Newbie Request

[Greg Schumacher]

I am an absolute newbie but have spent numerous hours on the creek looking for info and answers. I am on the verge of purchasing a laser to use as a hobby / and maybe a little profit but not in any way required to support my family.

So thanks to all for all of your contributions to allow a "geek" like me to find great info on almost everything pertaining to the Laser Engraving industry.

I was just wondering if it would be acceptable to get a makeup of this great group in terms of the Lasers that you personally use?

[Nancy Laird]

Greg, we have two ULS machines, a 1996-built M-20 (20W) machine that is still on the original tube. We also have an M-360 (40W) that we bought used two years ago (it was built in 2005). We use the fire out of both of them--in fact, they are both running as I write this, on a job requiring images on 250 pieces of alder. We use our rotary (on the 40W machine) pretty regularly for glassware, and I use the air-assist pretty often also--it helps keep the scorch marks and the smoke off the piece being lasered. We do primarily wood items--plaques, name tags, key tags, desk name plates, business cards and bookmarks (from 1/32" Finnish birch ply), and lots of PSA veneer logos. I also cut parts for a customer from 1/8" BB ply (that's when I use the air assist the most).

The learning curve for using the laser itself is short--the learning curve for CorelDraw is steep. We've had our two lasers for nearly four years, and I'm still learning about things I can do with CorelDraw.

We were very lucky when we bought our first laser, as we purchased it from the widower of the lady who owned it, and with the laser came all of her art and all of her contracts. So we weren't starting from scratch in having a customer base--we have expanded our customer base and our memberships in several different woodworking forums has brought us some customers also.

We aren't supporting ourselves with our lasers; LOML is retired military and gets a retirement check each month, and he is gainfully employed by another business, and I get a Social Security check each month. But our bottom line is nice and the extra $$ are nice to have also.

Good luck on your research and your purchase. Both Mike MacKenzie (ULS) and Peck Sidara (Epilog) are members here, along with other people who are associated with companies that market lasers.

[Angus Hines]

I have one 60W Exploerer II GCC/Pinnacle/LaserPro and another one GCC Spirit GX on the way.