Hi all i need some help. i want to build a small laser engraver. but im not sure what laser to opt for. i want to mainly use it for engraving into metal, normal mild steel as well as but only seldom into a hardened steel. but i also want to engrave into wood and i want to build it as portable as possible. i have a frame design so far im now stuck with choosing what laser.
You will most likely need a CO2 laser and special coatings to engrave on metals. These are water cooled and have glass tubes. They would not be very portable. The K40 laser is a cheap example. However at 40 watts, they can engrave some metals, but not easily. They are also much more dangerous to use because you can not see the beam if a mirror got displaced.
