K40 Laser Cutter/Engravers... How Are They Really?!?
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 ส.ค. 2024
- I heard much about these mysterious cheap Chinese "K40" Lasers. I decided to take the leap, and this is what I found out.
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Amazon K40 Laser Link: (These go in and out of stock often, so I will try to keep these K40 links current in hopes you can find one!)
www.amazon.com...
If you still have your heart set on a Glowforge, you can use my referral code to get:
$600 off a pro, $300 off a plus, or $150 off a basic!
I'll get credit too! Use the link below.
glowforge.us/f...
List of Potential K40 Upgrades:
www.amazon.com...
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Software I use:
Adobe Creative Cloud (Includes everything listed below):
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Adobe Photoshop (Raster Graphics):
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Adobe Illustrator (Vector Graphics):
adobe.prf.hn/c...
Adobe Premiere (Video Editing):
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Adobe After Effects (Video Effects):
adobe.prf.hn/c...
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Social Links:
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Can this be used on metal?
That is a simple question with a complicated answer.
While you cannot directly engrave or cut metals, there are still ways you can use the laser along with metals in your projects.
The laser can remove surface coatings on metals such as powdercoating or anodization. This allows you to engrave stainless steel tumblers and water bottles, as it is actually just engraving/removing the paint coating, letting the steel color show through.
You could also spray paint the metals and then laser away a design into the paint revealing bare metal making a mask/resist layer. Then use an salt water/electric setup etching setup to engrave/etch into the metal where your paint was removed. Remove the paint using acetone. You are left with an accurately etched surface.
If you still want to get a laser to engrave metals, you should look into "fiber lasers", but be prepared to spend at least $3000.
Geeksmithing thanks for taking the time to answer his question your answered a question I had. And subscribed!😁🛫
Hi. Thx for thw video. I liked. At least we can engraving on stainless steel?
@@marckleejoseph2498 nope.
Hi mate whats the largest size material you can engrave? Thanks mate
I’ve had one of these for 2 years. Played with it for a month and gave up because of the software and lack of knowledge base. This has inspired me to give it another go. Thank you very much. Subscribed 🏴
Oh wow. That is the best compliment I could receive! Thank you! Reach out if you get stuck again! We are in this together!
I've had a K40 for several years now and love it. I have done several upgrades however. I replaced the board with a cohesion 3d board ( I think it is based on the smoothie board but is sized to fit perfectly in the K40) . The board was only $100 and was the best upgrade I think you can do. I also made an electric water chiller from an Igloo ice machine ($90) and a temperature controlled outlet( made for a few dollars). The water chiller has worked great for 2 years now. I also added a motorized Z bed and air assist. All in all I probably have about $800 into it (including the laser itself) but now have a great machine that can hold it's own against much more expensive machines. The only issue I have now is the size (300mm X200mm). I think that the K40 is a great buy with a few accessories.
Thanks for your thoughts on the K40. I also have a Cohesion board, but have yet to install it. Looking forward to messing with that soon. Cheers!
@@Geeksmithing I think you will be very pleased with the Cohesion once you install it. I use laserWeb with mine and love it. Thanks for a great video and good luck with the new board.
I have had one for almost 3 years. Had to replace the laser power supply after only 2 months, warranty took care of that. Had to replace laser tube after about 6 months. I paid for that. Installed a real air nozzle system. Got rid of the clamping system and put in an aluminum grid for a bed. Built my own rotary device. Working good now.
I hope you see this... Do you have time to share more about your air nozzle system, the clamping system and your rotary device?
I assume for the clamping you the bed you put in has tapped holes spaced at regular even intervals. Ready to buy one of these, but would like to learn as much as I can. The rotary device would be a must have, but the once I saw on Amazon were close to $200.00.
4:11 I like how the red highlighted squares are actually transformed to perspective rather than just a flat square
nice work
Thanks for noticing that!:) Cheers.
That impressed me as well. If you took the time to get that right, then I have a lot of confidence in what you said in your video.
Great video Wes; I bought one last year on your advice and it’s already paid for itself twice over. It allows me to personalize hand crafted items. Thumbs up.
Woo hoo! That's great to hear!!
Can you engrave on glass as well?
I subscribed after watching this. I like how you get to the point and tell us just what we need to know. Great video.
Thanks Ken!! Cheers!!
I am also now subscribed for same reason! Also your a smartass and I respect That. Say it like it is, in a world full unicorns and snowflakes I like to hear its great or POS. Keep them vids coming.
