Update: Entries are now closed! Please see the pinned comment for the selected testers. You can learn more about R1 on our website!

dunno if anyone else has struggled with deepnest - i've never got it to work with text files, but this did it in about a minute

I call this one the Chameleon. It looks deep blue in one light, then shifts towards purple as the viewing angle changes.

I made the pattern with a fiber laser, removing the surrounding metal and leaving the hour markers, minute track and little star raised. Those details are part of the dial itself.

For the colour, I applied a black base coat, then sprayed the chameleon paint over it. After painting, I gently sanded and polished the raised areas to expose the metal again.

Anyone here tried colour-shifting paint over a laser-engraved texture?

Short video showing the making process of the dial:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/bWEGiP6RlmI

Moving a mazak 3015 soon. First time moving a used fiber layer. Is there anything particular I need to do to move a fiber laser. I am used to the normal support the head, and lock the head and gantry in place. Does a fiber need anything specific done to it, particularly the optics?

Total noob here approaching with a passion project base on origami cranes. I'm developing a roughly 24-inch-wingspan origami-style aluminum crane sculpture and would appreciate a practical sheet-metal design review before ordering parts.

I live in Costa Rica. My original plan was to order cut and bent parts from SendCutSend or OSH Cut, ship to a US freight forwarder, then assemble here. Replacement parts would mean another international shipment, so I'd like to identify avoidable problems before cutting.

The attached CAD shows the current design candidate. It has not been physically built or tested. The photorealistic image is an AI visualization of the intended appearance, not a photograph of a working prototype. The design was developed with substantial AI assistance; I'm seeking experienced human review rather than treating the computer checks as validation.

CURRENT CONSTRUCTION - Approximately 24-inch (610 mm) wingspan. - 5052-H32 aluminum: 0.063-inch (1.60 mm) wings/body/brackets and 0.125-inch (3.18 mm) internal frame and flat neck/tail. - Two tapered wings, each with a longitudinal crease. The neck and tail currently remain flat silhouettes. - Seven internal frame pieces supporting a faceted body, wings, neck and tail. - Lower body sides have inward bent flanges; a removable belly bolts to clinch nuts. - 33 sheet-metal pieces total, including 18 separate brackets/clips; 44 #6-32 screws. - Visible fasteners are acceptable. I'd prefer to avoid glue and welding for the proposed kit. - A proposed 3/8-inch display rod enters through the underside. Mounting capacity and balance have not been physically validated.

WHAT HAS BEEN CHECKED The digital model has been checked for nominal part/hardware interference and a proposed assembly sequence. Those checks use idealized geometry. Actual bend variation, tolerance accumulation, wrench/driver access, stiffness and physical assembly remain unverified. Fabrication is on hold.

QUESTIONS 1. Is the internal frame justified at this size, or would you use a folded, bolted shell with fewer brackets? What would you simplify first while preserving the silhouette? 2. What are the most likely failure points in manufacturing or assembly: bend accuracy, holes near bends, fastener access, tolerance accumulation, wing flex, or something else? 3. What is the smallest useful physical test before committing to the whole kit: representative joints, one wing/root assembly, or a complete first article? 4. Does anyone know an individual or small shop that accepts a paid review or one-off prototype assembly? A Costa Rica option would be especially helpful; US fabrication/assembly before forwarding is another possibility.

I'm happy to provide dimensioned joint details and the assembly model for a focused review. I'm looking for specific changes and a realistic validation process before spending money on the final parts.

I’ve been creating laser-cut projects for many years — boxes, frames, toys, and more. Every design takes time to develop, test, and refine.

With so many free files available, piracy, and improving AI tools, I’m wondering whether it still makes sense to keep doing this professionally.

Do you still buy laser-cut files? What makes a design worth paying for rather than using a free file or trying AI?

EIXO Y da TTS10 Pro não funciona

Estava utilizando o roller e quando parei e fui usar o eixo Y, não está funcionando, apenas faz um barulho quando movo.

Alguém sabe como resolver?? 3 dias de uso!!!!

Recently purchased the epilog fusion pro 60 watt CO2 and all of the settings are way off. For example, It's suggesting to cut 1/8" wood at 100 power and 8 speed when 30-40 speed works great while the 8 speed catches it on fire.

I went into their documentation and it shows that these settings are correct. It suggests only running at 25 speed for the 120w. How did they get these numbers so wrong?

Hi all!
Im new to the world of laser cutting. I would like to cut objects into foam. So i need to have the exacts outside measurments of the object. I was thinking about a cheap 3d scanner. But maybe there are people that have experience with this and could give me some advice? Or other tips!

Thx a lot !

I've been wanting to add this for a while, finally got around to it!

I've looked into about 12 machines over the last two weeks, threw out the rebranded garbage from the running.

I've now narrowed down to a Bodor C3 6kw (possibly 12kw), and an HSG GX 6kw.

These are both considered entry level machines and very similar specs and features. I've had face to face meetings with both... I feel more confident in the aftermarket support from HSG having a slight edge going through Mac-Tech as their selling partner here in the states, you kinda get double service coverage in a way, but the Bodor is 140k cheaper, has a massive 5 year warranty, and is slightly better on paper at least, not sure about in the real world.

I feel like it's a bit of a tossup.

Please, I'd like to hear any and ALL experiences you've had dealing with either company, good and bad.

We've been playing around with laser-cut felt and ended up making a bunch of spooky little things.

Used our X1 40W diode laser for these.
Settings: Power 20 / Speed 38

We're actually voting on our favorite project of the month at work, and now I'm curious what you guys think lol.

Which one gets your vote?

