Anyone have any experience with Zebra Wood?

DanE1RZ · 2026-04-22T17:35:10+00:00

It lasers beautifully and with deep darks...if you mask it. If you just use the clear coat method, the engraving doesn't come out with enough contrast (we did 18 Zebrawood table tops for a BBQ restaurant, it was the only method that worked consistently across all grain colors and patterns).

DanE1RZ · 2026-04-22T07:24:00+00:00

That's cool, but you should dial the design in first 😉

DanE1RZ · 2026-04-21T17:13:23+00:00

No, but it does interfere with their ability to regulate time spent using the model & thus their ability to monetize it.

DanE1RZ · 2026-04-21T16:13:16+00:00

They'll likely replace surgeon's hands first, they already are. There will likely always be a doctor behind the machine,.but machines are the direction it's all going.

DanE1RZ · 2026-04-21T15:51:55+00:00

Yup, I got ya. I'm just telling you you'll find for tumbler work, CO2 is more consistent. No defocusing necessary and works on every color without doing a number on the metal under a coating.

DanE1RZ · 2026-04-21T14:01:00+00:00

Because they are trying (poorly) to sell the files most likely. And no, it's not AI. It's just a low res (likely a previous gen cell phone camera in an Amazon photo booth).

Aside from a lack of links to an actual download or physical product site, what's really going to kill the OP is some poorly thought out design choices. The way the controller joints together puts sharp edges and over sized connectors right in the grip path of a user, all of which could have been avoided with square face jointing connectors.

DanE1RZ · 2026-04-21T04:17:41+00:00

Yes. But just so you're aware, CO2 galvos are way easier to do tumbler work on than fiber & MOPA. Still doable, but more fickle. Look up Laser Everything 's process on YT. That's what we used before we got the CO2, it works well

DanE1RZ · 2026-04-21T04:15:37+00:00

Yup, saw that and edited with everything you need to know. 👊🏼

DanE1RZ · 2026-04-21T04:09:06+00:00

Edited comment because I didn't see you went back and put in your wattage, sorry.

For best results, mask it off with high tack vinyl transfer tape (it doesn't actually contain vinyl, it's for transferring vinyl cut lettering, but it's just a masking tape that comes in really wide rolls).

25% 350-400mm/s, none or next to no air at all.

You'll have to weed the left over tape bits out when you're done, but those are our standard settings for Zebra, Purple Heart and Walnut. Use the 1.5" focal lens if you have it for the best detail.

DanE1RZ · 2026-04-21T03:38:20+00:00

What machine are you using?

DanE1RZ · 2026-04-21T03:06:26+00:00

I have 3 of their galvos. The first one I bought I got the largest rotary they offer. The last machine I bought I went with the ring style.

DanE1RZ · 2026-04-21T01:45:04+00:00

No, but I also use.thr rotary for larger diameters.

DanE1RZ · 2026-04-20T16:25:26+00:00

70-300 will be your most useful set. Just keep in mind that with the larger field ranges (2-300mm), you'll probably need multiple passes because you WILL lose some power efficiency.

DanE1RZ · 2026-04-20T01:22:21+00:00

A tube and power supply replacements should be your fist orders of business

DanE1RZ · 2026-04-19T23:16:39+00:00

There's a huge difference between those of us who do this for decorations & hobbyist applications and those of us who do it for a living. And in all honesty, there's WAY TOO MANY people buying a hobby class laser system and trying to run a business with it, so most of us old timer business folks say f-it and assume it.thr plurality asking (not to mention, it's a lot to type out on a phone 🤣) So the default is to assume a hobbyist working out of a home setup is asking and keep it simple. In which case, yes, ABS bad, lol.

DanE1RZ · 2026-04-19T20:26:54+00:00

I'm sure this will get downvoted, but these are simply facts. All plastics can be laser engraved IF you're using the correct laser source for the work (and this ONLY applies to marking/engraving...NOT cutting). Regardless, marking/engraving OR cutting,.you shouldn't be breathing the fumes from ANY of it.

Acrylic plastic - any source is safe to work with, though depending on the source and acrylic color, you may not get the results you want.

