How to Make Money with a Laser Engraver?

The most popular and frequently asked question of people interested in laser engraving machines is whether and how they can make money from it or not. Sometimes, they get confused and drop the idea of the laser engraving business.

You might be interested in laser engraving machines which is why you landed on this website post. Before you make any decision, read this article. We will explain whether you can earn money with a laser engraver or not and how you can do that.

We will reveal the investment you need to start a laser engraver business. Moreover, for your ease, we have selected some of the best laser engraving machines. We will list those machines along with the features. After reading this article, you will get a complete idea of how to make money in the laser engraver business.

1) Can I Make Money with a Laser Engraver? 

Undoubtedly, you can make money with a laser engraver. Nowadays, laser engraving is in great demand and being used for multiple purposes. It is an excellent business idea that beginners can start with low investment. 

There is a massive market for laser engraving. From making art pieces to marking objects, laser engraving is preferred. People love to have creative, unique, and customized objects; therefore, these machines are a great source of earnings.

There is an option to start an eCommerce website to sell the items you make. In addition, there are other eCommerce websites as well where you can create an account and sell your products. Don’t forget to try Etsy, Amazon, and eBay. These websites can help you kick-start your business and earn revenue even at the start of the business.

If you wish to have a physical store, it is a great idea to sell laser engraved products. People can easily order from you and get their personalized items according to their requirements.

Another unique idea of earning with laser engraving is creating videos and then uploading them on YouTube and Facebook. Your content can be monetized, and it will be a great source of earnings. Laser engraving is fascinating, and people would love to see such videos. You can brainstorm new ideas and make products. If you are a creative person, the viewers will definitely praise your creativity.

After using laser machines, you can guide others. You have experience in making objects and using laser machines, so you are the right person to give reviews and guide people. For more earnings, you should try affiliate marketing. You will earn through successful sales after the promotion of laser engraving machines. Affiliate marketing can be done on a website or YouTube channel.

Simply put, there are many ways of earning with a laser engraver. It is up to you how you choose to earn and market your products.

2) What Can I Engrave and Sell? 

Laser engraving can be done on a wide range of materials; consequently, the users can make many items and products, and it depends on their creativity. Let’s see some laser engraving/cutting projects a person can engrave and sell.

The first market for laser engraving is for customized objects and gifts. With the help of a laser engraver, a user can engrave a name, logo, title, tag line, picture, or anything else on the materials. For instance, you can make laser engraved rings and sell them online. There is a wide variety of customized products, such as pens, tumblers, keychains, lockets, wallets, mobile covers, watches, and uncountable items.

Customized items can be used for gifting. It is an excellent idea to present customized objects on birthdays and special events. Moreover, companies also present their employees and visitors with customized gifts for the sake of promotion. You might get orders from companies and corporate giants to make customized items for them. They use customized cups, pens, bags, and other items in their offices.

Another use of laser engraving is marking. Precious objects and items are marked for identification. Moreover, companies also make barcodes and QR codes on metallic items by using a laser engraver.

A laser engraving machine is a worthy tool for artists. They can make different art pieces as they like. Images can be engraved on a piece of wood that can be used as a wall hanging. There are limitless ideas to create engaging and appealing wall hangings. Other than that, they can make wooden boxes, engraved paintings, and a wide range of objects.

With the help of laser engraving, users can engrave trophies, shields, medals, and similar things. These items are frequently ordered from companies, schools, and institutions.

Laser engraving machines can engrave ceramics as well. They can make wall hangings and customized ceramic pieces, such as opening ceremony plaques and gravestones (tombstones). Metals can also be engraved to make opening ceremony plaques and door titles.

3) How Much Do I Need to Start a Laser Engraving Business? 

Beginners need a straightforward answer to how much they need to start a laser engraving business. For establishing and running such a business, you need to keep various expenses and costs in mind. Buying a laser machine is not enough; there are other expenses involved as well.

Laser Engraving Machine Cost

The first thing that you need to buy is a laser engraving machine. The cost of the machine depends on the type of laser engraver. Typically, three types of laser engraving machines are commonly used for business.

1. CO2 Laser Engraving Machines
2. Diode Laser Engraving Machines
3. Fiber Laser Engraving Machines

Diode laser engraving machines are the most pocket-friendly machines on the market. These can engrave as well as cut various materials. For small businesses and beginners, diode laser machines are the best. The initial investment for buying the machine is in the range of $700-1200. An excellent quality laser machine can be bought in the said range.

CO2 laser engraving machines are a bit costlier than diode laser machines. But small businesses can still have these machines and earn money. The typical cost of a CO2 laser machine is in the range of $3000-4000. However, the lifespan of a CO2 laser is much less (about 6000-8000 hours).

Fiber laser machines are quite costly. It can cost you around $6,000-15,000 or even more. But these machines are capable of cutting and engraving metals, and they last for a long time.

You can decide on a suitable laser engraving machine according to your budget.

Attachments

After buying laser machines, there are extra expenses involved. You need to buy certain attachments according to the requirements of the business. For instance, if you want to engrave cylindrical objects, such as tumblers and wine glasses, you need a rotary attachment for that. It will cost you $100-200.

