Low cooling water flow alarm? Nope, better keep an eye on that yourself. Overheat protection for the tube is your problem. Make no mistake, these are not “quality” machines. The K40 mechanics haven’t changed very much, but the electronics have been updated to USB with modern stepper drivers. Earlier versions came with Moshidraw software and a parallel interface. The cutting compartment is on the left and the electronics are on the right. They all look about the same though: A blue sheet metal box with the laser tube mounted along the back.

There are numerous manufacturers and there have been many versions over the years. The most popular is the smallest – a 40-watt model, dubbed the K40. Currently, there are several low-cost laser models available in various power levels. China got involved, and suddenly there were cheap lasers on the market. Over the last decade or so things have changed. A few companies made a go with the Epilog and did quite well – notably Adafruit used to offer laptop laser engraving services. The closest you could get to a hobbyist laser was Epilog laser, which would still cost somewhere between $10,000 and $20,000 for a small laser system. Much like 3D printers, they were originally impossibly expensive for someone working at home. Laser cutting and engraving machines have been around for decades. Yes, it sounds like a used car dealership ad, but how far is it from the truth? Read on to find out!

Just head on down to Al’s Laser Emporium and pick one up. Why spend thousands on a laser cutter/engraver when you can spend as little as $350 shipped to your door? Sure it’s not as nice as those fancy domestic machines, but the plucky K40 is the little laser that can.

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