@@markh2128 haha, thanks for the sub! Hope you like some of my other videos. 😄
I just did the same. Great video and can't wait to see more about the K40
@@_M317 cheers!
This is a must for anyone into stippling firearms and magazines.
With it being 40 watt can you use it for the serial numbers
@@osccha1834 lol possibly on aluminum plates, but probably not into steel
it may seems really low quality but surprisingly almost all machines I sold since 3 years ago didn't came back for service and working good :) it worth the price you pay it .
You, sir, just sold me on a 400 dollar laser engraver. Excellent review! Also, I just subbed. Thanks!
Hey, thank you sir! Happy to help. I have had mine for over a year now and it's still going strong! Thanks for the sub, let me know if you like any other videos:)
Is there a tool or setup that comes with it to do silicone bracelets
The weird format paper manual was most likely A4 size, as used in every country in the world...except the USA
It was a deadpan joke. :P Sorry.
@Bingus McDrangus Murica fuk yea
I bought one of those about 2 years ago in hoping 60 watts was enough to engrave metal since I know 100 watts can. It works great as you have shown on many other materials. But for my purposes its a no go, in hopes of engraving guns and such. It won't even leave a mark on aluminum as thin as a cigarette wrapper. So any other smiths out there forget this thing unless you just want to burn grips and stocks. Your video is exactly how the machine is, good job man. One last thing, I did run my machine with that software and it is horrible and all in Chinese, so I just clicked and poked around until I made it run. I was unaware of any other software because I never bothered looking once I found its limitations. So I just sit the thing in a corner and plugged back up my cnc router. My post is just a warning to others who may have the same idea as I did. No metal of any kind. Everything else, it does great.
Thanks for the in depth comment! You are right regarding the inability to engrave depth into metals, but that doesn't necessarily mean that you cannot use metals with the K40 for projects. It can however affect surface coatings on metals such as anodization and powdercoating. So while that not be of much use for gunsmithing applications like you mentioned, it might be a good fit for others. 🤷♂️ I am currently gathering materials to do a gunsmithing centric video with the K40, such as stippling polymer components, as I have had a ton of questions regarding this. :)
While writing my comment I just realized you must have a 40 watt version, when I bought mine it was advertised as 60 watts, the lase tube looks to be identical to yours, so that tells me that mine is only 40 watts as well. Once again great video, straight to the point without the b.s.
I appreciate the kind words! Cheers!
Sold me. I am getting one.
Just downloaded the software you recommended so I'll get a jump on it before the unit arrives. Thanks for posting great content!
Oh sweet! Happy to help! Feel free to reach out if you run into a snag!
the one u have is a Mophorn or Orion??
I use various £50,000+ units at work and to be honest apart from a lot of QOL features the etching on yours seems to be on par with what the systems I use can do. Cool video!
Oh neat! That's interesting! Thanks for checking it out. Please stick around and enjoy some of my other projects!:)
Thank you! Bought a business over a year ago that has 2 x 100, 1 x 60 and 1 x 40 laser. Steeeep learning curve for me as learning everything from scratch. I haven't even touched the 60 and 40 as yet as I have no program/driver for them and the forums send me in 100 directions to get one. Thanks for the heads up on those programs.
Oh wow. What kinds of things do you make? Glad to help!
Personalised puzzles, assorted trinket boxes, toys, promotional key trags and magnets. Check our redearthtoys.com
A buddy of mine bought on of these, he has made a few small tweaks, and after learning how to use inkscape and the suppplied software he has successfully been putting this machine to work in his small woodshop, and has definitely made enough money to pay for it many times over, I'm over there weekly and I have not heard him talk about any serious issues, we both know its cheap and its easy to see why upon inspection, but if your handy and resourceful it works quite well and has added a lot of value to his shop. He bought it primarily to toy around with laser engravers and explore how he could make money with it before spending 5-10K on bigger better unit
I have noted if you stop an engraving halfway through, or as in one case windows decided to update while we werent looking and stopped an engraving halfway through its progress, it would be nice if there was a way to pick up where it left off if you experience a problem.... he has not tried cutting any material clean through yet, but he has gotten handy at zeroing the laser on a origin point and making jigs for engraving many similar parts, and has gotten familiar enough with the software and setting to get good result most of the time
That is a very good assessment of how it is running one of these. Once you get a nice flow going, it's a good little money maker. Thanks for taking the time to write and post such a helpful comment! It definitely adds value here. Cheers!😎
@@Geeksmithing no problem I was honestly surprised to see someone make a video about them, but you did and you did a great job
@@DEVUNK88 there are a good number of them out there, I just tried to take a different approach and it seemed people liked it. I hope to do some more in this series soon. Thanks for the support!
