Eleksmaker EleksLaser A3 Pro Laser Engraver Build, Test & Review

Build, Test and Review of the EleksMaker® EleksLaser A3 Pro:
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[@JarrodCoombes]

You're going to want to play with speed and power for that laser. There is no need to leave the last at 100% for all uses. Higher power means you are more likely to burn the material and make more smoke. Lower power means less burning, but you'd need to use a lower speed to compensate. Ultimately it is a balancing act between speed and power, and the balance will depend on the material in most cases.

[@robertt7002]

This video had me sold, until I looked at their website, and more specifically, their warranty. You have three days to unbox, calibrate, and run this thing before your warranty dies. If you can figure it out that fast, and something IS dead, the return postage is up to you, THEN they repay you, and then the replacement shipped to you is only covered up to 35% or a max of $40. Sounds like the customer is doing all the risky stuff to please the company. I'll keep looking for a more customer oriented company. Nice video btw.

[@joeygarner6333]

wtf that's not having any confidence in your product.

[@byronadams8155]

What did you purchase?

[@toolzshed]

whoa that mirror burn was awesome

[@joetke]

Still helpful and relevant after a year. Thank you very much.

[@juniorelectronics8255]

great video,does the A3 PRO LASER able to cut Acrylic?

[@itzbuffxcsgoandmore4573]

wondering too

[@uscstaylor]

Thanks so much for this I just bought this laser engraver from your input video, great step by step video

[@AJLGamingPh]

What about acrylic glass? Can this device can cut them about 3mm thick. Coz im planning to buy like that.

[@techydiy]

It won't cut or engrave transparent acrylic

[@rowesounds]

Hi Mate, great video! I'm needing some advice, Would you recommend tjis or the 3018 CNC, i will be cutting wood veneer and printing onto acrylic and woods, I like this machine but would like to know which you prefer? Thanks!

[@RCINFORMER]

Great video! I will probably get one after watching your video...I only need it for CUTTING out 2mm to 3mm thick hobby type plywood in rectangular & circular shapes. I dont really need to do much engraving, but will probably do some. Can you please tell me, what is the MAXIMUM length of a rectangular shape that can be CUT out? I need to be able to cut a 14.5" or 368mm in length by 80mm with various smaller rectangular & circular openings within the larger rectangle. Also, is there a setting for cutting, or do you just increase the laser power? I may get the 5500mw version for cutting. Thanks for the help!

[@techydiy]

I wouldn't recommend it just for cutting, it really needs a higher powered laser. Endurance mske some high power units for cutting.

[@RCINFORMER]

@@techydiy I dont do alot of cutting, but I need an occasional wood part for my model airplanes... I was thinking this would be easier than fabricating the parts I need... I was thinking that the 5500mw laser version may be better for cutting?

[@techydiy]

The more power the better.

[@noneNone-mw1px]

Sir does this machine cut and engrave acrylic very clean?

[@mikegarone5344]

Just received my laser. Your video is the best out there. put it together, got it wired, downloaded the software & driver, got to the point of turning on the laser weak power mode button, and i have no light or possibly power. Followed all instructions, what am i missing..doing wrong? all connections are tight.

[@techydiy]

If I remember correctly it came with a little PCB module that you can use to test the laser. Search for the eleksmaker forum it is pretty good for any issues.

[@themotobanditshow]

Thank for the reply. Can it cut leather 1.6mm to 3mm thick? have you tried? Im interested on the 2.5w or the 5w and i need some direction. I would like to use it for cutting my leather pieces for leather work including engraving my leather pieces etc.

[@techydiy]

I haven't tried cutting leather.

[@furnitureguyrm4418]

Thanks for helping me make a choice. Great video.

[@yoyojoe7930]

an excellent review, very useful for me, Thank You; has helped in my decision making process.

[@DIYAtoZ]

Is it compatible for round material like bamboo?

[@techydiy]

There is an add on called Eleksrotate

[@ArashHamoon]

Hello, I would like to know which machine is more suitable for laser cutting natural leather sheets in order to make handmade bags, the 2500 mW or 5500 mW. Thank you

[@techydiy]

I don't know if it will cut leather easily or not.

[@ckgrier2]

Really enjoyed the video and tips on construction. Have you cut any fabrics like cotton or synthetics with it? I'm curious about the speed and the edge quality. Thanks!

[@StArFuRyZz]

I've started looking into a laser engraver to make custom wood cutting boards. There's a lot on the market but this model seems to meet my price range and be something I can start using with a smaller learning curve.

[@Franksdad_deanmartinonrepeat]

My thoughts exactly. Did you end up getting I️t? If so, how’s I️t doing?

