Anyone have a recommendation for a small portable laser engraved I can use to engrave my logo on furniture pieces? I’m currently considering the Laserpecker L1.
Woah, that thing looks neat! I don’t have any suggestions bc I just found out something like this exists
Diode galvo lasers are indeed intriguing. Just know going in that they’re different from what you’re used to. At 1.6 watts the LaserPecker 1 is remarkably weak. Also, given the way light is guided by moving mirrors, the area of coverage is pretty small. Lastly, the light from diode lasers behaves differently from the light of CO2 lasers, for instance it won’t etch on white materials.
All this is to say just know what you’re getting. It’s not bad, it’s just different.
If small area engraving on the right materials is your goal they’re really cool. I have friends who use the LaserPecker to brand turned items right at the lathe. Also, there are specialty materials that etch with remarkable results as they burn away a micro-thin layer of surface material to reveal stark contrast. Some of the images they use to sell the device are of etches on this material because the results are impressive. An example of such a marketing image can be seen below.
I have a diode laser and it’s great for what it does.
I have an Ortur Laser Master 2 with a 15W diode module (they measure by input power so actual output is around 5W on a good day) that I’ve used with success for engraving. It’s slow but works well enough for small jobs and I go to Asmbly for bigger / high volume projects. I’m looking at the Laserpecker for the specific use purpose of engraving my logo on furniture and larger items.
Have your friends had good, reliable experiences with their Laserpecker machines?
Yes, they’re all in the SDWT turning community and their ambitions are to etch marks on wood. The greatest feature for them is portability. They’re able to etch where the material is rather than take the material to a laser for marking. It’s the LaserPecker L1 they’re using which is now quite inexpensive with the release of the L2.
If you’d like to see an example of this material …
Endorsement from my son-in-law: “The material is pretty neat! The faux-leather is super thin and gives way to a black felt-like layer almost immediately. Results in crisp lines even with minimal power from my lil 15 watt (aka 4.5 watts output) laser. That being said, gradients are likely not gonna happen. I’ve technically only used the “chestnut” color, but my assumption is that holds true for the others. The black one has a contrasting gray backing according to a couple photos. I’ve attached their “tech tips” doc.”
If anybody wants a copy of the aforementioned “tech tips” PDF then let me know