Great job on this review. I have mine for almost a year now. Burned out my first laser tube by over powering it. Then I upgraded to a 60W tube. Loving it.
Where you order 60W tube,how much,is it hard to instal???
If you have link please give us.
Thank you very much
You have now got me interested in buying one. Can’t justify thousands, but this seems a good alternative.
Sweet! It's a fun bit of kit!
I started with a K40 and it paid for itself within a month. I also had to rebuild it from shipping busting the carriage up. That was 2 years ago. Now I run a business making laser machines that go all over the southeast.
where is a link to your machines?
That's awesome! See, even a broken K40 can lead to good things! (I'm in NC myself where in the Southeast are you?)
@@Geeksmithing I am in Durham, NC. What about you?
Ha! Awesome! I'm in Cary! 🤓
Owned a k40 for 5 years now, great little workhorse for wood and plastics, not metal of course it's only 40 watts. With a few upgrades they are well worth the money, when i bought mine it was around $250.
Absolutely agree on all accounts. 🤓👍
If I remember correctly, these were anywhere from $1k - $2k only a couple of years ago. Nice to see the price come down. I may bite.
🎣🤓
I think if you are a person considering getting one of these, it is important to note that it can be a gamble. You may get a great (as great as it can be anyway) machine, or you may get a machine that needs all kinds of work to make usable. Quality Control is not a thing in the factories these come from. Good idea to have someone familiar with these types of things available to help you out, if you yourself are not.
Excellent points!
My daughter wants one for projects and gifts..: I’ve been searching and even fell asleep while watching videos.🤦🏻♀️ I hope you have more videos to watch and you have sold me on this machine! Thanks!
They are great machines, but you have to be aware that some tweaking and modifications might be needed to get it running how you want it. Luckily there is a large community on TH-cam and Facebook for the K40's so you have some great resources out there. I have a handful of other K40 laser videos on my channel that might help you make your decision. My voice can be a bit monotonous, so I won't be offended if you fall asleep... 😆💤
@@Geeksmithing 😫 I’m not that talented and I will probably burn my house down or garage. I’m still looking and just need an easier laser for Dummies! Love your videos! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
@@ednab.9001 haha, sounds like you might want to save up for a Glowforge then :) They certainly have their place and might be what you are needing. Thanks for the kind words!
@@Geeksmithing 😫😫😫☹️☹️ I guess no more eating out, new clothes and no more chocolate!
many thanks for this intro video. I've just bought one 2nd hand and finally switched it on 12 months later without a clue of what to do!. Great overview to get me started. Thank you
Oh wow! Congrats! That's a big first step! Good luck!!!
K40 might be on my short list of tools to add to my shop. Will be nice for details and logos and such on my CNC furniture. Also, great vid! Glad to see you putting stuff out there again!
Hey! It absolutely should be! I have been constantly impressed with it . Thanks, I have been wanting to put this video out for a long while! I hope to put vids out more regularly.
Maybe on the next one show us how to run the machine, how to find origin, set z height etc.
great ideas! Thanks!
Thanks very much for this video. I'm a teacher and found out our school had a been given an Emblaser 2 that no one knew how to use so I've been investigating its use this summer and I'm really interested in getting a laser cutter of my own. The K40 looks like it might be an affordable option. Thanks again from an absolute novice.
Ah very cool! Feel free to reach out with any questions. Happy to help!
i currently run an industrial 50w fibre laser at my workplace, using corel draw to export to AI , EPS for use within the machine software, this machine has peaked my interest as a home hobby
That sounds awesome!
Great video. I've had one for about 4 years, although I never got mine working at all out of the box. Make sure you check all the wiring before turning it on, mine was a major fire risk the way it had been done in china. The earth wasnt even connected, and the high voltage cable to the laser tube was far too thin and poorly insulated. I upgraded to a DSP, added a larger tube, new PSU and a new focal lens and it's a very capable little machine now. Oh.. and I too am interested in that rotary bed. Great idea! Were those flasks you showed actually engraved with yours!!?? Brilliant results!
I think they have improved some since then, but you are right, since they are coming from different manufacturers, people may get different results. The rotary was indeed used with this machine and made the examples I showed. Hopefully within the next month or so I can finally get to the video for that. Thanks for your interest and watching!
@@Geeksmithing thanks for the reply! Looks like I'm gonna buy me some cups! Subscribed!