[@StArFuRyZz]

Not yet...too busy to use one right now but sometime this year.

[@barrycrowder]

Nice video. I ordered this a couple days ago and look forward to using the tips you put forward here to assemble it and put it to work.

[@techydiy]

Cool, let us know how you get on.

[@k8myx]

fantastic video instructions very clear thanks!

[@TheIcemanModdeler]

Would u recommend this for cutting polystyrene foam for packaging? An alternative would be a CNC.

[@kortt]

Thanks for the review. I understand this is a couple years old and I'm curious as to whether this machine is still working well? Cheers!

[@techydiy]

Yes, it works fine. I don't use it a lot, maybe once a month.

[@Dancopymus]

Can this Laser be replaced by a 30W or 40W Laser to cut some material, such as Plywood, Acrylic, etc.? Thanks

[@wreckerbeamish]

Do you think this would work to cut out EVA foam that is 1in or thinner? Very nice video.

[@RadoManCZ]

Thanks techydiy for review. Please can you recommed this or other cutter for 2D cutting 20-40mm foam? Thanks :)

[@techydiy]

I haven't tried to cut foam so unfortunately I can't say if this is suitable. Thanks

[@danielvanmieghem1091]

A very useful and educational tutorial. Thank you for sharing !!!

[@gambangtekop9910]

Wow, in other videos which review the engrave laser cnc, this ia the best one. Especially software that u used. Nice feature

[@TARIQ821]

can you please tell me does this machine use for fabric cutting like polyester or cotton.

[@lbogaardt]

How many passes does cutting ~4mm triplex require? Any general tips when using this for cutting?

[@y_fixzi3d725]

How stiff is this laser? I mean if I wanted to change the electronics for uno with grbl and fit in Z axis and maybe mount dremel or another router/spindle solution, would you say that this construction stiffness will be good enough for small milling jobs? Thanks for your answer

[@cowsgoloka]

I'm also having the same question, didn't you get an answer from other sources?

[@lucasborgeaud1478]

Hello and thank you for this video. I am interested in this laser engraver, and I would like to know if it is possible to cut nylon-polyester type fabric? thanks

[@aussiercflyer5586]

I saw in one of your previous answers you can not use it to cut / carve anything white. So would this not be any good for cutting rc plane parts out of 5mm thick white foam board (no paper) ?.Great video by the way .

[@techydiy]

Matt black is the best colour as it absorbs the most light.

[@stevebruce5210]

Great video, any idea if these work with Mac Books?

[@andrearomano3702]

Hello congratulations for your video can you tell me which materials you used in this video?

[@samirghone]

Great video, can i get length of Aluminum Profiles 20 X 40 & 20 X 20

[@adamwebster7542]

Excellent review video! I wanted to test the water of the laser engraving world with something inexpensive like this....my only concern is that I want to be able to cut and engrave clear acrylic. This doesn't sound possible with this unit?

[@techydiy]

It's the wrong type of laser to engrave clear acrylic. A co2 laser is probably what you need.

[@shootthedk3010]

Did it etch the mirror too or just take off the reflective backing? And what settings did you use for that? Also if it did etch the glass, is there a way to just get the backing off? Sorry for all the questions, i really want one ant their $200 right now

[@techydiy]

It takes off the protective paint layer, the aluminium layer and it also etches into the glass. I think it would be difficult to just remove the backing as the heat melts the glass, but I haven't tried it so it might be possible.

[@cesarwilliamsv]

those cuts are 2500mw or 5500 mw???

[@beekerfkirina8130]

Does it engrave "Fabrics" Velvet fabric as an example. Thank you.

[@troygowen2149]

Hi there, I just set up my unit but I am not sure that I have installed the belts correctly as they seem to be very loose, how did you secure them tightly at the ends?

[@Obi4000]

You didn't need end taster in the whole assembly process hier or?

[@georgeoka2824]

Good clear illustration. Will this engrave Aluminum alloy? and how deep would it engrave. Thanks.

[@techydiy]

No it won't engrave aluminium.

[@jorgeleri3398]

tenho essa maaquina e nao consigo cortar mdf de 3mm. Sabe se ela suporta essa operação

[@techydiy]

I don't think it will cut mdf very well. Eu não acho que vai cortar muito bem mdf.

[@swhite0802]

Great video thank you! Are you able to import graphic designs? I would love to be able to import old maps and engrave them on to a piece of wood. Also, do you know the max size that this will produce? Thank you !

[@techydiy]

Yes you can. It is a good tool for that application. The maximum size is A3 ( 297 x 420mm 11.7 x 16.5in). You can engrave larger areas by moving the engraved material under engraver and then engraving in a tiled fashion.

