The Epilog Laser Company produces some of the finest shop grade lasers in the industry.  The machines are built in America in Golden, Colorado. This is important in that availability of parts is crucial in keeping your machine operational and continuously productive.  A quick visit to epiloglaser.com will show you that the company is serious about its products and service.

Right above the Zing entry level machines you will find the Mini, The Helix and the Legend models.  They come in an 18, 24 and 36 model. All models range in power from 30 watts up.  As you go larger the machine will go from 30 watts to a higher range.  For example the Mini 18 ranges from 30 – 40 watts whereas the model 36 EXT ranges from 30 – 120 watts.  As you step up you get a larger work area and more power.  In determining what size is best for your shop you simply need to know what types of items you will be engraving.  If you know you will be called upon to work with larger objects then get the larger machine or you will be turning business away.   If you only do small items then you are wasting your money if you buy more machine than you will need.  The machine consistently gets high reviews with owners only sorry that they did not get a bigger machine.    The Mini’s start at around $10,000 and go up from there.  At this price you are no longer talking about a hobby machine.  You need to be serious about engraving and have the ability to keep the machine busy.

Here is an overview video of the Epilog Lasers.

The Zing 16 and 24 CO2 laser engravers are American made machines designed for shops that want quality production on a budget.  The Zing machines are loaded with features normally only found on more expensive machines.

Epilog’s CO2 and Fiber laser systems can engrave, cut, or mark a multitude of materials. The examples below will give you an idea of just how versatile this machine really is.  The Zing machines will engrave :

Wood – Wood engraving is one of the most popular uses for the Zing  laser. Wood comes in a variety of types, sizes and colors and is easy to work with.  It reacts well to the lazer and can be shaded by the machine which gives you the ability to actually laser a photo into wood. The Epilog Zing 16 and 24 laser engraving machines are used in almost every woodworking category you can imagine.

Glass – You would think that the laser will simple go right through glass with no effect but that is not true.  A CO2 laser actually frosts glass very well.  You can even product designs on curved surfaces like bottles or glasses.  For a deeper etch you can apply sandblast resist to the glass, burn through it with the laser, and then sandblast.

Fabric – You can’t etch fabric but you can certainly cut through it.  Fabric cutting with lasers has become very popular.  You can do intricate designs and the nice thing is that the laser sears the edges of the fabric as you cut it.  Heat transfer material can be cut the same way and then transfered to tshirts or hats.

Metal –  Etching metal can create a variety of valuable products.  Many companies want barcodes etched into machinery and a laser is just about the only way to accomplish this.

Plastic – Engraving plastic is popular because so many electronic gadgets are made from this substance.  Plastic is very easy to etch or to cut right through.  The possibilities for design work and profit are endless.  Name tags are also plastic and you can create basic ones or very intricate tags.

Leather – Leather can be shaded, etched and engraved much like wood.  Imagine laser etching a family portrait onto a leather purse.  With a Zing laser by Epilog this is one of a thousand choices that you would have.

The Zing will also laser engrave Acrylic, Coated Metal, Ceramic,, Rubber, Tile, Stainless Steel, Fiberglass and more.  The resolution is equivalent to about 100 dpi. Here are some more specs:

Maximum Engraving Area: 16 inches x 12 inches

Laser  Wattage: 25 Watt, air-cooled metal waveguide laser tube

Operating Modes: Optimized raster, vector, and combined mode.

Motion Control System: High  Speed  Micro Stepper Motors

Resolution: Can be user controlled ; 100 to 1000 Dots Per Inch

Printing Interface: 10 Base T ethernet cable or USB

Size: 28.75″ W x 11.75″ H x 22.125 D

Weight: 70 pounds

Max Material Thickness: 4″ (101 mm)

Ventilation System: External exhaust to the outside is required. This is done via a 4 inch output port.

Epilog Zing 16 24 Pricing – An Epilog Zing 16 machine will run you about $8,000 and a Zing 24 laser engraver will start at aound $11,000.

The video below shows the Epilog Zing 16/24 Laser Engaver in use.

The Full Spectrum Laser Engraver is a popular commercial quality engraver built by Full Spectrum Lasers out of Las Vegas, NV. They provide a low cost alternative to asian laser engravers. Unlike foreign machines, you can get parts and service readily for a Full Spectrum product. They carry a hobby size model as well as commercial machines. 40 watts to 60 watts in power. A laser engraver can be used to simply engrave or to cut all the way through plastics and metals. Prices have come way down on these machines and they are now within the price range of both commercial operators and hobbyists. The website for Full Spectrum Lasers is www.fullspectrumengineering.com/ . The video below shows the 60 watt machine in operation.