@@thewarthogproject of your K40 dimensions are similar to mine, I had to modify my K40(i.e. cut the bottom out) to fit in tumblers to keep surface of item within focus.
Rotary Video!! th-cam.com/video/GOF0u9qsFOI/w-d-xo.html
I’m not sure how I ended up watching this video, seeing that I’ve never done anything with lasers, but I enjoyed it very much. Now I feel like I need a laser engraver.
Haha, well I am glad you are here! Please pull up a chair and enjoy some of my other videos! I would love to know what you think. :) And who can resist lasers?!
*Everyone* needs a laser engraver.
That looks a lot better than I expected when I saw the boatload of those being sold on eBay a year or two back, complete with confidence-inspiring photos. I was at least expecting an upgrade money-pit, but that doesn't look like it even needs the upgrades I'd likely do.
Honestly, the few really necessary upgrades are pretty inexpensive...even better if you happen to have or have access to a 3D printer!
Answered every single one of my questions & doubts! Well done video! Thank you.
Thanks! Happy to help!
My family has been in the sign and engraving business since the 70's. I worked there for a couple years but my asshole uncle took over and I had to bail to avoid shoving his head under the heat press. I was are laser engraving tech. I miss the Convenience of having one of these around to use. I didnt know these ones were so cheap. Adding this to my watch list on ebay and subbing to see how this thing works out for you. Thanks for sharing.
I have had it about a year now, and it is still going strong. I hope to make more videos about it in the very near future. Thanks for the sub :)
Not that you're unaware of this- but, that was a damn fine video. Thanks. Well done!
Ha!! Hey thanks!! I appreciate it!
I know nothing about laser engravers, but that thing looks like it's from the 70's - 80's. As long as it works, awesome!
Haha, compared to Glowforge, I can see that 😂
Agree with you on the k40. Inkscape and whisperer are a must. Wiring on the default extraction fan is a fire hazard and is in my bin. Mirrors and Len were replaced and air assist added. Expect to spend the price of the K40 again in 'upgrades' so you get a clean cut and don't burn your house down and it is a pretty good machine. In Australia I paid $500 for the K40 and another $500 on air assist, mirrors/lens, replacement bed and replacement extraction. Plus a cheap bar fridge to keep water cool.
I can't see how all of those upgrades would cost $500, but I suppose there can be a spread on cost depending on if you need to purchase an air compressor for your air assist for example.
Quite easy in Australia. All prices are in Aus dollars and include postage and local taxes
Replacement SI mirrors and lens / $60-$100 depending on how fast you want them.
Air pump $40
Air assist head from light objects $40
Replacement honeycomb bed and 2 adjustable stands $80
Replacement extraction fan $50
Extradition hose and plastic fitting to metal case $60
Second hand bar fridge to keep water cold $50
Extra tubing and fittings for installing above $50ish
That's not far off $500. Postage is the killer in Australia as most came out of the US or on a three week journey from China.
Plus our Summer is hot (90-100 f) so need to keep the water cold and a small bar fridge with holes drilled in the side for extra tubing was the cheapest.
@@jasontaylor7419 all valid points good sir!
@@jasontaylor7419 and for the record, your "hot" is a normal summer on North Carolina, USA. 😊
Why could you not just use ice/dry ice in the bucket and add a filter to the intake? Seems overkill to require a chiller.
The gateway drug for lasers :-) The K40 is how I got started a few years ago. K40 Whisperer and a raft of innovations and safety upgrades came over time. (There's a super Google+ group out there - but Google is killing the app so it's moving to a proper Discourse forum.) If you have the space, jump straight to a 60 or 100W with motorized Z-axis, not much more than you'll end up spending getting the K40 safe and tweaked and so much more in terms of capability. (Then get the Glowforge, Epilog or Trotec) The K40 leads you down the path to serious "laser all things" :-)
The one big thing my father did to his was add in safety switches so if any of the lids on the machine are opened it kills power to the laser so there is 0 chances of the beam firing up while your working on it. He said he rather be paranoid than a paranoid blind man.
It's absolutely a great idea, and on my list of upgrades. I have the parts, just haven't yet... Thanks for the motivation to make it sooner than later!
I love how the ad before the video of a $400 laser engraver was for a $3000 Glowforge.
Haha are you serious? If you can snag a screenshot of that and send it to me, that would make my day! Heck, I'd send you a Geeksmithing tshirt upon receipt of that bounty!!😁
I've been looking to pull the trigger on one of these for about a year now.. Great write-up. Subscribed.