[@joetylerdale]

Really nice video! I hope your channel does well!

[@Stromen]

just bought mine cant wait to get it :p

[@pavelstoikov3780]

how is the toy btw :) becose i thing i gonna buy :)

[@cretablind5584]

Do you cut with it as well? and if yes, what depth?

[@ldboehm]

Great video. Interested to know more about the copper etching you briefly showed. I was looking at etching a circuit out of copper polyester taffeta fabric, then using the laser to cut out precision holes in the fabric as well. Can I ask how you did the etching, and do you think the laser could cut through the fabric to shape it?

[@techydiy]

By coating the copper with black spray paint (as an etch resist). Engraving an image (burning off the spray paint) with the laser. Then etching it with an etchant (sodium persulphate) I don't know, the laser wont cut copper but it should cut coloured polyester.

[@ldboehm]

@@techydiy Thanks! So I'm lasering off what I want removed and the remaining spray paint is the traces, right? Did you use any special kind of spray paint?

[@techydiy]

Yes. Cheap Matt black spray paint, I have used several types, it has all worked.

[@ldboehm]

@@techydiy Thanks! I'll let you know how it goes!

[@mathewyost2958]

I'm just a home user - the only thing that worries me is the extraction - what's the best way to do this for me?

[@2011Maynard]

Can the Laser area be increased by using longer rails? I need one that sets up just like this, but will cover a 30” x 96” area...

[@techydiy]

Probably, you would need to change belts as well.

[@cristhianreynelsandoval9550]

buenas noches amigo como es el proceso para hacer tarjetas electronicas con la maquina cnc?

[@FreddyGoldberger]

Hi Nigel, First of all I wanted to thank you very much for your video, it's a great review of the laser engraver EleksLaser A3 Pro and it's also very informative. In minute 9:15 of the video you successfully show how to etch a PCB using black mate spray paint, I recently purchased the EleksLaser A3 Pro and I've been trying to get the laser to burn the paint, but I haven't been successful yet. I was wondering if you could share with us the type of paint that you use for your PCBs. Also if you have any advise on how much tension the belts should have, I haven't been able to find any video o tutorial online that show or explains a technique to make sure that you have the right amount of tension on the belts. Any information that you can share with me would be highly appreciated. Thanks, -- Freddy

[@techydiy]

Hi, thanks. I made the belts finger tight, removing the slack and not putting much strain on the components. For the pcb, I have used various types of matt black car spray paint, it doesn't seem to make much difference, just use the cheapest. Another option is to use an etch resist pen or marker instead of the spray. Spray a very fine single mist coat onto the pcb board, you don't need to put on as much paint as you might think. Test for the minimum amount of spray paint on some scrap copper clad board. I etch the paint with three passes of the laser. Then I clean the pcb with water and washing detergent. It is very difficult to see if all of the paint has been removed, so I check the tracks by scratching the copper surface to see if any of the paint film is still masking the copper. I have found that you can scrub the pcb quite hard without damaging the paint layer. You also might want to try some rubbing alcohol or similiar to remove the etched paint film. The other option is to use multiple single passes of the laser and then clean the board in between. For that you need to be able to accurately re position the pcb each time. It did take me a few attempts, but ultimately the key to getting it to work was to make sure the tracks were cleaned right down to bare copper. If the copper doesn't start etching straight away then its more than likely that there is still a film of paint on the tracks. Hope that helps.

[@FreddyGoldberger]

Thank you. I tried the cheapest matte black spray paint I found in the store and it worked very well. You were right about the fact that cleaning the board before the second pass of the laser does help getting better results.

[@ridwan0445]

Can it cut fabric, like cotton maybe?

[@st3v3nk3]

Can it cut Balsa, XDF, plywood ? Up to 10 mm thickness? or i need a "stronger" machine for these?

[@techydiy]

Your talking industrial strength to cut 10mm. A CNC router would probably be a better option. Diode lasers can realistically cut to about 3mm with air assist. The co2 laser I just reviewed will cut to 6mm.

[@Grantphon]

Thank you for the video. It has helped me a lot.👍🏻

[@Blackford86]

What is the biggest size that you can cut in inches thanks

[@adriant291]

Hi mate, what did you use for an extractor for the smoke that comes out when laser engraving is active?

[@techydiy]

Shop vac vented outside, but its noisy so I have also used an inline bathroom type fan and vented it outside.

[@ItaloLima]

Good Work !

