The Cheapest Laser Engraver On Amazon

[@AndyBirdBuilds]

I tested this laser too! kzbin.info/www/bejne/homnpKt3nrl9rqM

[@jonlanier_]

I'm interested in engraving the bowls I make on the bottom with my logo. Could this be set up in a way that I can get my bowls under it? Bowls are anywhere from 2"-4.5" deep. Thank you!

[@pallana3701]

@@jonlanier_it should have a thing to make it stand up higher so u can put things under it to engrave

[@1kreature]

For cutting through thicker stock cleanly, simply find the speed that engraves well without burning the edges, and run it multiple times till it has cut through.

[@AndyBirdBuilds]

Thanks for the info!

[@dangerous8333]

Sure, you could do that...but. Time is money. So is electricity.

[@IantheCripple]

sure but some people have the time but not the money@@dangerous8333

[@mikedisher30]

@@dangerous8333can you engrave a pumpkin?

[@bobby3tim3s]

Sadly, Diode lasers in this price range are barebones (which I know is the basis of this video). Though they work, they are missing some essentials. One of these essentials is a dedicated air assist setup. Typically these setups have a way to direct air right on the material where the laser is hitting it. This allows for a more precise burn and less chance of charring or burning. One problem is that the more you improve the laser, the closer you get to the high-end lasers that already have these features. Diode lasers seem better for picture quality burns, whereas a CO2 is more along the lines of a cutting tool (acrylic, wood, leather, etc). I happen to have both and use each tool accordingly. Lastly, a fiber laser is great for marking metal. You can do some marking on certain metals with a Diode and a CO2, but it is super limited and usually have to have some sort of marking spray added, like Cermark or similar. Also, for any laser, be prepared to jump down a small rabbit hole on proper ventilation (7:25 minutes into the video above), air assist and most likely an enclosure for the laser. Though most of this can be circumvented by placing a fan in the window, you want to remain present for burns as it can cause a house/shop fire if you walk away. Keep in mind that the more detailed an image you try to burn, the longer the burn times. A high def image in a size of 4"x4" can roughly burn for 2.5 to 8 hours depending.

[@dangerous8333]

You seem to know what you're talking about, and a fellow German. 👍 I have a full woodworking and metal fabrication shop, and 3D printers, but this will be my first laser. What's your opinion on the new Creality Falcon 2. Seems like a nice machine. With current sales and coupon it's $950. Seem worth it? Or what route would you go with a budget of $1000?

[@bayoucountrybeefarmandwood1309]

This is similar to the one I started with. I paid more than $99 but it looks like that. I upgraded last year to a CO2 laser and love it but there is definitely a place for these little lasers. I gave mine like this to my sister to learn. 😊👍

[@silassamuels8404]

Do you have any advice on a good laser printer for printing on denim??

[@mikedisher30]

Can you engrave a pumpkin with a laser that uses co2?

[@yellvett76]

Great video, you can cut with it use about 80% power and 60% feed and do multiple passes, should cut clean. Focus of laser is very important also the further out of focus the wider the beam and more chance to burn. Also always keep a fire extinguisher close.

[@AndyBirdBuilds]

Thanks for the tips!

[@1kreature]

The further out you focus the laser the longer the "waist" becomes as well, which means it keeps it's focus over a larger depth. This helps cutting thicker stock. Less flat stock will also benefit from the longer distance keeping things focused. For shallow engraving on very flat stock, a close focus gives smaller spot with higher intensity so you can engrave at higher speed.

[@Willeecue]

Upgrading to a 10 Watt laser module should not be a problem.

[@No1sonuk]

@@Willeecue Description says it's already 20W.

[@taperry326]

@@No1sonuk laser modules have two power ratings: input power and output (optical) power. I suspect William is talking about output, while you are talking about input. Might want to educate yourself before commenting.

[@jamiewest6369]

Thank you for sharing your experience. Can you try this on glass, cups, etc.?

[@marquettwilliams2759]

I am begging for help. I have been searching for help trying to find help with complete instructions and information concerning upgrading my 40watt C02 laser to an 80- or 100-watt C02. After two months of searching, no luck. I am sure there is a need for someone like yourself to put this information out for the hungry masses. I follow you and I know you're an excellent teacher and very thorough with need-to-know step by step instruction. PLUS you know what you're talking about and won't put people to sleep.

