There’s so much information out there about marking tumblers with a fiber laser, but if you had a choice between that and a CO2 galvo which would be better? (it’s a CO2 galvo btw - listen to find out why) PLUS: we’re over due for Emergency Stop, INFRARED CAMERAS and tumbler laser absorption. ALL of this and so much more on this episode of the Laser Source Podcast!
Let’s talk about the past year, the year ahead and everything we hope to accomplish moving forward. Feels like year over year things change here. We’ve made amazing progress in some areas and completed things I never though possible. On the other hand some things have been shelved or moved to the backburners and left to collect dust. What did you enjoy from LE? What do you want us to tackle in 2025? This is your chance to make your voice heard. Let’s plan 2025 together.
A very surprising tool showed up in the mail—a 3D scanner we were supposed to review. In this episode, we brainstorm how it could potentially elevate or evolve our workflow, from engraving prep to design applications. But in the end, we later realized it was way too large-scale for what we do and ended up sending it back. Still, it was a cool piece of tech that sparked some great discussion—so let’s dive in!
Not just blanks, lasers, laser accessories, shop accessories, tools, you name it - it’s on the list - because this is our Black Friday / Cyber Monday stream! Even if you’re here after the deals have ended listen up: there’s great stuff every engraver needs in their setups and shops in our list this episode so submit to the affiliate propaganda and brace your butt for some premium influencer marketing on this episode of the Laser Source Podcast.
How do you balance customer expectations, profitability, and personal standards for your engraving work? Kyle shares his thoughts on getting that balance just right. We also talk about tariffs and their impact on the laser industry, coin engraving, and the challenge of accepting custom jobs. Plus, a look at UV spot sizes, custom engraving plates, and Anthony’s YouTube channel.
Think UV lasers are always safe for plastics? Think again. In this episode of the Laser Source Podcast, we kick things off with a full Q&A session before diving into UV laser safety myths, the Longer Nano PRO, air vs. water cooling, and even cutting gold. We also give you a behind-the-scenes look at the shop’s latest updates—including a new POS system and a very revealing showroom setup (yep, there are mannequins involved). It’s a little chaotic, a little educational, and a lot of fun. Don’t miss this one!
Ever feel like you’re running on fumes? You’re not alone. In this brutally honest episode of the Laser Source Podcast, we dive into the emotional and mental toll of running a laser engraving job shop. From rebuilding our Google My Business from the ground up to juggling customer projects, slat walls, websites, and content creation—we cover what it really takes to keep things moving when you’re completely burnt out. If you’ve ever wanted to hit pause, quit, or just sleep for a week, this one’s for you. Let’s talk about how to reset, refocus, and reclaim your productivity.
Not everything in a laser workshop is just about the laser! In this episode, we talk about some of our favorite non-engraving tools that make life easier—like calipers for precision, button batteries (handle with care!), and Anthony’s Beam It Up Laser Tape. Plus, Alex shares why he highly recommends the Elegoo Resin Printer. Whether it’s measuring, marking, or improving workflow, these tools are game changers for any laser engraver.
In this episode, we sit down with Blake Sanborn from Great Lakes Laser Supply to talk about his business, their community, and the awesome laser engraving products they offer. We cover everything from hat clips, expert advice, and how their group supports laser makers of all levels. If you’re looking for new blanks or just want to connect with a great laser community, this episode is a must-watch!
In this episode, we’re answering a bunch of questions and covering everything from holographic tumblers from Johnson Plastics Plus to huffing cedar wood since it just smells that good. We also check out Potracify, a WordPress plugin from Sam at the Laser Master Academy that helps convert photos to SVGs. Plus, a serious chat on laser safety—if you’re thinking about engraving dangerous materials, wear the right gear (or better yet, just don’t). If you care about your health (unlike me) do NOT ablate ABS with a UV laser! Just because a UV can do something safely doesn’t mean you can’t hurt yourself. I found out the hard way. Also - USB hubs, going live, Anthony has a YouTube channel and acrylic appliques! All of this and more this week on the Laser Source Podcast!
In this episode, we’re answering questions and diving into some fun topics! We talk about the Community Coin Challenge on Discord, Matt shows off a sleek engraving on black acrylic, and we chat about whether Emergency Stop episodes might make a comeback. Participate in the great COIN CHALLENGE! See all the amazing work people have contributed over the last year and learn how to submit your own and claim the title. PLUS - Acrylic trophies, the MakeArmy wiki, engraving epoxy - plus, a little laser maintenance talk—Peng Sheng and other lubricants—because keeping your machine running smoothly is just as important as keeping your Pengus running smoothly.
In this episode, we sit down with Len and Stan from LensDigital to talk all things PiBurn! We dive into what makes their rotaries stand out, how they handle tricky engravings like items with handles and fragile pieces, and more. Plus, we chat about the awesome community they’ve built to help laser owners succeed. If you’re into rotary engraving, you won’t want to miss this one! They’ve got a brand spanking new set, brand spanking new rotaries, brand spanking new capabilities. Stay on top of the cutting edge from creators of the PiBurn on this episode of the Laser Source podcast.