Oh awesome! Thanks I appreciate that! Welcome aboard! 🚀
I like that the free software really is Free Software, that's my style :D
Heck yeah!🤑😎
What's it called
@@hirenei Inkscape (for creating and manipulating vector files) and K40 Whisperer (laser control) are both Free Software and shown in this video.
But is it worth your time to use the free stuff, vs buying lightburn for instance?
This is great! I saw the Glowforge but 4 grand is a bit too rich for me. Especially considering I'm not going to be using it for income.
We’ve had one for about two years no issues. Kinda hard to use but work good
Love your video and the cheeky tone. I got my machine a couple of weeks ago from a company supposed to be in Australia. I am in Australia, I am glad you got an instruction manual because even if it is only stapled it looks like it has some info. Mine was sleekly printed but only two pages an not much on it.
Thanks for watching! Best of luck to ya!👍
You just gave me more to think about. I've been heavily looking and almost ready to make a decision on which of these machines to go with. The fear of not getting the added worth to my shop has made it really hard to pull thousands of dollars for a glowforge or other machine of that nature especially with me transitioning out of the military.
That is exactly the same thought process I went thru. I figured that $350 was an acceptable amount to toss at the idea of a K40... I figured even if it didn't work out, I could use the parts for something else... But now that they are also available on Amazon in addition to eBay, the consumer has additional protections/options if something doesn't work.
It would be nice to engrave cell phones on the back, could be a market for it like at a mall booth or something.
Really enjoyed this guy's laid back attitude. 😆
Thanks! 😊. I was trying to convey a sense of being genuine and honest with my opinion on the matter. 🙃
I've taken your advice. just ordered one. like you, a laser has been on my list for a while and the price point on these feels reasonable for me to dip a toe in the water and see what they can do for me. Looking forward to giving it a whirl. Thanks for the video
Yes!! Hit me up if you have any questions!
Freekkin lazers!!! Sorry it had to be done.
Dang! I should have had that in there!!
Great stuff, thanks for posting this!
A couple of other suggestions I've heard that make sense is one, try to buy from a US seller, as if there's a problem they're usually a lot easier to work with than someone overseas. And second, make sure it is WELL VENTED to the outside, a lot of the stuff you engrave with the laser give off extremely toxic fumes you do not want to breath!
Well the toxic fume thing can be a bit more serious than that, depending on what you are trying to laser. No one should laser any vinyl or anything with ABS in it, as it can create chlorine gas, that can corrode the internals of the machine and the internals of human lungs. Stick to organics such as wood, paper and cloth, and it's not really that serious.
Good tips with the US seller bit
Andrew Tornadoboy , could this be used to cut thin balsa wood?
@@leematthews3578 like butter
An honest and useful review, not seen one of those on TH-cam for a long time! I’ll finally be picking one of these up now
Hey thanks! I like to think it helps! Hit me up with any questions!
Man thank you for the video! I do want to dabble in budget laser engraver but have not wanted to put the time in for the Gamble. This video answered all my questions and examples are more than respectable I do believe I'll be buying one in the next month. Thanks again!
Oh nice!! Happy to help! Feel free to hit me up with any questions!
Awesome Wes, super helpful for a lot of folks. Those mugs are dope
just stumbled across your channel as i am looking to get a k40 within a month or so. didnt even know you could get the rotary part so i am very much looking forward to seeing a video on that.thank you for taking the time to make videos to help us all. Subscribed!
Glad to help! Thanks for the support! 🤜💥🤛
Rotary vid is coming this week!
Rotary Video!! th-cam.com/video/GOF0u9qsFOI/w-d-xo.html
Can you cut metals? And what thickness is the limit if they can. thank you for sharing your work.
See top pinned comment.
Basic questions I know but. If you have done any cutting out stuff from Bass wood? If so can it be done at a power level so the sides are not like charcoal. I'm sure it will cut thru 3mm and 6mm basswood as it looks as if some of the demos towards the end are made from what looks like thin plywood.
Thanks
I have not cut basswood with the K40, but I have cut/engrave other woods such cherry, walnut, maple, baltic birch ply, and paduk.
Unfortunately, when you cut wood with the laser, you will always get the black edges. Some people can remove/reduce some of it with different solvents, but I haven't had much luck there. To really be able to cut basswood with a robot and not get those edges, you might want to look into a CNC..
Can you please make a video of it cutting 3-4mm clear acrylic (plexiglass) sheet? Can it do in one pass without melting the edges?
Yes, you have to turn down the power of it
I bought the upgrades that you suggested in the description but I'm lost in how your hooking them up can you do a quick video?
