When comparing Orion Motor Tech 12"x 8" vs Full Spectrum Lasers Muse, the Slant community recommends Orion Motor Tech 12"x 8" for most people. In the question“What are the best laser cutters?” Orion Motor Tech 12"x 8" is ranked 3rd while Full Spectrum Lasers Muse is ranked 5th. The most important reason people chose Orion Motor Tech 12"x 8" is:
If you need, you can upgrade the standard 40 W laser tube to a 50 W version.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Laser tube can be upgraded to a more powerful one
If you need, you can upgrade the standard 40 W laser tube to a 50 W version.
Pro Affordable
This is one of the cheapest CO2 tube lasers out on the market. It was created as a cost-effective alternative to multiple thousand dollar machines.
Pro Software and manual are included
The unit is shipped together with a free copy of its dedicated software Shenzhouyi. The software's manual is also included.
Pro Works very well when mastered
This laser cutter can do very fine cutting/engraving if you manage to fully unleash its potential. However, this will require you to invest a lot of your time into this machine to explore and upgrade it.
Pro Comes with accessories
This laser cutter comes with a water pump, which is used for CO2 tube cooling, and a fume extractor.
Pro Multiple designs and projects are provided
FSL did a great job when it comes to providing users with countless sample projects for this laser cutter. You can get an entire library of design files for free. There is a whole tutorial section available (you need to be registered) for makers, where you will be able to find all sorts of guides to do with this laser cutter.
Pro Free, easy-to-use software
This laser cutter works with the RetinaEngrave software. A copy of the software is provided for free, together with a laser cutter. The software is very intuitive and user-friendly. It requires no tinkering.
Pro Can cut various materials
This laser cutter is perfect for cutting soft materials, such as wood, plywood, MDF, plastics, and acrylics. Additionally, its 40 W laser tube is perfectly suitable for engraving metals.
Pro Informative, user-friendly touch screen
The built-in LCD touch screen is there to help the user control the machine and give out information regarding its current state. It is used to display the current work progress, edit settings, and launch working routines.
Pro Can engrave curved items
Due to a rotary attachment feature, you can engrave curved objects. The attachment is optional, and it costs $895. It is perfect for engraving bottles, glasses, and other cylindrical objetcs.
Cons
Con Requires a lot of tinkering
It will take a certain amount of skills and experience to run this laser cutter. Knowledge of CAM (Computer-Aided Manufacturing) processes and concepts is essential. Besides, skills and expertise in electrical engineering will come in handy, as all the electrical schematics are unavailable. It is possible to receive high cutting/engraving quality from this machine, but plan to invest a lot of time and effort into tinkering with it.
Con Focal length needs manual adjustments
It is very hard to reach the full potential (40W of cutting power) of this laser cutter, as the optimum focal length of the lens must be found experimentally/manually.
Con Workspace is small
Visually, the machine might look big, but the work area is only 12" x 8". That's less than an A4 sheet. This is an essential thing to consider before going for this laser cutter.
Con Not suitable for metal cutting
It has neither the power nor the precision required for metal cutting.
Con The software is very basic
The software is not as advanced as the software provided by brands like FSL and Glowforge. It is suitable only for basic cutting and engraving applications.
Con Lacks a proper spec sheet
It is incredibly complicated to find all the technical specifications for this laser cutter. The specifications sheet provided by the manufacturer, which is not even included in the manual, is limited to workspace dimensions and cutting power. Other important parameters, like precision and cutting speed, are simply not there.