A MASSIVE crew of Laser Source Alumni awaits you on this brand new episode of the podcast! Matt’s back to being Mr. Boddiford, so get ready for some lectures about literature. Bleh. Kyle’s tearing apart lasers. Michael wishes he HAD a Kyle. Bronson and Anthony are having a sleep over. Also - this episode turned into a full-on leather deep dive—whether we meant to or not! Michael, Anthony, Bronson (aka Cubing Cracked), and Jason cover a range of topics, but we kept circling back to leather engraving, cutting, crafting, and of course, the terrible smell. If you work with leather (or just want to hear us complain about it), this one’s for you! Get updates from the whole crew this week, plus a bunch more!
Opening up a shop is exciting—but also a huge project. Alex talks about setting up the space, furnishing it, and getting Square up and running for sales… which led to buying some creepy mannequins for the shop. In this Q&A episode, the team also tackles power supply issues and the real challenge of promoting yourself as a small business owner—without feeling like a sleazy salesman. Where’s the balance between making money and keeping it genuine? Seamless designs. Acrylic signs. Creepy mannequin? If we weren’t all over the place, this wouldn’t be a brand new episode of the Laser Source Podcast! Coming straight to your ears with the latest on power supply failures and some serious discussion about how to best promote yourself without being a turn off to potential customers. All this and more today on the Laser Source Podcast!
Marking leather can create some incredible results—but let’s be real, it stinks. If you’re wondering how to deal with your leather ash… well… this is the episode for you? Anthony dishes out some leather knowledge and it’s stuff I honestly didn’t know. Also tune in for a 5w to 10w UV laser comparison, ionized stainless, and a lesson from Matt on cleaning up vectors! Kyle’s been busy developing new digital files for engravable designs, and we touch on some good machines for engraving on the go. Also, ever struggled with editing a stubborn PDF for your laser projects? We’ve got tips for fixing those headaches fast. Join us for Q&A, team updates, and the usual mix of laser wisdom and chaos!
Why do JDS tumblers have those ugly ribs? How do you get over a creative block? And do you ever run into inconsistent blanks from the same supplier? We’re tackling all these laser engraving struggles and more in today’s episode of the Laser Source Podcast! PLUS: Matt took on the challenge of full wrap engravings on those horrific JDS tumblers—was it a masterpiece or a meltdown? Tune in for another round of laser chaos, questionable advice, and maybe (just maybe) a few actually helpful tips!
How are babies made? What’s the deal with depth-map engraving? How do you handle warp on plywood? Also, Kyle is making AMAZING spinning animations for his tumbler patterns on his Etsy shop, get the inside peek on how he’s doing it PLUS: Learn about our special presentation for Laser Maker Con (now available for free on our channel) - it’s a great lesson in managing your time effectively in relation to holiday events throughout the year! All of this and more on today’s episode of the Laser Source Podcast!
In this episode of the Laser Source Podcast: I somehow managed to get Ezcad running on MacOS (Apple Silicon) and well… it’s not great but it works. Also, our top Prime Day picks this season and so much more!
Have you considered it? Just giving shit away for free? You should! Friend of the show Anthony Montez makes a great argument for how doing so could make you some serious cash. PLUS: New laser setup recommendations, what to charge for photos, tube alignment and so much more on this episode of the Laser Source Podcast!
On this episode of the laser source podcast you’ll learn all about some of the newest FREE services available on the Laser Everything website, Kyle’s experience with the Maxce Index, CO2 galvo dot sizes, laser frequencies and so much more. This Q&A episode packs a ton in and you’re sure to learn something new!
Ever wonder about mobile laser engraving? This episode we explore what a laser engraving truck or trailer might look like and investigate the feasibility of engraving on the go. Lots of interesting insights in this episode!
In this episode of the Laser Source Podcast we explore the anatomy of a rotary tool, learn about what makes them unique, what makes them the same, and chat about the components that make them function. Enjoy!
Direct to film gang sheets, Matt has Boss laser issues, butt puckering jobs, scan lenses and so much more. Join us for another amazing episode of the Laser Source podcast where we answer YOUR questions!
Living hinges, 3D height maps, new laser sources, blank stock all of this from A to Z and so much more on this wild Q&A episode of the Laser Source Podcast!
I have always said I don’t much care for 3D lasers and software. Well now it’s out of my hands… Mactron sent over a conversion kit for one of their lasers and now I’m stuck with it. Let’s get this stuff unboxed and explored.
Tonight we have Andrew Farmer showing up to school us on Shopify and to give us some tips and tricks. This dude has some serious knowledge to dish out (and some serious services at your disposal) so don’t skip this episode of the Laser Source podcast!
In addition to answering some great questions from the community, this episode we’re taking a look at the Laser Exposure Triangle which is my best off the cuff attempt at a simple way to visualize balancing speed, power and frequency in an easy to remember way. Some day I’ll make this into a formal episode but for now this edit will have to do. Hope it helps you, enjoy the show!
