Laser engraving business - good or bad idea?

[John Kleiber]

Where are you in Houston John? Id love to stop in and say hello next time through.

Our location in Houston is about 3 miles north of the 610 Loop. Just google engraver or Red Bolt Laser and a map to our location should pop up.

[Bob WrightNC]

Trotec is also opening quite a few Training/Demo centers where they have machines that you can demo besides at a trade show. You may want to contact them and see if there is one near you. Get a feel for the machine and people - always a good idea.

[Neville Stewart]

Our location in Houston is about 3 miles north of the 610 Loop. Just google engraver or Red Bolt Laser and a map to our location should pop up.

Im sure I can find you, just wanted to check if youre up for a drop in.

[Rodne Gold]

Its pretty simple , the laser is the wrong tool for wood .. unless all you want to do is engrave it or generate char
The laser is just another tool like a lathe or mill ..owning one means nothing until you can use it effectively .. you dont have a tool and die business out the box.
The biggest problem you face is that in the last few years the barrier to entry in this field has plummeted ..$10k gets you a fiber galvo and a decent sized 80w machine .. thats not big money .. so much more competition out there at stupidly low pricing

[David Somers]

Robert,

Rodne's comments are exactly why we were suggesting a maker space to start. You don't need it for long. Just use it as a way to test out ideas and play with the tools to see if they really will do what you envision. Or find local laser and cnc shops who will indulge you. They are a cheap way to test the waters before you put a chunk of money into something. And if you are looking at an Epi or a ULS or a Trotec you are looking at a chunk, supportive wife not withstanding.

[Martin Boekers]

I sincerely appreciate your advice but honestly don't think its worth the price to belong to a maker space. The only one around is in Pittsburgh and I'd rather lose money than drive in that city. I've also been blessed with a wife that says if you want it, buy it and my goal is to have something to do in "retirement". While I have no intention of closing my current business for several years, I don't want to wait until the last minute to start learning a new one. After reading your posts, I'm leaning more toward a cnc, but space is an issue. I have a really nice location for a laser, but just bought a panel saw and fitting a large bed cnc in my shop would be a challenge.

It's a shame you don't have a TechShop in your area. One just opened in St Louis it's about $1200 a year depending upon the promotion going on. I've been there a couple times.... To have access to lasers, CNCs, water jet, welding, vinyl cutters, 3d printers, heat pressed, embroidery machines, powder coating... and I can go on... Not only that but the are located in the heart of "Start-up" and entrepreneur community... There is some better maker spaces...

[Kev Williams]

The biggest problem you face is that in the last few years the barrier to entry in this field has plummeted ..$10k gets you a fiber galvo and a decent sized 80w machine .. thats not big money .. so much more competition out there at stupidly low pricing

I used to worry about his, but every time someone else around here gets into the engraving business, I get more business. Lost count of how many times I've been told 'I used to get these done at _____ but _____' -And I'm one of the last people around these parts to get a fiber, but I'm getting their biz too. Biggest problem from what I can gather: Their machine breaks down, and they don't know what to do to fix it, or won't spend the money.

... Or find local laser and cnc shops who will indulge you. They are a cheap way to test the waters before you put a chunk of money into something...

I actually had a guy call me a couple of years ago, and stated pretty much flat out "I've just bought a fiber laser, would you be willing to teach me how to use it, and maybe send some of your gun customers my way?"
Why sure, but first, can you spell "Chutzpah"?

He either found someone else to teach him, or he learned himself. He started engraving guns, charged a LOT more than I ever did. Then one day his machine broke down...

[Bert Kemp]

Kev theres 3 kinds of Laser engravers

The Wanna Bee's these lead to>>

The Has Beens and then you have

The Survivors KEVIN

I used to worry about his, but every time someone else around here gets into the engraving business, I get more business. Lost count of how many times I've been told 'I used to get these done at _____ but _____' -And I'm one of the last people around these parts to get a fiber, but I'm getting their biz too. Biggest problem from what I can gather: Their machine breaks down, and they don't know what to do to fix it, or won't spend the money.


I actually had a guy call me a couple of years ago, and stated pretty much flat out "I've just bought a fiber laser, would you be willing to teach me how to use it, and maybe send some of your gun customers my way?"
Why sure, but first, can you spell "Chutzpah"?

He either found someone else to teach him, or he learned himself. He started engraving guns, charged a LOT more than I ever did. Then one day his machine broke down...