[@ifiwooddesigns]

Another awesome video. Maybe now that you have both laser and CNC, a follow up to a simple enclosure to remove odors and smoke would be a great follow-up for these miniature models.

[@AndyBirdBuilds]

Hmm. Thanks for the idea!

[@zinny1222]

My brother's wood cutting machine has a small attachment near the drill for a shop vac

[@hollymoffatt1457]

i didnt read all of the comments but it seems like if you did a few passes at the higher speed and power you might be able to cut with it. also when cutting through something you might want to get a honeycomb panel that the laser engraver can sit on to help with air flow when cutting something else out. i work with a xenetech (do not recommend) and a gravograph (highly recommend if wanting to cut things out about an 1/8 in thick) both of which do great in their own right. gravograph is so easy to learn its programing and is very user friendly. both laser engravers have a honeycomb that the projects can sit on if they need to be cut out.

[@Rick-Williams59]

No longer available on Amazon as of July 4th

[@aerotown42]

Sun of a. . . . .

[@newguy2794]

I was totally ready to buy one. Sucks that they are gone! I checked out the router, $130 and there are still 18 of them available. Might have to buy one of them instead.

[@DakotaTrucker]

It's back but over 200 now

[@DeliberateNRandom]

Dam... I'm thinking about buying one for money making and gifts. Would also be nice for artwork in my bus. I wouldn't mind paying that before I knew about this, just want to make sure I'm getting the best value for the money.

[@CapBamBam]

@@DakotaTrucker I can't find it when I hit the link.

[@keithburns980]

So, as you mentioned, it's an engraver not a cutter but for cutting balsa wood sheet 1/16, 1/8, 1/4 it should work?

[@AndyBirdBuilds]

I think you could. It would just take some trial and error

[@wesleyferrari8116]

U are amazing, what u are doing testing and showing to us is fantastic 😍, great idea, thanks 🙏

[@janputz4157]

I have not the slightest clue about engraving but I find that many Amazon items that seem cheap actually seem to hold themselves quite well for the amount of money. For example I got a mini multitool for engraving wood and such but got it for sanding and metal works. It was about 15 bucks and so many people complained about it. They won't do any heavy lifting but when you keeps their tasks simple and test their limits you get a cheap fairly well working tool. You just can't expect pro tier results from a low end tool but with that in mind you can get great deals for a practice tool you won't be mad about when it breaks. Which it will sooner than later.

[@dangerous8333]

Well they're not Amazon items. They're sold all over the Internet, including eBay. So you can't just say that buying it from Amazon you're going to have luck. It's a 50-50 chance no matter where you buy it from.

[@noahway13]

​@@dangerous8333 If you want to get all---- 🤓 Ackchyually... Then that was not really the point. They were talking about budget items you can order. And this video was about the cheapest laser engraver on Amazon so that is how the poster stayed on topic. And what do you mean by 50-50 chance no matter where you buy it? That is WAY wrong. If there were a 50-50 chance of getting a decent working quality item or a crap item that doesn't work, we'd all be screwed. Plus Amazon discontinues crap that gets bad ratings, and has a campaign against fraud and knock-off products so the chance of getting better quality items HAS gone way up.

[@karie9890]

Thanks for your video! OK, you call it an engraver. I'm a silver smith, and have been looking into something like this to engrave my maker's mark onto my pieces or little tags that I hang on necklaces & bracelets. Did they say if it will engrave metal? I've seen others do it, but not sure what they were using. Thanks!

[@quillmaurer6563]

Unlikely to engrave metal, that would be problematic with any laser cutter except some super high end ($10k+) fiber lasers designed specifically for metal. Metal both requires a lot more energy to do anything to, and its reflective so the laser would just bounce off without doing anything to the metal (but could potentially cause damage or injuries). Could make some pretty cool tags out of cardstock or wood though.

[@No1sonuk]

There is a way to use the laser and some material to acid etch metals - the laser "cooks" the material and makes the acid. IIRC, mustard is one such material some people use, but I'd imagine it would depend on the metal involved.

[@projectwood7221]

Very good Job...always something a little different. Big fan of these.

[@earlsauls.7510]

Thanks for your help. Good job!!!