Weird (in a good way!) episode edit of the Laser Source Podcast today. If you like the random eps where we bounce all over the place you’ll enjoy this one. We go from foreign visitors to lasers, back to hotdogs, to cataloging machine data, to answering questions and back again. Lot’s of good stuff in here as usual. See you in the next one!
One of, I think, the absolute best resources online for learning laser engraving skills - especially for absolute beginners - is back and fiercer than ever. The episode of the Laser Source Podcast we’re talking with Emily from That Mom With A Laser all about her online personalized classes for beginners, some of her experiments within the industry and her plans for the future.
Let’s get to know our colleagues over at Kim and Garrett: Make It! Join us for an extremely interesting peek into their world of creativity and productivity where they’re helping makers around the world find success and realize their vision. Kim and Garrett offer a unique perspective on the world of laser engraving, business and content creation on this episode of the Laser Source Podcast!
JPT M7 vs M8? Is there a difference? Is one better than the other? Is the M8 replacing the M7? All of these questions answered - plus advertising to local businesses, copyright, the ATF, shop stock and so so much more. Get after it all on this episode of the Laser Source Podcast.
Can we turn this ordinary work bench into a laser test bench? Maybe… I mean, we’ll talk about it a lot. Maybe we will. Some day? Also we do a Burger King Unboxing and answer your pressing questions. SO - pretty much business as usual on this episode of the Laser Source podcast!
What’s the difference between a red tumbler and a red sheet of two ply acrylic? PLUS: Kyle made a proper desk box shelf thingy! We talk laser form factors, explore the LMA layout, and diagnose some galvo laser issues. An this and more on the Laser Source podcast!
In this episode we give a live demo showcasing one of our favorite tools for lasers. Learn all about the simple process involved in merging two existing libraries, whether it’s ezcad, lightburn or BOTH. Will you be our waifu for this episode of the laser source podcast?
Urn engraving, having the right outlook when times are slow, CO2 and galvo laser optics lecture, massive laser cutters, frequency vs pulse repetition rate and so much more on this episode of the Laser Source podcast!
TONIGHT: Emily from WyldeWillow Woodworks joins us on the Laser Source Podcast to prove to the world that you CAN in fact run a real and PROFITABLE business with diode lasers. Starts at 9:00pm EST!
Why can’t all lasers use the same settings libraries? How do you do cut and engraving tests? Reactions to popular youtube videos! Changing stepper drivers?! ALL of this and more on tonight’s edit of the laser source podcast!
Join us tonight while we talk to Mark & Will about lasers, conferences, and bringing the whole laser community to the NEXT LEVEL! Joined by our man @LaserEngraving911
WHAT is the deal with Stanley Tumblers right now? How’s the new public LightBurn Beta performing? Are you ready to do your taxes? All this and more on tonight’s episode of the Laser Source Podcast!
Have you heard of WhatNot? If you haven’t (and even if you had) we’re digging into it tonight on the Laser Source podcast to see if we can unlock some cheat codes on how to make money with your laser engraving business online! Stay on top of what’s trending and check out this in-depth episode!
We’re gonna have a podcast sponsor! Whoo! We’re talking details. Boyce is updating us on his sign party adventures and shows off his 3D layered map project. Matt dives into rotary options. Should your first laser be a diode? Debate ensues.
Another year gone and there’s so much to talk about. Let’s look back at our accomplishments, what we missed, and our new targets moving forward into 2024! Please join us, we’d love to hear your feedback!
Jason Rife joins the cast once again to show off some new holiday surprises he’s been keeping a secret, until now! Tune in to hear all about it!
Miss the livestream? Here’s the edit! Newcomer Justin Laser chats with us behind the scenes to talk about his recent explosion on the laser scene! Learn about his history with wood and leather working, how it lead to lasers and how he found success in today’s market. Justin has an immense amount of experience in a myriad of disciplines and is a wealth of knowledge for any engraver or maker.
Miss the livestream? Here’s the edit! Katie Devlin from Things Katie Makes has some hard hitting resources you definitely don’t know about! If you’re NEW to laser engraving Katie is someone you want to know and she’s here to tell you why. From overcoming fears to learning the basics in an approachable way, Katie has you covered with a web of priceless advice and services.
Tonight, long time friend of the show Anthony Montez joins us to share his great news about moving out and on to bigger and better things! Catch his story and a ton more on episode 105 of the Laser Source Podcast!
Can you make money throwing sign parties? How? When? Why? What is a sign party?! All these questions and more answered tonight on the Laser Source podcast with Dawn Marie! Don’t miss it!
What if there were an all in one center for laser education. Not just HOW to do projects but WHY we do things the way that we do. What do these settings actually control? How do they effect our materials? We have a vision to fulfill this promise as we march forward with the LMA developments. We’re looking forward to sharing it with you!
We’re rebuilding the LMA to bring it up to speed with the rest of the open Laser Everything ecosystem and the changes are pretty rad. There are new ways for more people to support our communities, videos, and projects. Everything is easier to find and access. Tune in to this episode of the Laser Source Podcast to find out what’s new!
Miss it LIVE? Here’s the edit! 3 DAYS of LIVE Coverage | LBX 2023 The next 72 hours are going to be absolutely non stop.