it happened a few times when I worked there.

[@TeachingTech]

I found a place less than an hour away with reci tubes for about au$1000. Easier to buy tubes locally than the whole machine for me.

[@secretsof7431]

Hi Michael, my K40 won't connect to my windows 10 computer using K40 Whisperer but will connect to my windows 7.

[@TeachingTech]

I might have an old win7 netbook that runs my CNC to try that with, thanks for the tip.

[@justinmurphy2227]

I was like yes but great video about a 40 watt laser and what it can do and which one to buy and immediately you tell us you bought an 80 watt laser LOL. How am I supposed to make a decision from seen one in action when we're not seeing a K40 in action and there's no pricing at all even for the one you bought. Am I missing something here? Should the title be I bought an 80 watt laser instead of a K40 40 watt laser? I really don't know what to do now is I can't afford an 80 watt laser. Well I guess I can't because I can't find the price on the one featured. Usually you get a price on the one the videos made about. Again, is this because the website changed or because you do fill out a form before you can get a price? I'm not hating on channel because there's a hundred videos here that have helped me that the one I need right now on purchasing a K40 is about an 80 LOL.

[@user-wr8go9ee2n]

Great video. Quality information. Gets to the point. No dumbass music.

[@0101UnknownUser]

Great vid. These machines are not “out of the box” ready.. when you factor in all of your upgrades it comes to a chunk of money more.. did you find anything more plug and play that wasn’t a whole load of money more?

[@randomoldbloke]

They can be plug and play straight out of the box , my k40 was ditched the CorelLAZER program and run k 40 wisperer , esky and frozen water bottles for cooling keeps it just above dew point. The exhaust fan is ok a couple of pegs made it fit nicely try and keep the temperature at between 20 to 25c or just above dew point. Don’t overdrive the tube and you should be fine . Max I go is 15ma