[@AndyBirdBuilds]

Glad it helped!

[@desrickgurule2871]

Great Job on the video. Thank you !!!

[@AndyBirdBuilds]

Glad you liked it!

[@imuneik]

What happens if you just make two or three passes over the same pattern will it cut deeper?

[@AndyBirdBuilds]

Yes, that's possible, although it won't be a clean cut and will looked pretty charred.

[@JohnnyUrbanWoodsmen]

Wow, great video, really answered alot of my question. I just bought a small cheap one called ( Roomark 3.5W Output Laser Engraver Machine) from Amazon, I paid $69 for it on a sale and I couldnt resist, like I said its pretty small, the max engraving area is 5.12"x5.12", (13mmx130mm) but I bought it to mostly make engraved leather key fobs and coasters. you should do a review on this one for people with very limited space. Again thank you.

[@TresJuevos]

00:43 - I was really hoping for another pair of safety glasses! You would have been so surprised !

[@Damon_Barber]

Thanks for the review. Unfortunately for me, it looks like everyone else beat me to it and it is no longer available. 😳

[@AndyBirdBuilds]

For sure. Hopefully they'll be back in stock soon

[@samaratin]

Can we have the brand name? Trying to find it​@@AndyBirdBuilds

[@claudiaschneider3980]

What is the best unexpensive tool to print permanently on small plastic surface please? Any suggestions as of Dec. 2023? Thanks

[@mikhelcarter]

It isn't available on amazon today. Do you know where else i can buy it?

[@pauleliot6429]

thanks, needed this

[@BobMuir100]

Great video. It’s worth keeping mind that this item will not be $99 in all markets and not even on Amazon all the time!! So packing etc is a bargain at $99 but expected at $199?? Keep it up Kindest Bob England

[@AndyBirdBuilds]

Great point!

[@jakemerchant4414]

would you say it can cut 1/16th inch balsa cleanly.

[@AndyBirdBuilds]

I think so

[@jakemerchant4414]

@@AndyBirdBuilds sweet I've been looking for one that can cut plans for models on light balsa.

[@qb_balloons]

It says item not in stock and they don't know when its coming back. Any other place i can find the item?

[@richardmilne8733]

Goodonya mate. Gives me a few good ideas about some engraving I wanna get done. Fanx.

[@XIIIStefanC]

Would this laser engraver be good enough to engrave text on electronic control panels? like remove the black paint to expose the white beneath it to create text?

[@Themilitiacompound]

Have you try on different type of metals? Paint steel vs raw steel? I’m tracking the reflection and surface factor but I still would like to try. Thanks

[@donaldchase329]

Add air for cutting to clean the char out of the Kerf as well as help prevent fire and I will bet you can cut just not very thick stuff.

[@BB-wj8dv]

That is impressive. Makes me regret buying the laser attachment for my cnc all the more than I did already. Thanks for the video.

[@AndyBirdBuilds]

I was pretty impressed too. But like I said, maybe longevity is the question

[@BB-wj8dv]

@@AndyBirdBuilds Very much could be the case. That being said, a "disposable" secondary machine beats a $500 attachment that puts your workhorse out of a job for hours on end.

[@faduci]

​@@AndyBirdBuilds Longevity is heavily influenced by how you use the laser. For diode lasers the recommendation is to not use them with more than 90% power, always running at 80% will give you multiple times the lifespan, while running at 100% can burn out the diode after a short time, in some cases hours. The link you provided lists this as a 20W laser. With cheap diode lasers manufactures tend to give the module power input, while what you really need to know is the optical output. Laser diodes come in different classes, the most popular ones for laser engravers having 3.6W or 5.5W optical output, the latter most likely being what is on your machine. In some cases the optical output is printed on the laser module itself, I have a 450nm module saying "Rated Power 20W, Optical Power > 5500mW, 12V, 1.7A max", and with 12V*1.7A=20.4W, it is very obvious that the 20W is power consumption, not output. Diode laser modules with higher optical output reach it by using two or four laser diodes and combining their optical path, as "real" 10W laser diodes just hit the market and are still very expensive. Even the current models combing four diodes for a 20W optical output costs USD 200+, which makes it very likely that your 20W is really 20W input and 5.5W output. Which would still be enough to cut several mm of plywood, esp. with air assist, multiple cut passes and proper refocusing/z-axis adjustment between passes. And you got that device at an incredible bargain, as "true" 5.5W modules alone will usually cost more than half of what you payed for the whole engraver. Just keep in mind that current affordable single laser diodes can physically only deliver slightly above 5W at 100%, and will run very hot when doing so, which is what shortens the lifespan. There are some vendors selling e.g. 5.5W, 7W, 15W or 20W configurations that all list the same 5.5W optical output, if they list it at all. Meaning not only that these offers are somewhat of a sham, but also that those who go for the more "powerful"/expensive model might suffer from a diode burnout much earlier, if the lower configs run at the correct power settings while the higher ones are actually overdriven with power levels outside of the specs of the diode. That is unlikely in your case, your 20W most likely just refers to input power, adequate for a 5W output diode.

