Laser Engraver/Cutter Checkout Class

Duration: 90 minutes
Class Size: 2 people
Price: $55/person
Ages: 16+ (If younger, guardian must attend and purchase a class seat)
Where: 3765 Plaza Dr, Ann Arbor MI

An introduction to the world of laser cutting. Learn the essentials of laser safety, preparing a file, and engraving/cutting on a piece of baltic birch plywood. We’ll walk you through everything you need, start to finish — from setting up a sample project in Inkscape to cutting out your own custom ruler.

At the end, you will be certified to use the Epilog Laser Cutter/Engraver on your own.

What have people said about this class?

Testimonials

"I loved how the class was interactive - watching and then doing. This really fit my learning style and helped everything stick. Thank you!"

Student in Epilog Laser class, 10/18/2024

“This track helped me gain a lot of knowledge with working on the lasers. Nova was very professional and she's able to provide well detail answers. Pam's puzzle making class was very informative. I would recommend this track to others!”

Student in Laser Project Track, 9/29/2024

"Nova was amazing! She covered everything with great detail and was able to answer every question with expertise. She is a very talented instructor, would take her classes again!"

Student in Epilog Laser class, 10/22/2023

What have people made using this tool?

Click on any of the images below to read a little more!

What materials can be engraved/cut?

  • Cut and engrave any wood! Your only cutting limitation is thickness and hardness of wood — cutting a quarter inch of softer poplar will be great, but half an inch of hard oak or maple will not happen.

    Examples of good woods: cork, masonite, poplar, veneer, whiteboard, corian, all solid woods

    Example of bad woods: we can't think of any!

  • While there are a plethora of plastics you can both cut and engrave, you have to be cautious when bringing in unknown plastic.

    Research if your specific sheet is laser-safe beforehand — if you're not sure, Maker Works staff can do a test for you to check for the presence of chlorine. (This test does not check whether or not your plastic will cut/engrave well, only if it will cut safely.)

    Examples of good plastics: acrylic (both cast and extruded, though cast is better), acetal, 1 mm PLA, Formica

    Examples of bad plastics: PVC, vinyl, ABS, fiberglass, styrofoam, polycarbonate (such as Lexan)

  • Many natural and synthetic textiles work well with the laser cutter!

    Examples of good textiles: cotton, felt (wool and polyester), denim, silk, nylon, leather (especially natural)

    Examples of bad textiles: vinyl-based fabrics, PVC-based leather, Spandex/Lycra

  • Like plastics, some foams cut well while others pose challenges and/or safety risks.

    Examples of good foams: EVA foam (ethylene vinyl acetate), thinner PE foam (polyethylene), craft foam (usually made of EVA), thin neoprene foam

    Examples of bad foams: styrofoam (polystyrene), PVC-based foams

  • Many materials are engravable but not cuttable, either due to safety reasons or it's simply not possible.

    Examples of things you can engrave but not cut: anodized aluminum, ceramic, enamel, glass, marble, electronic devices like iPads & Macbooks (who would've guessed?), melamine

  • Does your material not fit under any of the above categories? Don't worry, it may still be laser-safe!

    Examples of good miscellaneous materials: papers (cardstock, cardboard, etc.), bone, gingerbread, pumpkin, chocolate

Check the calendar below to find out if there’s already a scheduled class.

If there’s not, or if none of the classes scheduled work for you, request this class!

We’ve responded to over 1200 class requests — it’s the main way we schedule classes.

Specifications:

  • Engraving Area 24″ x 18″ (Laser B), 24″ x 12″ (Laser A)

  • Maximum Material Depth/Thickness 8.5″ (Laser B), 6″ (Laser A)

  • Laser Wattage 50 watts

  • Laser Source State-of-the-art, digitally controlled, air-cooled CO2 laser tubes are fully modular, permanently aligned and field replaceable.

  • Intelligent Memory Buffer - Store unlimited files up to 64 MB. Rolling buffer allows files of any size to be engraved.

  • Air Assist Removes heat and combustible gasses from the cutting surface by directing a constant stream of compressed air across the cutting surface.

  • Red Dot Pointer Since the laser beam is invisible, the Red Dot Pointer allows you to have a visual reference for locating where the laser will fire.

  • Relocate-able Home When engraving items that are not easily placed at the top corner of the laser, you can set a new home position by hand with the convenient Moveable Home Position feature.

  • Operating Modes Optimized raster, vector or combined modes with engraving and cutting in one job.

  • Motion Control System High-speed, continuous-loop, DC servomotors using linear and rotary encoder technology for precise positioning.

  • X-Axis Bearings Ground and polished stainless steel NeverWear Bearing System.

  • Belts Advanced B-style Kevlar Belts

  • Resolution User controlled from 75 to 1200 dpi

  • Speed and Power Control Computer or manually control speed and power in 1% increments to 100%. Vector color mapping links speed, power, and focus to any RGB color.

  • Laser System Classification Class 2 Laser Product – 1 mW CW Maximum 600-700 nm.

The future is yours to make!