I'm going to do it..

[lucas kreft]

So my cousin said he would give me $2000.. if that's all it costs for a laser.
I will save $1000-2k.
I buy a cheap Chinese laser with a 300x300m 12x12" 40-50w range via alibaba.com (http://www.alibaba.com/catalogs/--520------------139-7731,1379-4563) .
Get er done.
Buy some extra tubes (rf boards?), because I know things will mess up and I won't be able to afford a month gap in the middle of a project.

Start my business
I say max I can squeeze 4-5k total start up. I grew up in foster care, can't afford a 10k+ machine, so all I need is a 1sq/ft bed area and I'm gold.
Wait a month or so until I receive my crate.
I want something small so I can fit in my basement.. if it could fit through a small door..
..Good plan?

Q. When a machine says it can do 300x300mm do they "really" mean 305x305mm?

Q. Can you buy any wattage tubes? I.E. If you have a 40w machine, and it has "Acme brand 40w" tubes and you see "Chuck Norris 40w" tubes that are cheaper or any other brand 40w tubes.. Can they fit in your machine? Or is it specific to the machine you have. sorry was having fun

Thanks!

[Rodne Gold]

Read my thread "chinese lasers .. they are here!!" DO NOT BUY those small desktop real el cheapo lasers that are $1-2k - they are JUNK!!! (compared to what you can get for a little more)
You will have to spend at least $4-5k including shipping to get a "real" laser with a decent tube an some spares. Unfortunately , the "real" lasers are not small machines , and you will have trouble fitting em thru a small door..maybe you can change your plans.

[Dan Hintz]

Unless you have another source of income, you won't be able to start a business on $4-5k. A good business will take a couple of years to really start turning a profit, and I would eat through $4k paying mortgage, car, utilities, food, etc in under two months if I was careful.

[Mike Null]

Don't give up your day job.

[George M. Perzel]

A business plan, a business plan, and, above all, a business plan.
Good Luck
Best Regards;
George
Laserarts

[Martin Boekers]

Don't give up your day job.

Reminds me of the old joke.....

How do you get an engraver off your front porch?

Pay him for the pizza!

[Jiten Patel]

Lucas,
Don’t be deterred by the comments. You can make it work. But it takes much much more than just a piece of equipment.

Start off with a solid business plan, a niche product, the market you want to get in. Then ask yourself if it has already been done, if it hasn’t, why hasn’t it? If it has, what will you bring to the market that hasn’t already been done and will set you apart from the others? If you can answer all of these and you still think you can make money then onto the next stage.

Develop your product. Find out how much is it going to cost you to produce what you want to produce. The product, packaging etc etc. Again if it still looks like you might make some money then work out running costs. All the other costs associated with running a business. Bills, maintenance, other bits and bobs you may need to make it work and above all, time. If it takes you 10 hours to make something, how much can you possible sell it for without pricing yourself out, and making a profit.

How will you market your idea? Cost of website. Advertising. Marketing. PR. The list goes on. You may not want to do all of this from the get go, but you need at least a few marketing avenues for it to work! You can have the most amazing, innovative idea on the planet, but if no one knows it exists what’s the point!

Don’t just rely on your judgement too, as obviously you are going to think your idea is the best. Ask other people, people who know what they are doing, other companies, friends and if all comes back with the thumbs up then you may be onto a winner.

After you have done all of that, then think about buying a machine and make it happen!

Good luck with it.

[Dee Gallo]

Jit speaks the truth.

[Scott Shepherd]

If I had to start with $4,000-5,000, I'd skip the laser, but a dye sublimation set up, a nice heat press (nice heat press is very important) and then I'd buy a vinyl plotter.

Those two machines will make you enough money to pay cash for the laser at a later date.

[Mike Chance in Iowa]

I grew up in foster care

All these famous and successful people also grew up in foster care. Don't let that statement hold you back! http://www.fosterclub.com/famous

[lucas kreft]

Hey thanks for your comments! I'm already ahead of you guys...
I have been advertising my previous work.. I have clients all I need is the laser and do some samples. I also stated my price range in my advertising.
Years ago I received a multimedia graphic design diplomia from college and in one of the final classes was business. corporate identity.. My group did a 30 page business plan. We got a 99.5% we lost the .5 because I didn't wear a tie in the presentation.. I have been doing a business plan off my model I just need statistics canada.. For the laser market/art/whatever fits with lasers.
There is a novelty store in my city that has a laser. I have spoke with them and have outsourced one work from one of my clients.
I got a piece back from them, and I wasn't too pleased, so I didn't give the client "my work", and I'm not going to tell them what they are doing wrong..

I'm not going to quit my renovation/graphic design/newsletter facilitator/public speaking/board member etc.. opportunities ;) I do a lot for my community and youth that were in my shoes.
I'm just poor heh!! ...
I had my hands on a Chinese laser and made magic out of it years ago. I plan on doing the same, but now as a sole proprietorship. And I am showing examples of my work and asking the manufactures if the laser can produce. I plan on running the bearings out of it the first year and do things..

[Michael Simpson Virgina]

Having a buisness depend on a $1000-$2000 laser is asking for failure. The people on this forum are not negative. They know how hard it is to make a living with a laser. Dont forget you need a air exaust system and hoses and a air compressor. I have over $1000 invested in my exaust and compressor.

[Emma austin]

Something about your first post scares me a bit!
Keep saving and wait til you can afford a decent laser which is less likely to let you down.
Have 3 different high end business ppl check over your business plan and ensure they give you concise feedback.
I am sure you do have it all worked out, but either way, starting by scraping together money for a low end laser is not the best start. Especially when you add on exhaust etc...
I wish you the best of luck though :)

[lucas kreft]

i have been talking to a representative in china thinking of getting the jcut 4060 60w. i read the manual and it looks similar to a laser i was using 3 years ago.
i seen samples of the machines work and i spoke to the girl told her my situation and i might get free shipping/reduced rate. she said she would talk to her tech..
the only thing is im going to look up lasercut 5.7 because that is the software and i am not familiar with it, but it should be good. the bed is 400x600mm so its what i need

[Martin Boekers]

Lucas, you already are a step up on most with having knowledge of graphics. Handling graphics is a much steeper curve
than handling the laser.

You'll find a few here with extensive knowledge not only on lasers and engraving, but the whole business.

Rodne is one... Pay attention to what he says. He knows how to make it work.

As you have seen with a local shop owning a laser won't necessarly make you and engraver or money.
It's much more. If some seem negative it's only that we have seen to many believe in the dreams that vendors
sell us. It's not as easy as they proclaim. Successes are made everyday and much will rely on yourself.

If you can go to a trade show by all means do, well worth the investment of time and money.

You'll find with those who become successful most have at one time or another have read every post in this forum.
Some don't as they have proclaimed that it takes to much time that they don't have?! If you find you don't have time
to further your knowledge you are setting yourself up to make your journey longer and more difficult.

Make use of SMC seach engine as most everything has been addressed in some form here. Bookmark the ones you may
need reference to later.

Many here have proclaimed that a better start may be Dye Sub, a vinyl cutter or a CNC machine.
So don't rule those out, each machine has it's purpose and typically can pay for itself quicker than a laser.

You'll have a blast with your laser it can do so many different things as you will see in this forum.
You are only limited by your own creativity.


Good Luck!