[@AduroMark-ChainReaction]

@@BB-wj8dv that's why buying a dedicated machine (tool) for each job makes the most sense. Yes, you will spend more, but you can do more and do it more efficiently with the right tool employed.

[@BB-wj8dv]

@@AduroMark-ChainReaction My cnc and all it's accessories was my first major shop purchase. It's just one of those things, hindsight is 20/20. I would make much different purchase decisions today than I did back then. Though to be fair, that was at a period in time where a garage CNC router was unheard of.

[@emilycmc662]

Do you know if this can engrave on acrylic?

[@TedBlohm]

Hey Andy, I'm looking to start doing a side hustle with wood projects. What would you recommend for engraving signs on oak, walnut, etc. Engraving or routering? Which would be most versatile or give the most flexibility. Just starting so don't have a lot of cash to start. Thanks, Ted

[@ajuric4606]

Can it make marks on stainless and carbon steel? My hand isn't what it used to be, so I'm having hard time when marking things, laser would be great if it could project solid lines on steels, it is easier to follow grooves than to make shapes for pendants on smaller pieces or knives. Or would a cnc be better for that purpose?

[@AndyBirdBuilds]

A fiber laser would work best for this

[@No1sonuk]

If you need it just for marking out, it might work. Have a look here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pIWlYoKsaMR9haM and then: kzbin.info/www/bejne/d5axaZ2eidCXm5Y

[@frankschapmire1471]

Can you engrave soft metals? Aluminum, brass, bronze, nickel, etc...?

[@eaman11]

You can cut with that: - you can't keep the material laid on the base, it has to be suspended like with a metal honeycomb, for the cheap make a bed with some one inch screws in a grid - build a small air assist with an aquarium air pump or an air compressor

[@thomaspaul311]

It's nice to see a happy review. Liked.

[@miguelbarba9670]

Can u put a rotary attachments to these ?

[@SGGamer943]

Do you want no longer available to buy on Amazon? Can you please tell me when they’re available to buy on Amazon? I love your videos. thank you for the help.

[@danpost4755]

Great review! Thanks for doing this video. Did you try it on leather?

[@jacakjacak]

Hello ,thank you very much for you time , I have a question , can I engrave saxophone (brass) ?

[@AndyBirdBuilds]

No

[@crandallwoodworking2988]

Do you HAVE to use the supplied software, or can you use something better?

[@AndyBirdBuilds]

You can use something better

[@UU-vl2kn]

What about the fumes etc. is it safe to use in a average indoor room?

[@mrsangelmarie82]

THANK YOU FOR THIS VIDEO!!!!

[@AndyBirdBuilds]

You are so welcome!

[@paulferguson2858]

Great video, how did you choose the tiger design and implemented in the program can you do the same design on a piece of the leather and do a video about it,

[@roberttriner6242]

Correction my friend, it's not so much that the white paper reflects laser light causing no effect upon it, think of it more as white is not inherently useful for absorbing light at those wavelengths. For most materials it's going to be more factor of absorption through darker color. Black will always be the best and will absorb pretty much any band of light used on common laser units whether it be CO2, mopa fiber, diode, or any series of diode pumped units. White is just terrible at light absorption.

[@bretthollenbeck812]

Very cool! I’ve seen your cheap CNC and now the laser engraver, have you ever tested a 3D printer? Thanks

[@garrettcal1812]

Does it cut vinyl templates that go into led stands?