[Gary Hair]

The "here today gone tomorrow" are why I always recommend they buy the best machine available - it keeps the used laser market filled with barely used machines that are worth buying...

[Jay Selway]

The real money is in manufacturing imo. We make more money for less time when people just send us files, tell us what material they want, and we cut a ton of them. Then again, that's what the Kern lasers excel at.

[Ron Hampe]

They have 3 Troteks at the Tech Space in Pittsburgh, but you can only reserve one for up to 2 hours at a time and their schedule is almost completely full. The list price to join is $200 month. In addition they offer a few classes and from the reviews other than the required basic safety classes none are geared toward a beginner. The laser classes are $99 to $129 each and I honestly can't see spending that kind of money and having to schedule time a month in advance too.

[Martin Boekers]

I think STL Has 6 lasers ULS. They just opened a few months ago. Pricing is a lot cheaper (anywhere from $900-$1500 depending upon the promotion). There are a few smaller clubs
in the area Arch Reactor, Fab Lab could be more I'm not sure. If you get on as an instructor. $25hr (contractor) If you teach 12hrs a month in classes you get free membership. There
is room to grow in STL because the are located in the heart of the Cortex District, and incubator for start-ups. So as the area grows there is potential to add to it. The do have "Dream
Consultants" that are supposed to help you along your way... What a great job title! Good luck!

[David Somers]

Bummer Ron, Sorry to hear that. We have a modest number of them in Seattle, catering to college students and apartment dwellers who don't have room for big toys. Some are more learning oriented than others. Might have been a good tool for you to test the waters if the price and accessibility were better.

Another thought then....How some local clubs or meet up groups related to lasers and CNC's? We have several of each that meet in the Seattle area. Around here they tend to be mostly retired Boeing Engineers who bought the tools and are having fun with them. Some using them for profit of some sort. Others just for personal growth and challenge and enjoyment. They might be willing to talk to you about your thoughts on the use of the machine and what you can expect to get out of it. Perhaps even spend some time with them on a machine to see for yourself? And you wouldn't be asking a business person to teach you to be their competitor either like Kev Williams describes above. Might be worth checking.

My main thought is for you to get a little bit of first hand experience under your belt before you leap into an Epi. These things do have lots of limits that the manufacturers gloss over or ignore completely. This will vary from sales person to sales person, but our Epi sales person here in the Seattle area was exceptional in sitting down with me and talking about what a laser would and wouldn't do for me. I was able to hook up with him when he had a few hours free and he was a huge help, even though we both knew right away that an Epi was going to be wayyyyyy beyond my price range. In spite of that he was open and sharing which I have always appreciated. Our local Trotec rep was the opposite, failing to return calls or emails. A polite brush off would have been fine rather than simply ignoring me. ( I think the person who replaced him is much better) Anyway...a decent rep can be a big help. Obviously beware of the rep that is totally into sales and tells you a laser will lead you to a life of leisure and prosperity.

Keep throwing thoughts and questions at us too! Don't forget that SMC has a good CNC forum as well. And in a city the size of Pittsburgh you may find that various laser and CNC reps do shows and events for local clubs. Legend CNC's came out here and did a full weekend with a local club. It was partly sales, but also mostly demo and discussions about capabilities. It was a great session and very worthwhile. They were here to deliver a new machine to a buyer which is why they hooked up with the club. Very worthwhile.

[John Lifer]

i didnt have a makerspace anywhere close to me. on is trying to open now, but they are leaning towards only kids and have not offered time to the public. but if it were me, id drop the 200 for a month and spend as much time on that laser as i could. would get you hands on experience. at least if trotec and epilog US machine is in your sights.

[Joe Pelonio]

When I had a sign shop and employees to do the work we tried some laser items at craft shows, they were just not profitable. You also face the prejudice against machine-made work from the sellers of hand made, who would even post signs "hand made-not laster or CNC". My money came from wholesale work, in volume. Some of my biggest customers ended up buying their own lasers after prices fell with more competition, and Chinese machines. The biggest went with a local guy to save money because they were paying me about $3,000/ month plus another $600 in shipping. Since closing and getting a regular job in 2009 I do some laser work for a handful of good customers, wholesale parts for items they assemble and sell. Last week I got orders for 50 of one, 2000 of another, so two weekends worth. It's good for about $20k/year in vacation money, and I expect to continue when I retire.