Creality Falcon 2 Pro - FULL REVIEW (22W laser cutter & engraver)

This is a really solid laser cutting machine for just over $1,000, but also has its fair share of issues. In this video I go over all the good, the bad, and the ugly of it. I also share a design I made to fix one of its biggest flaws.
I reviewed the 22W version, but you can also get a 40W + 1.6W version, and pre-orders are open now for a 60W + 1.6W version.
* store.creality.com/products/f...
Use discount code: FNPALL10
* Creality Honeycomb Bed: store.creality.com/products/h...
* Link to my printable/cuttable slat stabilizers: www.printables.com/model/8721...
==TIMELINE==
00:00 Intro
00:51 Creality & Device Overview
03:58 Unboxing & Build
06:10 Product Tour
07:36 Camera & Lens Calibration
10:12 Cutting & Engraving Showcase
19:31 Final Thoughts

[@Drewsky8703]

Like you said -Ditch those slats and use a honeycomb bed. The blade slats were a “cool” idea but in reality the honeycomb provides the much needed stability. I’m still dialing in my settings for deep relief 3D greyscale engravings and almost there :) I’m still very happy and impressed with the Falcon 2 Pro and its capabilities. Cheers

[@gordparrott9640]

Thanks. Nice job. And thanks for the stabilizers too. I'm cutting them now. Maybe you are the guy that could come up with a push style clamp for the warped boards???

[@Daytona60146]

Marking spray has silica in it. You are basically putting a ceramic coating in when it heats it. The stuff is permanent and lasts travel to space. NASA uses it. If you can rub it off or remove it chemically you didn't get it hot enough. I've worked with cermark a lot it's great when used right. Just dial in the settings. Tempra paint and glass let's you do engraving in clear glass. I made a video on it a few years back. These machines are coming along but I'm still convinced co2 is the only way to go. Thanks for a great review.

[@ObsessiveEngineering]

Good to know! I rubbed it pretty hard and you can see that there was still quite a bit of unaltered squares left in the lower right corner where the most laser energy went into the markings. I assumed that it would come off eventually too, but maybe not. I will add this knowledge to my toolbox: cermark + aluminum + diode can work!
I haven't spent that much time with lasers, most of my time has been 3D printing and CNC machining. If I were to get another one, I would definitely want to go CO2 so I can do acrylics. But for the price, I can live with the limitations of this machine, and the diode laser still achieves plenty of accuracy and reliability on things it does cut/engrave.
Thanks for watching!

[@Daytona60146]

@@ObsessiveEngineering Yeah, for the price really can't beat it. Few issues but as you pointed out easy to get around.

[@ThantiK]

I mean, I bought a 40w K40 for $400. And it can cut/engrave far better than this thing. I spent another $300 putting it into a frame that ended up giving me a 16"x12" volume to work with, and I'm still cheaper and more capable than this.

[@ObsessiveEngineering]

Unfortunately, I don't have a ton of experience with consumer laser engravers, so I may not be the best person to debate this with you. I will say I'm surprised to see so many inexpensive 40W CO2 lasers out there. But it sounds like you ultimately ended up with a DIY laser machine build, which of course is going to lean cheaper.
The Falcon2 required some assembly, but it's a complete machine. I wouldn't call it a DIY machine. It looks like the key differences are (at least compared to the OMTECH k40-based machine):
* Falcon2's 22W can cut up to 10mm wood (20mm for 40W). K40 claims only 3mm cutting depth (probably really short depth of focus). I'm not 100% on this point thought
* Integrated overhead camera in the Falcon2.
* You say you put your laser into a frame, does it include the eye-safe panels? Is it "really" safe & sealed? Is it "really" enclosed so it's easy to vent?
* There's a lot of safety features on the Falcon2 Pro -- particularly the door sensor that turns off the laser and pauses it when opened. Also, the e-stop button on the front, and the fire and lens obstruction detection directly on the laser module.
* The volume on the Falcon2 is a bit more generous.
I'm not trying to bash your system by any means, just pointing out that I believe there is an actual value proposition behind the Falcon2, as a mid-range laser option. You might be right to argue that it's still too expensive, but I'd argue it's not excessively overpriced. I also see plenty of CO2-based machines that cost way more.

[@jimblonduk]

Not quite a FULL review. Try hooking up a rotary tool. (hint: you need to disable the safety alarms to remove the bottom tray leading the enclosure to being a cover as it's now, not enclosed and you'll also need to buy the extender legs to raise it up).

[@ObsessiveEngineering]

Good point, they didn't send me the rotary tool, so I didn't have a chance to review it. Though, without the ability to engrave glass, I find it less exciting, but I guess anodized aluminum mugs would still work.