[@rongriggs4430]

I am wanting to do some inlay work using 1/8", 1/4 or 3/8' dense foam. Will this laser cut up tp 3/8". I want to cut letter and other shapes so I can do Rapid Set concrete projects with inlays.

[@AndyBirdBuilds]

No it won't

[@robertprice9052]

LED lasers typically wont cut white materials. I tried to cut white Styrofoam but no cutting not matter the setting. REplaces it with blue foam board and it cut right through. Black foam board cut best.

[@AduroMark-ChainReaction]

You're actually lucky it cut blue. Diode lasers emit blue light, and as such don't work well on white or blue materials. However, strictly talking about engraving now, there is a "hack" you can use when working with these colors: Tempra paint (also sometimes called "poster paint") is thin and water soluble. Apply an even coat to the material you wish to engrave that the diode wouldn't normally work with (clear glass, clear acrylic, etc) and you will get fantastic results once you find your diode's sweet spot.

[@No1sonuk]

@@AduroMark-ChainReaction We've used this technique for engraving white plastic labels using a diode laser at work. We "paint" them with a black Sharpie, engrave, then wipe off with a solvent. This also leaves a small amount of the Sharpie ink in the engraving which is quite effective.

[@carguy_tmh]

If you trace the same pattern over and over would it get deeper? And possibly be a solution to cut without burning?

[@No1sonuk]

This is doable. It's a bit easier with a 3-axis machine that can automatically shift the focal point down.

[@woodysgeekchannel2204]

any other recommendations since amazon no longer sells these?

[@juventus4214]

Does it work on metal?? Thx.

[@mish1940]

Hi, I can’t get mine to work properly. Which software do I download for apple

[@jaysond04]

Does the software allow for multiple pass so that you can cut the material with out burning?

[@TheFutureAwareness]

i lost the thumbdrive for this, where can I download the software online?

[@needsomezzz]

This looks like a great engraver!

[@ronaldoquintos1675]

Well there is no more 99 dollar laser engraver in Amazon thanks for promoting it

[@KyleShaw-v1r]

Will this Lazer engrave Polly ear tag looking for something better than free hand is all. Great video

[@thanemakes5377]

I have the exact same laser you can update the firmware to be able to use lightburn…. I paid a lot more

[@AndyBirdBuilds]

Good to know

[@matn911]

Would a laser like this Ingrave QR codes on aluminum or stainless steel?

[@AndyBirdBuilds]

It will mark metal but will not engrave or cut

[@AaronTurnwald]

Laser says currently unavailable, got another link?

[@AndyBirdBuilds]

Unfortunately, no I don't. Im.not sure when the seller will have more available. Horrible timing

[@gigmaresh8772]

I heard you say the words J L 3 but never saw a shot of the brand in the video. I like to pause and screen shot so I can use as a reference for finding the product . . .

[@AndyBirdBuilds]

Link in the description to the exact product

[@monkey2d731]

what software do you use on computer

[@matthewframe1435]

What did you use to burn

[@buchsg]

Maybe at 99$ it worth it but i think the brand makes this price just for your order… Actually you can’t find any laser engraver at this price point even on AliExpress or Banggood so certainly not on Amazon. The cheapest I found was 175$ and at this price I don’t think it worth it, I had prefer to buy a K40, yes it’s way more at 400$ but way more capabilities too

[@juztmystyle6496]

what about if you wanted to make some plastic stencils like for making curbside numbers or designs? would you recommend this or suggest another type of cutter?

[@brookduncan1050]

will a chromebook work with the program?

[@tayd3ll399]

Hey love the video. Since you already did a video on the CNC1610 pro you could actually do an even cheaper laser engraver by getting the module that was made for the cnc machine. I believe you will have a pretty similar experience though. Still good job on the videos!

[@memphisartguy2]

Cool video. Btw you can get a pad of 50 sheets of news print paper at the dollar tree, i always use that in preprints and fine tuning. At 2 cents a test print, its hard to beat. Also if your doing the engraving, you really aught to invest in a good roll of Masking tape (The big stuff) to help with over burn and smoke.

[@dangerous8333]

There aren't free materials you can use for test prints?

[@stevejackson3564]

do I get to create my own design or just use there pre loaded designs.

