Full Spectrum Hobby Series 20x12 CO2 Laser Cutter vs CNCShop Laser Engraving Machine 130W

Considering this machine's cutting power, build quality, and software, it is very complicated to find a matching laser cutter below the price point of $3500. This is a professional grade machine created for hobby applications. Multiple upgrade options are available.

You can upgrade this laser cutter, thanks to the multiple very useful accessories available. For example, you can get a powerful 45 W laser tube ($250), a water chiller ($600), lens upgrades ($250 a piece), or a fume extractor upgrade ($1100).

This laser cutter comes with a pre-installed 40W CO2 laser tube. When properly adjusted, the 40W laser beam is capable of cutting hardwood, plywood, acrylics, and leather.

The body of this laser cutter is made of high-quality steel. The parts are CNC machined. Thus the construction is very solid.

The RetinaEngrave software can receive design files from any software capable of printing (like CorelDraw, AutoCAD, Solidworks, Adobe Illustrator, PDF, MS Word, etc.).

The power and performance of this laser cutter are balanced perfectly for domestic DIY use. It can cut practically any soft material ranging from wood to plastics, to a depth of up to 1/4". Its software and workflow are as straightforward as it can be.

The enclosure of the laser cutter is very well designed. Once the lid is down, the operator is entirely safe. The enclosure of this machine also has plugs for a CO2 tube cooling system and a fume extractor compressor.

This machine will not launch until the kill-switch is released. It prevents the operator from the danger of an accidental laser start. The switch is located on the front panel of the cutter.

The graphics import process is straightforward. Just print to a 'Full Spectrum Lasers Engineering Driver' option from an image-editing software of your choice. The image then is auto-loaded into RetinaEngrave. Within the software, you can do all the pre-adjustments before producing the final cut.

There is a chance of processing workpieces even larger than 20" x 12". You can simply remove the base plate and produce multiple continuous 20" x 12" cuts on very large and flat surfaces.

This laser cutter has a quite large workspace: 20" x 12", which is larger than a standard A3 paper sheet.

The optical tools of this laser cutter are pre-adjusted. You should be able to run this laser cutter straight out of the box. However, you can still do some micro-adjustments. Additionally, the adjusting process is simple and well documented.

The base plate is made from aluminum and has a honeycomb pattern, which prevents workpiece overheating and laser beam reflections.

This is a very high precision machine, it has an accuracy of 0.4 mil (2500 dots per inch). This cutting precision is perfect for woodworking.

This is a powerful laser cutter. Its CO2 tube can generate a 130 W laser beam. If focused correctly, the beam can cut through ¾" plywood on a single pass. The 130W of cutting power is just right for wood cutting, as more powerful lasers will ignite the wooden workpieces.

The working area of this laser cutter is 55" x 35". This is noticeably more than the 12" x 20" building areas offered by hobby series FSL and Glowforge machines. This CNCShop laser cutter will comfortably fit a standard A0 sheet (33.1" x 46.8").

This laser cutter is capable of cutting cylindrical shaped objects. The only thing required to do it is getting a $219.99 router rotary attachment. It is entirely compatible with all the CNCShop laser cutters and engravers and the software is prepared to use this function. This accessory can be used for operations such as cutting or engraving pipes, glasses, and bottles.