Cutting or engraving wood with a laser cutter offers many advantages: It is very precise, fast, and reliable and is able to be used for small batches or delicate designs. Therefore, laser cutting or engraving of wood pieces is attractive for craftsmen, artists, designers, and DIY enthusiasts.
Listed below are the six best wood laser cutters and engravers.
- ATOMSTACK A5 PRO Laser Engraver
- Glowforge Plus
- Flux Beamo Laser
- OMTech K 40 Laser
- FSL MUSE 2D VISION Laser
- Trotec SP series
1. ATOMSTACK A5 PRO Laser Engraver
The ATOMSTACK A5 PRO is a laser engraver with 40 watts of output power with a very small focus point (only 0.23 mm in diameter). It makes the A5 PRO a very accurate laser engraver. It consists of a full-metal structure and has very precise scaling lines that help to cut as accurately as possible. The focus is entirely fixed, which makes it much easier to adjust to every engraving need. The A5 PRO is able to cut wood plates up to 12 mm thick and engrave many other materials such as stainless steel, ceramics, or acrylic. The maximum engraving area is 410 x 400 mm large and comes with a high precision scaling on the x- and y-axis. The shaft and stepper motor are fully integrated, guaranteeing accurate laser movement. The laser cutter supports a large variety of engraving software packages, such as LightBurn, or Laser GRBL. The same holds for all standard file formats (JPG, PNG, BMP, DXF, etc.). The engraving accuracy is 0.01 mm, and with just 4 kg, it is a very lightweight machine.
2. Glowforge Plus
The Glowforge Plus laser cutter and engraver is an actual all-around machine. It cuts or engraves wood, paper, Delrin, cork, and many more materials up to a thickness of 50 mm. The cutting area is 279 x 495 mm with a positioning precision of 0.025 mm. The cutting laser for this system is a CO2 laser with a 10.6 µm wavelength and an output power of 45 watts. The user does not need alignment since the manufacturer has calibrated the laser’s optical system. The Glowforge Plus comes with an internal air assist and a self-contained cooling cycle. Communication with the computer requires Wi-Fi with 2.4 GHz bandwidth. It supports all standard file formats (JPG, PNG, BMP, DXF, etc.), but they are even able to scan drawings and engrave or cut them without any design software. The Glowforge Plus is able to automatically choose the ideal laser cutting or engraving settings when proof-grade materials are utilized. The weight of the Glowforge Plus laser cutter and engraver is 22 kg and, thus, not as low as the ATOMSTACK A5 PRO, but it is still relatively light.
3. Flux Beamo Laser
The Flux Beamo Laser cutter is a very compact device. Thus, it is optimal for hobby engravers and designers. Its built-in camera allows the user to get an accurate preview before the cutting or engraving even starts. This saves a lot of time in the long run since the preview replicates the final product. The laser integrated into the Flux Beamo is a 30 Watts CO2 laser with an acrylic lid over a metal body. The 610 x 445 mm small size of this laser cutter means that it takes up little space. The size of the cutting area corresponds to an A4 paper sheet (210 x 297 mm). This laser cutter is optimal for wood and is also able to be used for acrylic, fabric, rubber or cardboard, stone, and even cement (the last one is just for engraving). There is no need for cables since the connection runs over WLAN. Several formats (JPG, PNG, BMP, DXF, etc.) and software packages (e. g. Adobe Illustrator/Photoshop, Sketch, Corel Draw, Rhinoceros, or SolidWorks) are supported. The whole apparatus weighs 22 kg, which is very reasonable.
4. OMTech K40 Laser
OMTech K40 Laser is a CO2 laser with up to 40 Watts output power. The chassis is made from metal, which provides a high degree of stability. The laser cutter measures 813 x 508 mm, while the maximum engraving area is 203 x 305 mm, which is quite decent. This laser system is well suited for cutting and engraving different materials. Paper, acrylic, glass, and cardboard are all able to be laser-cut or -engraved in addition to wood. The ventilation system is a bit simplistic since the standard exhaust is just on the back of the laser cutter. However, the manufacturer provides some flexible tubing that is able to be used to vent the laser cutter out through a window or door. The same simplicity holds for the cooling system, which is not fully integrated but works fine with distilled water. One peculiarity of this type of laser system is that the laser power is not controlled via the software but rather by manual knobs on the laser housing. The power adjustment is not made in absolute values but rather as a percentage of the maximum output power. Steering of the laser has to be done with the Whisperer software package that comes with the laser. It allows the user to engrave pictures into the wood with up to 1000 dpi. Therefore, the OMTech K40 is a robust laser for a very reasonable price. However, it is more suited for hobbyists than professional designers or craftsmen.
5. FSL MUSE 2D VISION Laser
The FSL Muse laser comes with a standard maximum output power of 40 watts, but it is able to be upgraded to 45 W. Its dimensions are 820 x 515 x 215 mm and it weighs 24.5 kg. The laser is a CO2 laser, which is able to engrave with a resolution of up to 1000 dpi. Almost every popular material, including stone, rubber, leather, glass, fabric, acrylic, and coated materials, are able to be engraved in addition to wood. It is able to be as well cut in most of the listed materials except for glass, stone, and coated materials. The FLS laser system is able to be connected either through Ethernet or through WLAN. The standard software is the RetinaEngrave v3.0 package, which supports the most common data formats (JPG, PNG, BMP, DXF, etc.) and is compatible with PC, Mac, and Linux. The most exciting features are the removable floor (that allows engraving plates more enormous than the machine itself and the rotary attachment. The latter is able to be used for engraving cylindrical objects, which enables much more flexibility than the usual laser cutting systems. The maximum thickness for laser-cutting is 6.35 mm on a 508 x 305 mm working area. Yet, another feature that comes in handy is the real-time autofocus. It adjusts the laser focus even while cutting or engraving and saves the user a lot of time and annoyance.
