This is the exact model of laser I have from Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
It's 22W, which seems good for any home project I care to do. It comes with goggles/glasses, a card reader, an SD card with data files, small tools for assembly and maintenance, and a gauge for setting the laser height. It came with some starter materials for doing your first project. It says it comes with an air assist module, but this is integrated into the laser itself. I would not count this as a separate device.
I also ordered a tent, a metal backplate, and a grill.
You can read about my setup here.
I did not provide an Amazon link for the enclosure tent. It seems like they upscaled this part, and I don't see my for sale. What I do see is much better than what I have.
I hate my tent enclosure - I have three cats that think it's a bed. They have broken it 10 times already. Don't let your cats sleep on the laser enclosure. This is the dumbest safety advice I have ever given.
However, I would strongly suggest you purchase one. Mine has a fan and duct system to blow smoke outside.
While the box is reasonably accurate that this laser is ready to go out of the box, realistically, you'll need a couple of things:
- A way to vent the smoke and gases
- A table
- More materials
The next couple of things you need are for measuring. Get yourself the following measuring devices:
Again, as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Those are Amazon links.
The calipers are to measure the thickness of the stock. You can use a ruler, but it's a low-quality situation can be prevented by a $20 tool. I suggest metal rulers because they could dent or bend, but not as easily as wood or plastic. You might be tempted to get carpenter pencils, but you can use mechanical pencils for both marking and drawing designs. Get used to drawing and sketching now.
I have a zillion carpenter pencils from every local shop and you probably do, too. The speed square is a very handy tool, doing angles and alignment tasks. Every workshop should have one. However, while I love mine, it could be the last item you should buy. I often use it for project assembly but never for project prep.
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| You can buy MTG stuff online, but mother-fucker, you need to shop local. |
I use 2 different kinds of materials from Amazon to avoid cutting 8-foot by 4-foot sheets down to the 400x415 mm size of the laser bed. Plywood is usually marketed in inch increments, but when they arrive, you'll find they are metric. For sanity's sake, I order sheets that are sold as 12" x 12" x 1/8" and larger sheets that are sold as 16" x 16" x 1/8". They are a touch off, but as long as they fit on the laser bed, I don't care.
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| A layered effect |
The laser will happily knife through 1/4" sheets, but the smoke and time are incredible. I personally cut 1/4" wood on the tablesaw. It's faster and cleaner.
For smaller items, I move down to 1/16" plywood, but the use case is particular to me. I don't suggest either 1/16 or 1/4 inch unless you actually have a use case for them. I made bowls out of 1/16", but the process is mind-numbing. They are cute, but not really fun.
You will need one more thing that I am not suggesting. Laser goggles or glasses. Make sure you are wearing those. The reason I don't suggest a brand or type is that I would be guessing as to what you need. Get yourself a second pair, just to cover drops or loss from the company that sold you the laser. They will be exactly what you need, but always more expensive for that certainty. You can't fix your eyes, so make sure you have laser-safe goggles.
The next few posts are going to hop from lasers to D&D and back again. Stay tuned.