I love making stuff like this and wanted to see what's a good laser cutter that would be able to cut the wood nice

I bought this laser engraver in 2017, and only used it once. Now I just have a project to use, but I realized I lost the microSD card that has the software. I tried to find the legacy Nene software, but none of them can detect the device. I tried NEJE_en_kz_v40 and NEJE_V4.2.EN.

Does anyone have similar machine and have the software that they can share?

TIA

RF tubes used to mean Epilog or Trotec money, so anyone outside a production shop bought glass and treated the tube as a consumable. That math looks different this year now that RF is turning up on desktop machines priced near a well equipped glass setup. Most of the pull toward RF is engrave quality, since the beam holds fine detail even at high speed, and the tubes are rated to last a lot longer on paper. For a one person shop doing mostly wood and leather engraving, with some thin acrylic cutting on the side, does the longer RF life pay back the higher price for that kind of work? RF regas and replacement pricing is hard to pin down, which is probably why so many of these threads end in a shrug.

Hi everyone, I'm Meidan. I make custom watch dials with a fiber laser and thought this aviation dial might be interesting here.

I use reverse etching. Instead of engraving the artwork down into the metal, I engrave away the background around it. The numerals, minute markers, lettering and aircraft design stay raised, all as part of the original metal surface.

After the laser work, I apply blue lacquer paint with an airbrush. Then I carefully sand and polish the raised areas to expose the metal again, leaving the paint in the recessed background.

That's also a limitation of this method: all the exposed metal details share the same metal colour. The blue comes from the paint, not from laser colouring.

I've included a straight-on photo and an angled one so you can see the finish. The 1985-2027 inscription is intentional.

If you're interested in the laser settings, sanding and polishing methods, or the tools I use, ask in the comments. Happy to talk through it.

Short video of this same dial: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/mzNvT6bgRVs

Is there anyone close to Fort Wayne, IN? I have some files that I need cut that are larger than I can cut.

Hi All, I’ve been lurking and searching for about a year and am finally ready to pull the trigger while remaining hopeful for some decent upcoming Black Friday sales.

This will be my first laser, it will be in a spare bedroom with access to a window for ventilation.

I am a hobbyist, so this is to experiment with and learn on. I am not coming in with any expectations to create a successful business or side hustle, although if it scales to that down the road I would be happy.

My main interests are making layered wood signs (stained/painted) and shadowboxes. (I also would pair this with a printer and blade cutter for mixed media in my workflow)

I am looking at a 20W Diode laser (specifically, the xTool S1 20W Deluxe bundle). I need something fully enclosed with options for good ventilation to a window. I don’t think I would need the 40W for the thin wood I am going to be cutting, and a CO2 laser seems like too much room prep to safely run inside my house.

I would definitely like the ability to cut acrylic as well, but I understand this is a sacrifice I would have to make with the diode laser. I’m not too interested in metal engraving at this point.

With that being said, I’m looking for any feedback at all on my analysis of what laser is right for me. Tell me I’m completely wrong, or tell me I’m a genius. I appreciate any and all feedback. Cheers!

I work for an firearm engraving company that specializes in limited edition series for collectors. The workload has increased a lot in the 6 months I've been there, so I wanted to ask for some pointers. I feel like my work is good but could be better and could be done faster, so I'd like to know what programs, tools, or plugins are best for designing and how to streamline work for quick turnarounds. I'd also like to know about depth mapping and/or layering.

I currently do the majority of design work in Adobe Illustrator and export with either SVG or PNG. We engrave with Lightburn on fiber lasers. I only make the designs, I do not run the engravers, but if there are techniques or practices that can be done on both ends, I'm happy to hear it.

Most designs have a mix of imagery and scrollwork.

I've included a few examples of work I have done.

I'd appreciate any help or advice.

Hey guys, has anyone run into this issue with CorelLASER?

Whenever I select the large rectangle shown in the picture and try to start the cut, a blank error window pops up with no message or error code.

The line is from an EPS file with a line thickness of 0.001 mm.

All my other shapes, even complex ones, cut just fine. The problem only happens when that particular rectangle is included in the design.

I've tried restarting my computer and even redrawing the rectangle from scratch, but nothing has worked.

Does anyone know what might be causing this or how to fix it?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I've had a few ideas for personalized gifts and small home decor pieces kicking around for a while. I think they could be fun to make, but I can't tell if that’s just me liking the idea or if other people would actually want them.

I'm trying to figure out how to test a couple of them without going all in right away. Do people usually make a few samples first, get some mockups made, or just ask around and see what gets a response? I'm still at the very “not sure where to start” stage, so any advice from people who’ve tried this would help.

Hi everyone,

I recently came across an ad for these cool illuminated car emblems and realized that since I have a CO2 laser and some basic electronics skills, I could try making a custom one for myself.

However, I’m a bit stuck on the material choice. I assume the white diffuser part is cast acrylic, but I'm not sure about the black top layer. In the ad, the black material looks to be only about 1mm thick.

Does anyone know what kind of 1mm black material would be suitable for outdoor automotive use? From what I know, cast acrylic usually starts at a minimum thickness of 3 mm.

Any advice or material recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Hi guys. I’m new to laser engraving, but I wanted to pick it up as a fun side hustle for college. I just downloaded Lightburn and bought a used JPT 30w Fiber Laser. I’m having trouble getting the thing to cut and getting the program to shop freezing and crashing. I emailed Lightburn and they said I need to contact the person I bought it from (changed numbers) or the manufacturer (can’t find the contact) for the laser settings on a thumb drive. Any help would be greatly appreciated

Excuse the fact this has probably been asked a million times.

We are a small scale shop tiptoeing into laser cutting for Velcro sheets, some light engraving (Plastics) and stuck between the R1 / P3 / P2S.

There are some used P2S that pop around and I only worry that parts are going to be rough to find.

What do you think? P2S used still a good grab?