Laser for burning and etching?

cobright said:

Is there a diode laser with suitable power and wavelength for burning/etching wood, leather, and maybe some plastics? I'm converting an old cricut cutting machine to full cnc.

This is a very simplistic question and it must have come up before but usually I see something like "What diode laser is best for cutting 3mm acrylic?".

I don't want to cut anything much thicker than paper and I have seen some blu-ray laser CNC machines that seem to do all I need, but those lasers are like 300mw and I wouldn't mind going a bit hotter than that.

I understand I'm at the shallow end of the learning curve, but I'm a quick study and I will learn best by doing, yet I fear investing in a laser to get started then finding out that everything is great except the wavelength I chose is only good for cutting marshmallows.

Would a 3w 808nm IR laser get me where I want to go?

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SKeeZ said:

get your self a CO2 laser... that should to the trick.

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cobright said:

I do appreciate the help, but everyone goes right to the 'CO2 Laser'. I get it, diodes lack cutting power. But if I need something cut I can use a big laser or mill at the shop or the local hackerspace. I need something that can be packed up and moved in the trunk of an suv without undo fear of breakage.

One of the things I have been playing with is using low power lasers to bond powdercoat to metal to act as an acid etch resist or airbrush stencil.

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