CO2 130W Laser cutter for large work and Desktop 500mw for small stuff

[KenR60]

With the Cost of replacement CO2 Tubes so expensive, would it make sense in using a small desktop 500mw Laser engraver ( Under $500 ) to do things like Grey Scale Photos and other engraving jobs or use the much larger CO2 Cutter? Just concerned about the final cost of using the CO2 on jobs that these cheap smaller lasers can do?

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[cinematic2]

CO2 130W laser is cutter, not engraver. High power lasers do not engrave well.
500mw laser is nothing. This a joke.

[gfacer2]

Get a 60 or 80w if you want to do both. It's better to use them than leave them idle I think (saw something about corrosion over time on electrodes if not used). At any rate 80w will cut plenty, just slowly, and still engrave. 60w likely similar but less on the cutting side, more on the engraving.

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[wklaserliu]

yes, i gree with gfacer, if you do both then get 80w and 60w, 80w do cutting and 60w do engraving.

Quiven form gweike laser www.wklaser.com
chloe@wklaser.com
skype:wkquiven

[KenR60]

Thanks gfacer2 and wklaserliu, with the 130w Tubes being around $1000 to replace I don't want to find I waste the hours on a tube worth that much money. The 130w is just for cutting and that's why I am thinking of a non CO2 Laser to do engraving. Below is a link to a 2000mw laser. What are your views or recommendations here?


2000mW DIY Laser Engraver Engraving Machine Laser Printer Marking Machine | eBay

Thanks in Advance

Ken


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[KenR60]

Ok, I'm now thinking to scrap the 2000mw Laser because of safety compared to the CO2 laser.


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[KenR60]

Also, the rating hours for the 130w CO2 Tube is between 8000 and 10,000 hours and it appears you can reduce the laser as low as 5mw for engraving, and by using masking tape the burn marks are limited when engraving. All this sounds like I could use the 130w for both without concern of it costing too much to engrave some wording.


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[gfacer2]

I have a 130 now. What are you planning on cutting?

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