Glowforge sorted their production issues for a while now. That article you show was from October of 2017.
Yep. You are correct. The way they deal with that fiasco left me with a bad taste in my mouth for them. Lack of upgradability and other factors still lead me to not prefer them. I like to tinker too much for me to be happy with their machines. To each their own.
Cool video and description. Thanks. Have you tried ablating copper clad board with this engraver. Maybe with black paint on top of the copper ? If you could experiment with yours it would be really helpful to us other hobbyists. Get some copper clad board, spray paint with black car paint. Let dry. Then do some really fine detail images. even if you have to do multiple passes thats OK. Then clean paint off and show the results ?
That sounds awesome! I'll need to look into that
Yep. The reason for black is it is more absorbant of light and will rapidly heat and ablate the copper underneath (copper being highly reflective). The black paint is basically getting super heated and the copper underneath it evaporates from what I understand. Another YT'er did this on an experimental rig many years ago but now that there is a commercial one I thought it might be good to use the same trick and try it out. If it works it will be worth me buying one!!
The spray paint is the car paint. The touch-up canister kind of stuff. Maybe other spray paints would work too. Matt black.
@@pentachronic Something like this, just more artistic instead of electronic circuit boards?
th-cam.com/video/yMzNaaT97GU/w-d-xo.html
Indeed that's the idea but to revisit this idea here's another variant that may be faster (but uses chemical etching). Have you tried cutting through kapton tape ? What accuracy if so ? I'd like to be able to get 1-2mil accuracy. Basically laminate copper clad board with kapton film and then cut/ablate out the etch relief pattern so that I can etch my own boards.
Looking forword to you posting a video about the rotary module :)
Thx
It has been a popular request!:)
Geeksmithing I would like to see your installation and use process the eBay listings I see say it can’t be added to this smaller machine. I’d also like to see a link for the one you have as well. Awesome video you have me talked into buying one. Now for the wife!
The rotary video is coming out this week!
Rotary Video!! th-cam.com/video/GOF0u9qsFOI/w-d-xo.html
Cool, thanks 🙏 for your brief introduction into this engraver, I have looked at them over and over again thinking should I take the plunge? After your introduction to them, I think I will have to invest in one of them, thank you very much for your information as it’s been informative enough for me, keep up the good work and I look forward to your further videos.
Hey, absolutely! Thanks for checking out the video! I hope to release more soon. Best of luck with your new laser adventure. 😎
I had a K40 and now have one of the 50w CO2 machines AND also have a 20w fiber laser. The K40 is very limited since it doesn't have air assist, or an adjustable height bed, or DSP power control for the laser...and it's also much slower. With the 50w machines now at around $1300, I would strongly urge people to stretch for the extra cost if possible. These machines can pay for themselves very quickly if you make a product to sell on Etsy or Ebay.
There is always something better. The point of this video was to show there are alternatives to the price tags that float around from Glowforge, Full Spectrum and the like... you can easily build up a product /customer base with just a K40 and then move onto more expensive and powerful machines, just as you demonstrated by your own experience with them.
I have no clue why anyone would give this video a thumbs down. Sorry you have to see that! Very well done and presented...
Thanks Dave! I appreciate that!
I see thumbs down on all videos no matter what, i think they are bots that keep people from trending until they get more hits that way they arent competing with the people who own the bots. You could do a memorial of the death of your mother and you would get down votes.
@@Slax15 supposedly the TH-cam algorithm looks at both thumbs up and down as viewer interaction with the video and boosts your video more than if there were just the thumbs up and nothing else.
This is correct!!
Ok so thumbs down has it uses. It seemed like some kind reason that there always seems to be thumbs down on every video.
Great review, great advice and awesome intro!
Hey thanks Steve! I figured true Nintendo fans would dig it!!! :)
Great Job! I need one of these to add to my channel! Just don't know how I'm going to sneak it past the wife. The box is pretty big! :)
Haha! Just drape a frilly tablecloth over it. She will never notice!
Just pulled the trigger on one of these, not the most mechanically inclined but I lie forcing myself to tinker
So here I am looking for laser engravers, and conker appears? Funnily enough I collect conker memorabilia. Glad to see others still keep him relevant.
Haha, welcome to the logic that governs my channel! Pull up a chair, you may enjoy more of my videos... 😆
@@Geeksmithing Haha I like it bro, I'm subscribed,enjoy the content and you seem chill.
can this laser cut through thin plastic / wood .. say 3mm to 5mm thick ??
