Woodturning and Laser Engraving: Like Peanut Butter & Jelly? Testing the Ortur Laser Master 3

[@mr.modern4419]

Lisa, you never cease to amaze me with your skills, ingenuity and desire to tackle new things. This new laser engraver looks like it offers endless possibilities and will help take your work to a whole new level. All the best to you with this new tool you have!!! Enjoy!!!

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Bruce! Thank you, I am pretty geeked about this! 😁

[@tonyblanco305]

This is exactly the type of thing I bought my laser for, so please keep experimenting! I appreciate that you're using it to do original things and not just engrave a stock piece of clipart on the 3mm basswood sample board. Cudos to you for jumping right in. My first project involved engraving leather too. Holy smell! :)

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Tony! Yeah, it’s a little…ummm..organic? 😂

[@ronnielloyd4514]

I can’t see a professional wood turner without one of these. I have a lathe and all the tools but I do this as a hobby. I can’t see me buying one but I’m impressed with your work.

[@LisaRamlow]

Thank you Ronnie!

[@pfiltz]

I just bought a Monport 55w. I like it.

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Phillip! Yeah, there are lots on the market. I have another one to review, that one is portable Neither are particularly powerful but I’m not intending to do a lot of cutting so we’ll see how they go. Having said that, the Ortur is supposed to cut 20mm pine but I need to learn about the file types and just have some time to play with it 👍

[@pfiltz]

@@LisaRamlow I basically just wanted to add it to the wood shop to make home décor, slate coasters, etc... As they say, just another tool. I finally got a site up and running, now working on promotional material. Just a side hustle for me.

[@mpart_woodlathe-stuff]

Nice addition to your shop Lisa. And so versatile. I have a feeling Lightburn would reduce that 1-1/2 hr. job by a lot. One accessory to put on your ToBuy list is a camera - Lightburn can allow you to line up, for example, your rim feature by overlaying the computer screen and cam's view of the target. Makes set up quick and easy. FHS, please use proper eye protection at all times when the laser is on - it will burn a retina in milliseconds ! Take care. -Mike

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Mike! Oooohhh it sounds like you know things about the software! I have a lot to learn. I’m not opposed to buying LightBurn but I was a little crunched for time in getting this review video done and published so I watched some tutorials on LaserGRBL and fumbled my way through some projects. I have to figure out what file types to use when and how to do greyscale so it comes out nicely, all that stuff. I wear the glasses that came with the laser but must’ve taken them off to do something on the computer and forgotten to put them back on. I spend more time looking for things I had 2 minutes ago and now can’t figure out where I put them down. 🙄 I am also going to build an enclosure for it so I can vent it out the exhaust vent I just installed through the wall, and I’ll get orange acrylic for the top. So I’ll have glasses, the cone around the laser and a viewing panel to keep my eyeballs from getting fried. I’m kinda fond of being able to see things 😁

[@DiemenDesign]

@@LisaRamlow Welcome to the world of spending more time looking for the tool you just had in hand than time spent working on the project. Unfortunately, it happens more often as we age, haha.

[@rayworstine4399]

Good evening, Lisa. Nice demo. I was impressed with the engraving on the rim of them bowl. All the best to you.

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Ray! 😁

[@mikec53]

Interesting. I've often wondered about these things. Thanks for posting.

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Mike! Doing my logo and the handwriting on the bottom of the projects is what I initially planned to do with it and I’m super excited about that, but there are so many more possibilities!

[@davidmorgan7522]

Cool! Thanks for showing us! Take care, Dave

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Dave!

[@clivefelgate9802]

What a piece of kit!! The possibilities are only limited by our minds. Really like the rim work ,could have hours of fun . Keep safe. C.

[@LisaRamlow]

Yeah I’m pretty stoked, got lotsa ideas 😁

[@bigboy9706]

Awesome tool. That's a nice Lazer engraver

[@LisaRamlow]

So far I’m impressed!

[@hansolavpedersen5521]

Very cool and so much to make with this. To bad to advanced for me to use. Good luck with this Lisa, looking forward to se new creations from you. Greetings Hans Olav

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Hans Olav! I’m very excited 😁

[@amandatallis9875]

Really cool video loved watching you do the laser engravings

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Amanda!

[@krisknowlton5935]

The hose is difficult to install, you need to push it in a little harder and it will hold. Do yourself a favor and get LightBurn. The program is extremely powerful and easy to use. Beats the heck out of going from Inkscape and then going to Laser GRBL. Their trace function works really well.

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Kris. I’ve been watching some LightBurn tutorials and I am going to buy it. Have lots to learn yet about the types of files to use for each function but haven’t had time to play around much yet.

[@krisknowlton5935]

@@LisaRamlow the LightBurn team are committed to making LightBurn the best laser software you can get and they have succeeded in my opinion. I have a vinyl cutter and make signs. I don't use my sign making software anymore because LightBurn is way better for making any type of vector graphic. You can try it for month for free to see if you like it so you can't loose. By the way I enjoyed your video.

