At $230 from Gearbest (£194/A$ 387), the Ortur Laser Master 20w laser cutter offers a compact and affordable engraving and cutting solution.
The 20w machine is the flagship model in Ortur's Laser Master range, which also includes 7w and 15w versions. The additional power offered by the 20w model provides greater speed and accuracy, and can be used for both engraving and cutting.
A 32-bit STM32 chipset motherboard provides high precision 12.5um accuracy for the X-Axis, a default pixel accuracy of 300 pixels per inch and 0.81um pixel precision. This means lines, edges and the cuts will be smooth and fluid across the large 160x150mm engraving area.
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If this product comes from mainland China, it will take at least a month to reach either the US or the UK (and potentially more). You may be levied a tax either directly or through the courier.
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The powerful Ortur Laser Master 20W also has broad material compatibility, allowing you to engrave designs into cardboard, wood, plastic and other materials.
Aluminium and acrylic provide the cutter with sturdy construction and it also boasts safety features such as Active Position Protection, Laser Beam Safety Guard and Exposure Limitation.
The laser cutter works with Windows-based software LaserGRBL, which is a free download. Using LaserGRBL, you'll be able to lay out your designs and control the power of the laser, swapping between engraving and cutting modes.
LaserGRBL translates designs from files created in popular imaging and CAD applications (such as Photoshop and Inkscape) and converts them into laser-ready cutting paths.
The application will recognise a range of file formats - including NC, DXF, BMP, JPG and PNG - which means you can also download designs from the internet.
The machine requires some assembly, which should only take between 5 and 10 minutes. Thankfully, the more complex modules all come pre-assembled, so don't worry if you're uncomfortable with flat-pack assembly.
Providing a balance between price, quality and features, the Ortur Laser Master 20w is a fantastic choice for crafters and hobbyists.
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