6. Trotec SP series
The Trotec SP series is a laser for large-scale industrial purposes. It comes in different sizes, the SP300 being the largest one. It has a working area of 2,210 x 3,210 mm and exchangeable cutting tables. The weight for such a beast is higher than for the previous models, which is around 1,600 kg with a maximum load of 200 kg. The accuracy is 0.001 mm, which makes it the most precise laser cutter on this list. The laser is a water-cooled, high-power CO2 laser capable of emitting a 10.6 µm laser beam with up to 400 watts. The entire laser system is sealed off for safety reasons. The autofocus mechanism guarantees a precise and fast cutting and engraving experience. The laser cutter is able to cut and engrave practically any material, with wood being one of the most favored. However, it is able to cut or engrave acrylic, plastics, paper, leather, or other textiles. The Trotec SP series is an excellent option for designers, artists, craftsmen, and businesses in the furniture industry since it is particularly well suited for wood-cutting and engraving. This laser-cutting system is able to make exquisite designs for tables and other furniture pieces quickly and accurately.
What is Laser Cutting?
Laser-cutting describes a method of cutting various materials with an intense laser beam. There are many different laser cutters, but most are based on a CO2 laser. This kind of laser emits infrared light with a wavelength of 10.6 µm. The second most common type of laser used for cutting is a fiber laser. The laser has a wavelength that is quite similar to CO2 lasers. The third option for laser cutting is a UV laser system, but this one has much shorter wavelengths, only around 0.3 – 0.35 µm.
The workpiece becomes heated at the focal point when an intense laser beam is directed onto the surface of a non-reflective material. This leads to the melting or evaporation of the material itself. Thus, the laser cuts through it. The most common materials used for laser-cutting are sheets of plastic, wood, acrylic, paper, cardboard, or even stone or cement. The shape, which has to be cut out, is given to the laser in the form of a computer file. The file formats and software packages depend on the manufacturer of the laser-cutting system.
The laser cutter is extremely precise, very efficient, and operates at a fast pace since a computer controls it. Hence, laser-cutting is the go-to solution for many designers, DIY enthusiasts, or companies that specialize in small-batch manufacturing. However, with a fast and powerful laser cutter, many identical items are able to be produced easily.
How does Laser Cutting on Wood Work?
The basic principles of laser-cutting of wood are the same as for any other material. The intense laser beam burns and evaporates the top layer of the wooden surface, penetrating deeper with time. This is a quick and accurate technique if the laser cutter’s speed and power are adjusted suitably. The cutting edges of the wood plate are going to become darker in color than the remainder of the plate due to the burning of the wood. It has to be considered, but it is a very aesthetic effect.
How to Choose the Best Wood Laser Cutter
Listed below are the four steps to choose the best wood laser cutter.
- Choose the proper type of laser. A CO2 laser is mostly the best choice.
- Decide how thick the plate is for cutting. It must be maximal. The maximum laser power is going to determine the thickness that is able to be cut. A laser cutter with 50 must do the job as long as the wood plate is not too thick (6-7 mm).
- Think of the cutting area needed for the most common projects. Some laser cutters even allow cutting plates bigger than the machine, but this is not the rule.
- Last but not least, decide on the budget.
How Much Does a Laser Wood Cutter Cost?
The cost of a laser cutter is related to the size of the machine, the laser power, and the accessories that come with it. For example, a relatively small laser cutter with essential functions, like the OMTech K40 Laser, costs around 500 $. Industrial-sized laser cutters, on the other hand, have prices of several 10,000 $ and above. A laser cutter that costs between $2,000 and $5,000 must be suitable for laser-cutting hobbyists and small enterprises.
What is the Best Wood for Laser Cutting?
Below is the top selection list of the best wood for laser cutting.
- Baltic Birch Plywood (Best Overall): Baltic Birch Plywood laser cuts well due to its properties. First, its smooth, continuous surface ensures clean, precise cuts for professional results. It’s easy to cut because of its uniform density and thickness. Baltic Birch Plywood is strong and warp-resistant, making it ideal for precision work. It is inexpensive and accessible for professional and hobbyist woodworkers. It uses high-quality, ethically obtained birch trees. Laser cutting, engraving, furniture, and cabinetry utilize it. It is the best wood for laser cutting because of its smooth surface, homogeneous thickness and density, durability, affordability, sustainability, and flexibility.
- MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard): MDF stands for medium-density fiberboard and refers to a material that has a constant density throughout and does not include any grains. This makes it an excellent candidate for laser cutting.
- Cherry Wood: It is a beautiful hardwood that engraves nicely and offers excellent contrast between the engraved and unengraved regions of the surface. Cherry wood is one of the most popular woods for making fine furniture.
There are hundreds or even thousands of different kinds of wood out there, all suitable for laser cutting. The type of wood is going to depend on aesthetic and practical considerations. The color and texture are different for each type of wood; laser cutting or engraving them is going to lead to different looks and effects. However, it is always fun to play around with all the options out there and decide on which type of wood to use.