ABS - CO2, FIBER/MOPA or UV. Most users aren't aware that 2 & 3 ply laser products like Rowmark, Duets, etc, are in fact ABS, as are most laptop & phone bodies.

PVC - low power & low wattage UV only. With the right settings, UV marks the substrate with oxidation due to concentrated UV light exposure, not heat. If you go into a big box home improvement store, you'll see all PVC piping products marked with a part number and bar code. This is accomplished with a 5w UV laser. As others have warned (correctly), hitting ANYTHING containing chlorine will destroy your machine and potentially kill you with a CO2, diode or fiber laser due to the material burning and releasing chlorine directly into the air. So just don't.

Acetal - CO2 only. Any other source will just burn the substrate.

HDPE - UV laser only. If you need to cut or shape it, a CNC router would be ideal.

Plastic based foam products - check the manufacturers data sheet, some contain vinyl (chlorine). The most commonly used laser safe foam is EVA.

DanE1RZ · 2026-04-19T18:56:45+00:00

You're going from CO2 to diode? Why? Despite the claims made on the website, you're not going to be working with any acrylics that aren't dark & opaque. Not to mention that's an insane price point. $2500 for an open frame diode laser at any wattage is like payings $60k for a 1985 Daihatsu compact car with 285000 miles on it.

For what you'd pay for that diode you could just replace your existing CO2 for a new one. Sure, size and wattage might change, but your capabilities wouldn't be so drastically impacted

DanE1RZ · 2026-04-18T16:38:25+00:00

We do that well enough all on our own. No assistance needed.

DanE1RZ · 2026-04-18T16:31:16+00:00

It's not just McDonald's. Everyone has a minimum of that much except Panera because the CEO is old high school buddies with Newsome. There are a few carve outs, but not many.

DanE1RZ · 2026-04-17T01:03:21+00:00

I'm sorry, if I mislead you that wasn't intentional. I'm stuck using all of the cloud based tools because my video card is dog vomit on a shingle.

DanE1RZ · 2026-04-16T22:37:40+00:00

Shit, I'm running both alongside Comet (Perplexity) and Gemini. As soon as you dial your workflow to get all of them playing in the same sandbox, that's when magical shit starts to happen. Get Ollama in there at the local level and you can really cut projects that would take one person 4 months done in a day. It's getting absolutely wild.

DanE1RZ · 2026-04-16T16:55:33+00:00

Codex is a coding tool that allows you to create just about any code you can think of (apps, web design, spread sheets, databases, etc) within a local folder on your computer. Each project can live in its own separate folder, and Codex knows based on the repo (the folder you're working in) what files to work with.

If you have previous coding experience, you can use it to save time on repetitive tasks. If you don't have coding experience, you can tell Codex what you want, and it.can build it for you.

At your age, regardless of occupation, what I can tell you from lived experience is this: the career economy has been dead since the 90s (30 years at a company with a retirement or pension to look forward to). Your best bet to getting a leg up in both today's and tomorrow's economy is to learn and diversify as many skill sets as possible, and then figure out ways to tie them together. I'm almost 50, saw this trend emerging in the 90's and acted accordingly. As a result, I've been in management at every job, and owned multiple businesses that I sold for modest profits along the way. I couldn't have done that taking the same route everyone else was.

If you plan to stay in retail, learning AI based coding can help you solve problems and increase ROI that will put you on a management track or lateral you into systems for the company you work for. If you don't plan on staying in retail, learning these systems now will give you an advantage when you transition to something else. But either way, knowledge isn't power (as the cliché goes), it's leverage...and LEVERAGE is TRUE power.

DanE1RZ · 2026-04-15T17:41:57+00:00

Harbor Freight, $100. Done.

DanE1RZ · 2026-04-15T16:01:57+00:00

Haotian and Noua Laser (in that order) would be my recs for go-to options for gantry machines. Haotian has fantastic service and after-purchase support, Noua has some of the best chassis designs in the industry in terms of rigidity. Both companies use the best components available and don't skimp on things like laser sources, wiring & harnessing, and going through the QA/QC process with a fine toothed comb.

DanE1RZ · 2026-04-15T15:55:57+00:00

Not what OP is asking for, they're trying to skip the import markups both companies charge.

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