You also need to buy a panel to protect the surface of the table. Honeycomb panels are mostly used for engraving. It will cost you $100-150.

Another thing you need is the air assist. Some laser engraving machines do not have an air assist, so you need to buy it separately. An air assist is necessary because it blows away the hot smoke and improves the efficiency of the laser machine. It will cost you about $100-150.

Raw Materials

You need raw materials for engraving. You can buy objects, such as pens, tumblers, lockets, and rings. You might also need solid wood pieces, plywood, acrylic, and other materials. So, it is better to keep this cost in mind.

Marketing Cost

Marketing is necessary for selling the products. You might need to run advertisements on social media. It is necessary to keep this cost separate. In the start, you might be able to sell your products to friends and family members, but in the long term, you need proper marketing.

Electricity Cost

Laser machines consume electricity. Depending on the wattage of the machine, you will have the electricity bill. Diode laser engravers have the lowest wattage compared to other types. While buying a laser machine, make sure to check the wattage of the machine to get a better idea of the electricity expense.

4) Which Lasers Machine to Buy?

Diode Laser Machine—xTool D1

xTool D1 a is a high-accuracy and affordable diode laser machine for beginners and small businesses. xTool is laser engraving brand designing, manufacturing and selling laser engravers and cutters to user around the world. on it’s website is a very compact machine that you can keep at your home over a small table. It empowers the user to engrave and cut materials with high accuracy and speed.

The most important thing about xTool D1 is its fine laser. The laser spot has minimal dimensions of 0.08 x 0.08mm. It ensures ultimate precision and fine details while engraving. It makes fine and clear lines on the object and reduces burn marks.

There are three diode laser modules of 5W, 10W, and 20W available. The 20W module is the world’s most powerful laser module on the market. It cuts and engraves materials at a very fast speed. It can even cut an 8-10mm plywood with just one pass and at the speed of 3mm per second. The user has the choice to select any module he likes. D1 can engrave solid wood, plywood, leather, glass, steel, ceramics, paper, and acrylic. 

In addition, there are other accessories available, such as the honeycomb panel, air assist, and rotary attachment. Users can also buy risers to increase the height of the laser machine and engrave bigger objects.

D1 is beginner-friendly, and anyone can use it without any hassle. The software Laserbox Basic is pretty simple, and D1 is also compatible with LightBurn, which is the preferred software by professionals. 

The best things about xTool D1 are its reasonable cost and optimal quality. Currently, it is available for $439 (5W module) and $619 (10W module). Surprisingly, it is available with affirm, and buyers can pay as low as $40 per month. It is ideal for beginners to start a new business with minimal investment.

CO2 Laser Machine—xTool Laserbox Rotary

Laserbox Rotary is a powerful and innovative CO2 laser machine from xTool. It is also ideal for small businesses, home projects, DIY works, art & craft, etc. The size of the machine is like a desktop printer, so it can easily be used at home.

The features of xTool Laserbox Rotary set it apart from other machines on the market. It is an extraordinary machine with a lot of advanced features. It has a live preview camera that shows engraving live on the computer screen. You can align and position the design easily using the camera.

It is equipped with AI focusing that focuses the laser automatically. It detects the thickness of the material and type of material to focus on the object accurately. Surprisingly, the machine can extract the image from any object. The extracted image can be modified and used for engraving.

xTool Laserbox Rotary can engrave acrylic, wood, glass, leather, cardboard, paper, metal, stone, rubber, food, and fabric. Therefore, the users have a wide range of materials to use for creating products. Moreover, it is also compatible with rotary attachment, so it can also engrave cylindrical objects.

The machine is available for $3,699. The amount can be paid with affirm as low as $129 per month.

Fiber Laser Engraving Machine—JPT 50W

JPT 50W is a fiber laser marking machine that can engrave on metals and a few non-metals. It is quite powerful and can engrave a wide range of materials, including stainless steel, tungsten, titanium, carbine nickel, gold, silver, carbon steel, platinum, nylon, ABS, PVC, etc.

Fiber laser machines are expensive, but this one is still affordable. It is available for $6,299. The price is low because the optical power is only 50W. But it is powerful enough to mark and engrave metals.

The machine also has a chuck rotary that can hold cylindrical and irregular objects for engraving. Thus, users can engrave metallic tumblers, keychains, metal sheets, lockets, jewelry, and many other items. It supports multiple files, including JPG, TIF, PNG, DXF, BMP, and PLT. The marking speed can be up to 7mm per second, which is a lot compared to diode laser machines.

The machine is available with 2-year warranty service. Buyers can buy it with confidence.

Final Words

Laser engraving is a great business, and users can earn a handsome amount by making products through engraving and selling them online. It is an easy and quick source of earning that can start from your own home and with a little investment. There is a wide variety of products that can be made, and we have highlighted many of them. A laser engraver empowers you to make anything you like; brainstorm ideas, and implement them using the machine.

Simply put, laser engraving is a profitable business. Beginners can choose to start earning from their homes. We have also selected some of the best laser engraving machines to help our readers in making the right decision. Choose a suitable machine according to your budget and business idea and start earning.

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