[@AndyBirdBuilds]

You can create your own

[@mahmoudfattal171]

Great video can I us this machine to cut raber 5mm it's soft one please

[@AndyBirdBuilds]

Thanks! I'm not sure what raber is

[@nav01nav]

Can u engrave on metal with this sort of machine? Or only wood

[@AndyBirdBuilds]

It won't work on metal

[@cjandjoannegodkin3787]

What about multiple passes to cut through thin wood?

[@Superstition-Creations]

can it do aluminum tags fine detail

[@stevematt89]

You can cut 1-3mm birch/mdf if you run multiple passes instead of one slow pass.

[@thm.2225]

Is there any chance to cut iron 3 mm ?

[@AndyBirdBuilds]

No

[@thm.2225]

@@AndyBirdBuilds So is there any laser could use it to cut iron less than 0.5 cm

[@AndyBirdBuilds]

Look up fiber laser for small stuff. You'd need a plasma table to cut large dimensions

[@thm.2225]

@@AndyBirdBuilds Ohh ok Thank you

[@davidflores-xt6ed]

Will something like this engrave on steel?

[@HeatherHunterJ]

This video is a tease of epic proportion’s 😂❤ thanks for showing us - wish was still around

[@Grant-H2O]

Does it engrave aluminum?

[@volksbugly]

I would like to see what it would do to metal.

[@mrmidnight32]

Can you buy the laser by it self? I have a CNC machine and just need a laser to start engraving but can’t find any

[@AndyBirdBuilds]

Check out Jtech

[@frankherrera355]

Would this cut 3m vhb tape??

[@dylansherman1915]

would this work for engraving leather patches to be used on hats?

[@AndyBirdBuilds]

Yes

[@DavisPerry-t8i]

can you put a link in the description

[@micah_noel]

I think one of the only reasons I even want a machine is because I’m too lazy and sloppy with hand routing and scrollsaw/bandsaw. I have to stay far away from my lines to avoid errors or chipout, which then means way too much time sanding and making a mess of the shop. I have this ideal dream of a machine helping me to avoid all this, and being able to go straight to gluing parts that are perfectly cut to fit together. But realistically a CNC or laser probably isn’t going to save me enough time or energy to make it worth my while unless I were using it to mass produce small parts that need to be identical. And that’s not really what I’m doing.

[@Guingoyo4Life]

Can I use of this to engraving baseball balls?

[@mksmith713]

does it work on stainless steel?

[@Binighted]

I randomly bought this last week and found your channel looking for info about it! Great video! I feel great about my impulse buy now 😂, it should be more than enough for the light projects I have in mind, on a side note, the description said you can use your android or ios device to use it through bluetooth, can you confirm?

[@AndyBirdBuilds]

Cool. I didn't try the Bluetooth option.

[@DanteYewToob]

Did you ever figure that out? I’m looking to buy this but I don’t have a computer, I do have an iPad and a few phones I can use.

[@AlienRelics]

One of the reviews says the QR code for the Android driver does not work.

[@monster_eh3938]

Will this cut acrylic

[@pest5373]

Worth noting that usually safety glasses that come with lasers are always awful and not good enough

[@daviedood2503]

Does this work on metal like glock slides?

[@Gorilla_Jones]

How is it holding up?

[@salomevargas8727]

Does engrave metal?

[@AaronGlenn88]

Hi thanks for the review do you think it would be could with leather?

[@codebeat4192]

Is it possible to mount this onto a wall? When you can mount this onto a wall it doesn't take up much space. I was thinking to mount it on a wooden plate onto a wall. It also makes it easier to suck away the fumes especially when you make a small cabinet/enclosure for it with a transparent door at the front. Good or bad idea?

[@eaman11]

no

[@dangerous8333]

Bad idea.

[@VoNam-f5d]

Have you tried this on any hard plastics? I want to label my planer boards and maybe some fishing lures.

[@RossPotts]

Are engravers like these powerful enough to engrave metal?

[@AlienRelics]

No way. You need a fiber laser for that. It can possibly be used to mark metal. A marking coating is applied, the laser hardens it and the excess is removed.

[@apellerito3]

So, could you use light burn software with this laser engraver, or similar ones? Or do you have to use the software provided?

[@AndyBirdBuilds]

It can't out of the box but some people have commented that an upgrade is available.