[@alinmayerthorpe7801]

Well Lisa, that looks like a fun thing to add to your woodturning hobby, I have looked at them but can't afford one right now as my pension would not be enough but hoping for good sales at some craft sales I attend, thanks! cheers Al

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks for watching Al!

[@silvershooter555]

Cool! Looks like a fun tool. Looking forward to more videos from you about this. 🙂

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Bruce! I’m excited to have some time to play with it a little more, got lotsa stuff to learn but I think it’s gonna be an amazing thing to have!

[@DiemenDesign]

Some good ideas. I got the Neje Master 2, it does 176mm square so not as large in area as yours, but it beats doing logo by hand, lol, and a lot crisper. I don't think you can get away from the scorched edges, other than lightly sanding after to remove the worst of it. Didn't know about using markers or paint for glass, that was interesting. I've seen people using masking tape, and burning through that to reduce the scorched areas, not sure how affective that is, but worth trying. I also use Inkscape in Linux, then transfer the image much larger than needed, at least 1000x1000 pixel size, then the Android app for the Neje allows me to set the burn area size, then the machine will outline the area where the burn extremities will happen. I have yet to get Lightburn to work with my machine, even though it's supposed to. Last time I spoke to the developers, there were still software issues they were working out for Linux, mainly with layout positioning of the widgets. Over all, regardless of the which laser people get, they are a fantastic and time saving edition. Thanks for sharing Lisa, I'm hoping to get videos and projects uploaded soon myself.

[@LisaRamlow]

Yeah, I will probably sand it lightly but have also seen the masking tape trick. I am still playing with the settings - didn’t have time to get experiment before I had to get the video done so I just used the material settings in the software or app, so I may be able to get better results tweaking the settings. Overall I’m pretty geeked about it!

[@markthompson6860]

great job gal x

[@LisaRamlow]

Thanks Mark!

[@_zhawkeye_9808]

...it's a cool looking machine...thanks for the review...I would suggest that anyone working around a laser wear eye protection...it'll need to be selected based on the laser wavelength... I worked with several different lasers in the past...of course, we had danger signs posted...my favorite, instead of the standard warning "DANGER", it said "DANG"...followed by "Do not look into laser with remaining eye"...(you can find these online)...

[@LisaRamlow]

Both laser engravers I received came with glasses and the orange cone around the laser unit that I assume would block the wavelength their unit uses…we can hope so anyway! I am going to build an enclosure for the Ortur to use with the exhaust vent I just installed through the wall and I intend to put a piece of orange acrylic on top to view through. I usually do wear the glasses while I’m using the unit but probably set them down on the table behind me a couple of times and forgot to put them back on. I like my eyeballs just how they are so I’ll make sure to be careful 👍

[@_zhawkeye_9808]

@@LisaRamlow ...cool...I'm glad that the manufacturer to the initiative to include the glasses...and yes, the shroud around the laser should block it from escaping...but be careful with anything reflective...the laser could reflect from under the shroud... I enjoy all your vids, so keep 'em comin'...👍

[@cgstf]

Thanks so much for sharing! I've considered an engraver for a while now, they just cost so much. Have you used any of the accessories for cylindrical engraving?

[@LisaRamlow]

Hey Chris! I’ll have a video out tomorrow of the LaserPecker2, which I got with the cylinder roller attachment. They have one for the Ortur and I will likely buy one at some point. There are tons of engravers out there and depending on the size, some of them aren’t too terribly expensive and I expect as more get out on the market the prices will go down some. It’s definitely going to be a huge asset to my shop 😁

[@cgstf]

@@LisaRamlow I can't wait to see it!

[@ronhollenbeck]

Is it easy to elevate the laser for engraving the bottom of an upside down 5" high bowl?

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Ron! Yes, the unit itself is light enough to move around easily but is very sturdy and solid. I put a couple of pieces of MDF under the feet to elevate enough to do the bottom of the Yarn Bowl. I am going to make an enclosure for it and will have slots at a couple of different heights to allow the spoil board/surface to be different distances away from the laser unit, which will be near the top of the enclosure. This is help exhaust the smoke too, as I ran a 4” duct out the wall with an inline duct fan. I’ll do a Workshop Wednesday video of this when I get that far. I still have a lot to learn but I’m impressed so far.

[@staynavytom2963]

Which is better: ortur or the laser pecker? I need something simple to set up and use. I’m old and get frustrated with technology that doesn’t do what I want or think it should do.

[@LisaRamlow]

Hi Tom! It depends a little on what you want to use it for and whether or not you have a smart phone. Also, I am going to be checking out another gantry-style laser engraver shortly and that will be a giveaway!

[@davo-h1t]

I like them though I can't work out how to program mine to cut!!!

[@LisaRamlow]

Hey Chris! Are you using LightBurn? If yes, there isn’t an actual “cut” function - you use the “line” function but set the power and speed

[@davo-h1t]

@@LisaRamlow Nah I just use the basic software I think that came with it. It's on my computer in the shed so can't remember what it is. I wish things could be more straight forward for those of us who have filled up most of our brain space already 😉

[@TheDistur]

Neato

[@LisaRamlow]

Agree! Lotsa possibilities 😁