[@elitodossantos2883]

QUAL A CONFIGURAÇÃO DO DESKTOP 500 W Laser Engraver - Elekslaser A3

[@taruninsaan2971]

Can Led Bulb housing Print with Eleks Marking Machine ?

[@larryvaughn2567]

I would like to know what operating systems the software will work with. I use Linux.

[@TechEnKe]

Linux, 7, 8 and 10

[@peterw8911]

Great video! Do you think this can be adapted to use as a plasma cutter?

[@techydiy]

Not sure, I am guessing heat might be an issue. Great idea though, I definitely need one.

[@TinkerInTheShop]

Any suggestions on a similar size machine mainly for cutting? I can only seem to find ones more suited to engraving

[@techydiy]

Search online for a co2 laser. There are reviews of the relatively cheap Chinese models on YT which might be an option.

[@TinkerInTheShop]

techydiy thanks Will do.

[@Hugocraft]

what diode laser would you recommend to cut 1/8" or 3mm plywood ? Even 2 (or 3) passes would ok to deal with I would think

[@techydiy]

I wouldn't recommend this for cutting plywood, you can do it but it's really an engraver.

[@rabestaub8044]

ich bin beeindruckt und trage mich mit dem gedanken auch so etwas anzuschaffen. sehr informativ.

[@Ali-te8gg]

Which materials have used for this machine hardware software?

[@girishkumar1348]

Hey...I have a problem with my EleksCam laser . It shows the preview of the print but when I give it for engraving it moves but it doesn't engrave anything. Can you please help me with this ?

[@belarch1570]

Is it possible to enlarge the engraving area by building a larger frame? Or is the engraving area size controlled by the software?

[@techydiy]

Yes, you could build a bigger frame. I am not sure what the practical size limit.it would be with this design.

[@rodrigofernandez6481]

hey man what a good video, I would like to know how was the procces cutting corrugated cardboard, I work with this material making decorative figures and I was thinking in buy this machine.

[@gitawei8880]

I am a manufacture of laser cutting machines, my whatsapp is [phone]

[@99trampis]

Cool video man! I was checking around for an engraver for my woodworking projects and saw one on Glitzer but this one, although similar, looks way more refined. Have you had to deal with any warranty issues with the unit? Someone reviewing the Glitzer unit said to upgrade to grbl software? Any advice? Thanks much~

[@techydiy]

No it still works fine, although I only use it infrequently so I don't know how it would hold up to daily use. I think its worth upgrading to the latest grbl and using other software like laserweb.

[@the_astro_garden]

Banggood warranty is terrible but the investment is not huge. The best software is Lightburn, very highly recommended.

[@yasirshahzad3732]

my laser is not engraving. i'm using grbl 1.1 and laser engraver. the problem is that at low speed it burns and at higher speed it does nothing!!! did you know what would be the problem?

[@stevenjames90]

What is the actual run time for the wolf design and the "Please Ring The Bell" word design? I've heard many people say it is many hours for such designs to complete.

[@techydiy]

5 - 10 mins if I remember correctly.

[@SerkanOral]

Neje 30w got it Are there plexi sizes

[@motazkindi3757]

i wanted to know the length of the 5 Aluminum sticks 2020 and 2040

[@everson0705]

Brother, I need a mega help, I have an EleksLaser-A3 Pro 2500mW but I haven't been able to cut it yet. I would like to know if it has the power to cut a 3mm MDF sheet ... do I not know how to regulate the laser and speed or do I not have the power for that? Thanks in advance, great channel, one more writing !! sorry for the text, i'm brazilian.

[@techydiy]

Full power, slow and multiple passes. An air assist fan helps. It all depends on the plywood, some will cut ok, some won't.

[@everson0705]

@@techydiy Thaaaaank you!!!

[@peterklein1299]

Can I use this machine as a stamp rubber engraving ? If I use the appropriate settings can I make good quality stamps ?

[@techydiy]

I doubt it would be pleasant ... the smell of burning rubber. However I haven't tried it,. Maybe someone has some experience.

[@peterklein1299]

ok,, thanks for the quick response ,,

[@Blackford86]

Can you make a 16 inch Circle on your computer and then engrave it

[@thegreatcomback5952]

I have the version with the two motors about 3 years ago, but I lost the DVD instruction. Where do k get one??

[@techydiy]

wiki.eleksmaker.com/doku.php?id=elekslaser_a3_pro wiki.eleksmaker.com/doku.php?id=elekscam For better software I would suggest lasergrbl.com/

[@CarlowSuper]

I have a similar one, but benbox does not locate the communication port, what can I do?

[@jerricokane7237]

Very nice video! Thank you!