Absolutely. Up to 6mm wood, acrylic, cardboard, plastics (as long as they don't have vinyl in them as that is dangerous to laser)
@@Geeksmithing absolutely AWESOME.
now i know what i'm buying :D :D
@@chmarr 😊 Those items and thivknesses, are what this machine really shines at cutting and engraving. Let me know if you have any more questions!
Hi Where did you find the system to rotate the object and how did you synchronize it with the laser?
Thanks for the reply
Hi! The rotary device I threw together from some parts I had around the workshop and a 3d printer. On the machine there is a stepper motor that cause the laser head to move left/right (X-Axis) and one that causes it to move forward/back (Y-Axis). All you do is unplug the Y Axis motor and plugin the rotary in it's place. So when the machine thinks it's moving the laser head forward and back, it is really just spinning the bottle forward and back beneath it. Hope that makes sense! This has been my #1 question on this video and I really need to make a video showing the rotary in more detail. Thanks for the kick in the rear I needed for that to happen. 😂😁🤓 Have a great day!
@@Geeksmithing please do that. That's the first question i had when i saw it
@@Geeksmithing That's a brilliant solution :D
Rotary Video!! th-cam.com/video/GOF0u9qsFOI/w-d-xo.html
Thank you for this I’ve been procrastinating for more than a year about this....
Your sarcasm is great!
Geeeee thanks a lot.
You've basically answered my primary questions perfectly. Massively increased my confidence on pulling the trigger on a K40 soonish.
It was also cool to see the water bottle I won from the Making Geeks survey in the video :D at least I know what high quality is possible.
My main question outstanding is about the controllers and how to identify what type is in a low cost machine? Does it matter? FB groups seem to harp on about them but I guess it's just if whisperer is compatible with it.
That's a great question. The K40 has a list of compatible boards and ways to identify them I believe.... I picked up a Cohesion3d controller board replacement for it and hope to swap it in soon, so that's also an option for you down the road a bit.
I don't think you can know exactly what you're gonna get from the listing. But once you get it you can see your control board and it will come with CoralLaser/CoralDraw software. Had one almost a year and have used it probably 500+ hours (daily) and it does anything you really want to do with it but out of the box it needs upgrades and it needs constant maintenance (I use it a lot so obviously a lot for me).
Who would win in a fight He-man or the crazy Optic laser kitty?
Or the Surge Protector?🤔
Could you tell us what Rotary attachment you are using? I have found some on Amazon but no mention of the K40 compatibility listed. Thank you. Your video is the most informative with cool humor.
Thanks! I have the video on the rotary on this channel. It was one that I made. The link is at the end of this video. Let me know what you think on that video! It also has my dumb humor. 😆😜
Thanks for the info I did not know they had come down in price this far.
"That someone in China made specifically for me, that's nice... Just throw that out" lawl
FANTASTIC video!
Oh wow. Thanks man! High praise!!✋
Well, thanks for this. It has reassured me that I can DIY this thing up to snuff. I've been tinkering with 3D printers for a bit over a year now, upgrading them beyond recognition. I think I'm going to get the Vevor K40 laser cutter/engraver to tinker with and hopefully build a reliable machine out of it!
Sounds like you are well suited for the task! Good luck!!!!
@@Geeksmithing thank you! I may reach out for suggestions ;)
Thank you , Excellent video very informative, no clutter and straight to the point. Liked and subscribed!
Hey I appreciate that!! Thanks!! 🙏
The most common question I get is about the rotary module shown in the video. I finally made a video on how to make your own!
th-cam.com/video/GOF0u9qsFOI/w-d-xo.html
does it cut glass or plastic ?
@@carlosherrera5624 it does cut cast acrylic perfectly. I am not sure about glass. I doubt it.
Thank you
Goodmorning
I was wondering is there a depth adjustment for the laser? Say if u wanted to laser 0.2mm stainless would it burn through it ??
@@musicilla you cannot cut or engrave metals with this, so.. um.. no. 🤷♂️🤓
Nice Video Wes! I am asked about this all the time at my make space, With your permission I think I would like to link this video onto our Wiki page.
That would be amazing and I'd be honored! Thanks!!
Thanks Wes, THIS video was the moment I decided to NOT drop 3k on a laser and accessories and instead get this laser. I was worried there wasn’t active development for a inexpensive laser.
Woo hoo! Glad I could help man! I was at the same crossroads and I am exceedingly happy I went this way!:)
@@BlueBirdSaysHi I haven’t bought it yet, 😂 im remodeling the garage to make a nice space for leatherworking.
