mini laser engraver

[mike knapp]

Hello everyone,

I need some advise. I make pen's just for a hobby. A few of my friends wanted to me to engrave pens for them. What would anyone recommend using? I don't have much money to spend, looking around $150.00.

Thank you in advance.
MK

[Mike Null]

I believe you'd do well to find an engraver in your area. There isn't much worth having for that price.

[Gary Hair]

There isn't anything you could buy for $150 that would engrave anything, even the cheapest of the Chinese lasers will run you 10 times that at a minimum. Your best bet would be to send them to someone with a laser and have them do it.

[Keith Sherwin]

Another option is a manual engraver from Harbor Freight. Have your friends put their own signature on the pen!
< $8.00

[Steve McKee]

Hi Mike. Where are you located? May be someone in your area that you could have do the work for you. As the others have mentioned you won't find anything in your price range that would be capable of doing a decent job.

Steve

[Clark Pace]

I think you can get those for around $100. They will engrave. But very slow and simple designs. If its for fun then you are probably ok. But i am the type of person who likes to try things. But it is more of toy. A toy than can be dangerous.

[Bill George]

I think you can get those for around $100. They will engrave. But very slow and simple designs. If its for fun then you are probably ok. But i am the type of person who likes to try things. But it is more of toy. A toy than can be dangerous.

Clark are you talking about those little eBay machines using laser diodes?
Like this? > eBay item# 111901911985

[Bruce Clumpner]

Another option, if you still want to play with a laser is to find a maker-space in your area that has a laser. It seems like most do!. For a reasonable monthly membership fee you can book time on the laser for your production needs as well as have access to any other machinery you would benefit from.

[Clark Pace]

Clark are you talking about those little eBay machines using laser diodes?
Like this? > eBay item# 111901911985

Like this: eBay item# 161791765360

But again not more then just a toy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPUwIvR66lc

[David Somers]

Mike,

Bruce's idea about going to a maker space is a good one. Not only would it allow you to do your jobs on a decent machine, but they usually have classes and on site help as well. The cost is usually pretty reasonable and probably you can choose one of several types of memberships. You don't say where you live? But most any town with a university or college or even a decent community college community will have a maker shop somewhere near. You will typically find at least a laser, CNC, wood shop, sewing, electronics, etc. Just do a search in Google on Maker Space and the name of your town, or your nearest decent size town if you are in a very small community. You can pay for many many months of time in a maker shop for the cost of a decent laser, and get trained and proficient in them at the same time, AND decide if a laser is really a tool for you in the long run beyond what you are using it for in the maker space.

Dave

[Bill George]

I could see those mini diode lasers (2 watt) having some use for hobby use and I may get one.... someday just to see how they work. The software as I understand is terrible, with improvements to the software it would be an interesting project to learn on. .