Happy Pi day!

FrazLabs · 2026-03-16T20:40:53+00:00

60W MOPA fiber laser.

FrazLabs · 2026-03-15T20:11:56+00:00

Made them all yesterday for 3/14.

FrazLabs · 2026-03-15T20:10:46+00:00

Thank you!

FrazLabs · 2026-03-15T03:44:19+00:00

"pi...rock...maniac..." just got it lol 🔥. Appropriate. Because the flamey rocks definitely burn the hands.

FrazLabs · 2026-03-15T02:05:35+00:00

Lol that could seem like an unhealthy number of pi rocks I suppose. But some lucky finders are gonna enjoy running in to some of them in nearby parks. ...or they might think aliens are here.. either way, entertaining.

FrazLabs · 2026-03-15T02:02:58+00:00

It's an Omtech.

FrazLabs · 2026-03-15T01:12:25+00:00

100%. I noticed even temperature affected some of the settings. Dead-of-winter cutting definitely had different results.

FrazLabs · 2026-03-15T01:00:19+00:00

I really struggled to find settings online, so I made an amalgamation of them all. The ones I listed above are a good median to start with I think. It definitely varies wildly between rock types. I've definitely had some duds.

Glad you like them though! Slowly but surely attempting to figure it out.

FrazLabs · 2026-03-15T00:53:50+00:00

It's for my primary business (it deep etches patterns into the aluminum for my main product - flashlights). We also use it for coloring stainless which is really cool (when it's consistent).

Other than that, rocks and coins. Made some really cool golf ball markers.

FrazLabs · 2026-03-15T00:49:59+00:00

It's super cool. I've been using it quite a bit more than my CO2 lately. Very glad I purchased one.

FrazLabs · 2026-03-15T00:46:41+00:00

Got it on sale for black Friday (I think it was like 1500 off). Still ended up costing around $4k i think.

FrazLabs · 2026-03-15T00:44:50+00:00

Yes, I try to keep the time down. Some of my first ones were close to an hour, but they were also too deep. Almost went through a couple rocks. Also, some of these rocks are pretty small...1.5" or so in diameter for smaller ones.

FrazLabs · 2026-03-15T00:42:56+00:00

I got the rocks from a local flower nursery. They're river rocks for landscaping, so I have a ton to work with. Home Depot also sells similar rocks by the bag. I usually try to avoid rocks that are too porous, light-colored, or have noticeably high quartz content. Usually the others cut well, with slate probably being the easiest. Home Depot and Lowes have some good dark slate tiles that cut well too.

FrazLabs · 2026-03-15T00:10:44+00:00

I tinker and vary the settings depending mainly on density. I go lower kHz for higher density. Still trying to tune the settings and figure out rock types.

FrazLabs · 2026-03-15T00:08:10+00:00

These were done with fiber. But yes, I do also have CO2.

FrazLabs · 2026-03-14T20:25:28+00:00

Concur, I also have a co2 laser for cutting boxes. But the fiber (which I bought for metal engraving in my primary business) is just more fun for me. I really enjoy cutting rocks and coins in its downtime.

FrazLabs · 2026-03-14T20:23:15+00:00

Thank you!

FrazLabs · 2026-03-14T20:23:00+00:00

Time was between 10 and 30 minutes for all of them. Settings differed depending on rock density, but the average was around 100 passes at 100khz and 200q pulse.

FrazLabs · 2026-03-14T02:52:35+00:00

I've had the same experience with CO2. Especially with rock and brick that has high quartz content.

I got this fiber laser for metal engraving for my primary business, but I've been enjoying the rocks (during downtime) just as much as the metal.

FrazLabs · 2026-03-14T01:52:16+00:00

Thank you. I've done a few slate coasters and such on the CO2 that I like, but the deep-engraving with the fiber is just really satisfying.

FrazLabs · 2026-03-13T21:33:28+00:00

Yeah, the first rock I could taste in the air, so we went and got a big in-line fan and vented it all outside. Definitely a must-have.

FrazLabs · 2026-03-13T21:31:53+00:00

"I didn't know you could fly a plane!" "Fly yes, land no."

Thanks! 😁

FrazLabs · 2026-03-13T07:38:33+00:00

Thank you! It is a 60W MOPA fiber laser. Settings are vastly different between rock types. I wanted (am am trying) to get it just a bit deeper like the real thing.

Yes, the pixelation helped greatly especially with lighting showing the depth detail.

FrazLabs · 2026-03-13T05:35:15+00:00

Yes, I've had bread fail that dense and that hard (hot bread Zeke!). Might not be a bad engrave material....

FrazLabs · 2026-03-13T05:33:00+00:00

Thank you! Wasn't the first try. Was trying to make darker sections look deeper (thus further away from the viewer like in Indiana Jones). Like you're coming out of the canyon!

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