[@electronic7979]

Excellent

[@nessenmodelyvyapooree3657]

Do you have the G code for mirror engraving? And how to input the code?

[@scottskelton1991]

Does anyone know if you can get a standard carving head for this machine ? The smaller units have both laser and cnc carving heads.

[@claywestcott2954]

Hi. Im trying to assemble my elks maker laser but the pictures are not that clear on the website. Do you know if there are any more instruction on how to put it together?

[@techydiy]

You mean the pictures on wiki.eleksmaker.com ? Click on them for increased Resolution.

[@jeffstercnc2271]

Hi I tried doing the mirror burn with my laser...can't get it to burn ...do you by any chance remember how many passes and at what rate I used .. It will help me alot thanx

[@techydiy]

I think I did three passes, not sure of the feed rate but it burned easy enough. You should be burning the back rather than the front. It was a Glass mirror tile from Ikea with a grey back. You could always try spraying the back with matt black paint if it doesn't burn easily.

[@jeffstercnc2271]

Hi I found a link you gave of the avenger sign .. thanx so much it came out great...may God bless you... hopefully U could something in the CNC router field would be awesome

[@jamesmalkin1982]

Hi there, I've been looking at this engraver on Amazon and was wondering if it would struggle to cut shapes out of 3mm birch ply? Also is the engraving depth adjustable? Cheers.

[@cretablind5584]

I am wondering about the same thing. Could someone who knows, please reply?

[@techydiy]

It depends on the ply, some cuts ok, some doesn't. Overall I can't recommend it for cutting.

[@JonathanRWY]

Would it do a good job cutting a vinyl record to make a clock out of it?

[@techydiy]

I haven't tried it but think it would cut ok.

[@stampalofi8103]

Don't cut vynil as it is poisonous!!! You will die

[@tonyj2216]

What software have you been using for your laser? I know there are several open source options....curious which one you settled on.

[@lbogaardt]

Tony, have you tried anything out yet? Is it easy to change the software/drivers?

[@Toutavelo]

Thanks for your video. Have you ever tried on cork please ? Thanks ! :)

[@techydiy]

No sorry

[@iamkian]

I love the Edge Lighting thing. Do you have some more info on this for me?

[@iamkian]

Nevermind. Found a how to on YOUR channel :-)

[@iamkian]

Did you color the backside of the mirror black? Did you set the laser to full power? What speed did you use? Thank you for helping.

[@techydiy]

No leave it grey. Full power. The rest I can't remember sorry.

[@iamkian]

@@techydiy Thank you. Will give it a go (sometime next week) and report back!

[@kemstephens4827]

Can you engrave more than flat items such as a wood box?

[@techydiy]

Yes, just raise the laser engraver above the item.

[@sarwar7008]

Is this possible to cut a piece of 5mm pvc board?

[@techydiy]

This is an old laser engraver. Newer models will cut materials easily. You do have to be careful cutting plastics and make sure it is safe to do so.

[@mirceabucin2226]

I have a svg file fit to the size of the wood I want to engrave. When I load it into the engraver software it expands it beyond the size of the engraving surface. Any pointers on how to fix this?

[@techydiy]

It's usually something to do with units, inches instead of mm etc. If your using inkscape setting the page/paper size correctly is a good start.

[@clouds_catalyst]

This machine can cutting acrylic material or not?

[@techydiy]

Black or coloured acrylic yes. Transparent or white acrylic no.

[@MennodR]

Would it work on a wooden ring, since it's not a flat service?

[@techydiy]

You could mod the machine to do it, add another rotating axis, someone somewhere will have done it already.

[@quadrometer]

Hello, very good information and fine explained . I ordered mine yesterday and i hope i will get them. Maybe i will contact you if i have problems!? And questions... Sometimes i saw that they have problems at beginnin... Bye thanks

[@techydiy]

Eleksmaker have a good forum

[@innovationnewinformation]

Can we cut leather of 1mm to 4 mm

[@dalemasyk1583]

nicely done on the video n instruction , makes me wanna get one now lol

[@educatedbuddy]

Thanks for such a nice informative review. Now I shall buy it.

[@techydiy]

Thanks.

[@st-germainreal2622]

Nice video thanks . and i want to know if we can engrave on wood stylus not only a name ? i thinks for engrave a small think around ? do you have a trick ? thanks a lot

[@techydiy]

I haven't done it but you would probably want to modify the machine with a rotary y axis.

[@st-germainreal2622]

@@techydiy thanks if you know let me know to please

[@eddiesampaio4670]

Hi there! Can we engrave in a 12MM glass downloading a logo for example?

[@techydiy]

No you cant.