Awesome 👍Can you tell me if I can use it to staple and or engrave a polymer glock frame ? Thanks
🤷♂️ no idea. I'd be surprised if it didn't do something.
Love your Surge protector!
THANK YOU!! Finally someone did! 😂
I thought that tube with the chinese writing was some hemorrhoid cream to ease the deal with all the troubles this machine gives you?
Haha, I have not run into any issues but it may be of use for the sore Corel users that didn't like me tossing out their software. 😂😉😋
**Best Comment**
K40 Whisperer is a game changer for these cheap units. I ran the stock stuff for a couple years before whisperer came along. That was frustrating at best.
Oh wow. You know better than I regarding the need to upgrade them!! What did you change on yours?
@@Geeksmithing Well, got rid of that cheap Chinese bathroom fan (like you did) and replaced with an in line blower, air assist nozzle with bigger focus mirror, large pond pump for the air assist, threw away that whole spring part holder thing and made a open mesh table with a lab jack to raise and lower. Added a 12v power supply to run a temp monitor with alarm, and worklight, tied in to the laserdraw board to power a solid state relay to control the air pump, and extended the Y axis by about a 1/2".
Laser protection glasses are a must and keep your camera sensor from being hit with a reflected beam.
So you should put the glasses on the webcam? Alright. Who am I to argue with sound logic?
Awesome! I can't wait for the follow up videos!!! 😀
5:50 What no "firein' ma' lazar" gif when you say "firing your laser"?
Hahhaha. I totally said that when testing it when I first got it!!
great video, would love to see a update video on how you used the rotary attachment and how you installed it and some videos showing how you went from artwork to sending it to the lazer great video...I hope you can help us out ...thank you
Rotary video is hopefully coming soon. It is often requested, that's for sure!:)
@@Geeksmithing thanks for the reply ..I will be anxiously waiting for the vid. lol I will help me alot thanks again
Rotary Video!! th-cam.com/video/GOF0u9qsFOI/w-d-xo.html
When I switch on, at the very first time, the main bar slowly advances forward. Then I switched off and locate the cutting head at the middle of the cutting area. When I switched back on, the main bar again slowly advances forward and the head stays at the same position in the bar. When I initialize the Laser it happens the same. In conclusion, only the bar moves back and forward.
When you power it on, regardless of where it is, the laser head should move all way way back and left to hit the limit switches. If it's not doing that, it's definitely a hardware issue. It should do this if the USB is connected to a Computer or not. Honestly, I would contact the seller of the machine with your problem. I mean you could go poking around on the inside to figure it out, but if it's brand new, I'd try to save any warranty you may have and get some free help.
Also I move the dot in the K40 Whisperer to any place but just the bar moves at the right position. The head stays freeze.
@@NetoTrabanino if the machine isn't homing correctly upon power up, it kind of doesn't matter what you do in the software. That needs to work properly before anything else.
You really sold me on this one! But I have a question!!! Where can I buy the Rotatory Accessory for mugs! That's dope! Thank you! Loved the review
Ha! I actually made it myself, with some bits and bobs from the shop and a 3d printer. I hope to make a video covering this very soon! Stay tuned!!:). Thanks for watching!🤓
Just an update... that rotary video is on my channel now, feel free to check it out!
Great content thank you for posting !
Could you do an up to date video on you Laser Cutter? I am trying to decide which one to get one like yours or an Up-Dated machine. Thanks
If I had the space or a reason to get an upgraded one, I would!:) This machine in video is still going strong, I use it all of the time!
GREAT video. i make glass blocks and was wondering how this would work on glass? One of the first You tube videos that the person responds to most questions. way to go. thank you again
Hey! Cheers! I appreciate that! I am pretty sure you can engrave glass with it but I believe you should be careful as to not engrave glass with lead in it, from what I read... I haven't tried glass yet myself but it is on the list of materials I am going to go over on a materials test video coming up soon! :)
Any chance you have a link to the rotary piece you added?
Sorry, no, I built it using parts I had on hand. I will upload a video on how to make one/ where to buy one very soon.
There are lots of videos on how to make a rotary device yourself. Just a quick search and you willl get tons of results.
Awesome thanks! Sorry just assumed it was an add on.
Rotary Video!! th-cam.com/video/GOF0u9qsFOI/w-d-xo.html
Buy it and end up throwing half of it in the trash 😂
What is the largest sized item you can use after removing the clamp? Can it laser a wood square 12in by 12in?
By removing the clamp...a 12 x 12 inch square can physically fit in there, but the laserable area is around 9"x14", so not all of your material will be able to be lasered.