Getting Started with the Right Laser Cutting Machine for Jewelry:
COVID-19 has altered the world and left many individuals unsure about the future for their jobs and income status. While many lost their jobs, some had time to find other sources of income by starting their own businesses. If you are thinking of starting a business, a CO2 laser cutting machine could be the answer. With a thriving business in the field of laser cutting, be ready to say goodbye to these worries and start making your own money. You can do just as much with a CO2 laser cutting machine as you can with a CNC router and other hand-on tools, and for a lot less money. With a CO2 laser cutting machine, you could specialize in signage making, trophy engraving, kitchenware engraving, home design, and of course, jewelry making.
For years now, humans have been designing jewelry from a broad variety of materials. Sometimes, jewelry is made using certain materials for practical reasons and other times it is just for the sake of trendy art and social status display. In fewer than 80 years, we’ve progressed from using only traditional hand tools like hammers and wood carving knives to CNC machines, 3D printers, and CO2 laser cutters. But a CO2 laser cutter is the optimal choice for jewelry as it’s the most versatile, accurate, and precise. Let’s quickly learn more about laser cutting machines for jewelry and how you can use them to your advantage!
How to Choose the Best Laser Cutting Machine for Jewelry Making?
Laser cutting machines are tools used for precision cutting and engraving design work for a variety of interests and business endeavors. These machines are built with tremendous power to cleanly cut, engrave, or etch a detailed design on materials such as wood, leather, acrylic, and glass. It can be a difficult task to choose the right CO2 laser cutting machine from the host of options available. Here are some things you should consider when looking for the best jewelry engraving machine for your DIY or commercial projects.:
1. Size of the laser machine
When it comes to laser cutting jewelry, you don’t always need a huge space to work with. If you’re short on space, you might want to consider smaller machines such as desktop or K40 models. Those 40W desktop laser engravers usually have an 8″x12″ workbed, which is just enough laser cut jewelry. It is advisable to always take measurements of your workspace and compare it to the machines’ before ordering. Once you are certain you have got enough space, consider OMTech’s Mid-range laser machines with sizes from 12″x20″ to 24″x40″.
2. Price
Before embarking on a project, an important factor to consider is your budget. There’s a wide range of prices for laser cutting machines. While it is customary to choose the most expensive laser cutting machine for professional engravings, the extra expense is not always justified. In fact, professional laser engravers can be found starting from around $500, but the fundamental concept is to choose something that fits your budget. Aside from the price of the machine, other related costs to consider are replacement parts, accessories, shipping fees, warranties, etc.
3. Power Output
When purchasing a laser cutting machine for jewelry, the power output is an important factor to consider. Choosing the power output is usually determined by the type of material you’re working with. An OMTech High-Power CO2 laser cutter is a perfect choice if you’re engraving hard materials like stone and marble as those laser engravers have a high-power rating between 100W-150W. Simple engraving jobs that do not require deep grooves can be done with 50W-80W of power.
How the Laser Cutting Process Works?
When you are about to start making jewelry using a CO2 laser cutter, the first thing to do is choose a design of your choice bearing in mind the dimensions of your products, whether it is a necklace, set of earrings, or a bracelet.
The next step is to draw using any software of your choice. To draw, use vector software such as CorelDRAW or Illustrator. When drawing, indicate measurements in millimeters, and save the file in a format compatible with your machine.
Before you save the component, make sure you double-check the size. Then, you can put in place the material you want to turn into jewelry in the workspace of the laser cutting machine and put it to work. You’ll need to adjust the settings to get the right result. These settings do vary by material. When utilizing a laser cutter, you must strike a balance between power and speed. If you don’t strike this equilibrium, your material will fail. After cutting, you can choose to leave your product raw or give it some finishing by painting. We suggest making your jewelry stand out to scale your laser business!
Why Use a CO2 Laser Cutting Machine to Make Jewelry?
You might be wondering what the benefits of using a CO2 laser cutting machine for making jewelry are. Below are some benefits of using a laser cutter for jewelry making:
A pool of materials to choose from:
Acrylics, wood, rubber, anodized aluminum, leather, cardboard, are among the materials that can be used. You can count on the efficiency, versatility, and great precision of a laser cutting machine regardless of the material you use.
Ability to explore creative designs:
If you choose to delve into the jewelry making business, you need to develop one-of-a-kind pieces that appeal to customers and sets you apart from the competition. With a laser cutter, you may easily accomplish both goals. All you need to do is be inventive, and the CO2 laser cutter will take care of the rest. The capacity to make unique pieces is one of the key advantages of CO2 laser cutters. Laser cutting can help you obtain any design you set up.
Excellent precision:
Laser cutters are precise because they can be controlled by software such as LightBurn and RDWorks. Because of their precision, they’re great for creating delicate jewelry patterns with small radii. Also, laser cutters provide very accurate cuts with a flawless finish, while eliminating waste and reducing material cost.
Reduced risk of smearing and contamination:
Because there is no direct touch with the workpiece during laser cutting, there is a reduced risk of contamination. Furthermore, unlike the old separating technique, in which the heat generated by the cutting would melt the material, laser cutting is different. A laser cutter concentrates heat on a narrow region, reducing the likelihood of material melting or deformation.
Minimal risk of accidents:
The fact that laser cutting equipment from the likes of OMTech require little to no human intervention. You only need to intervene before and after the design is being lasered. As a result, there is a minimal risk of fewer accidents and injuries. A laser cutter is a jeweler’s best friend because of this.
Starting your Jewelry Laser Engraving Business
In conclusion, using a CO2 laser cutting machine for jewelry is your best bet to achieve the premium results. If you choose a machine bearing the features listed above and cut with the tips mentioned in mind, you will get an incredible finished jewelry. OMTech is unique for its machine design, affordable pricing, broad product line and dedicated customer support services. Visit OMTech to get started with your laser engraving business and we wish you the best for your jewelry making business!