Both are good options! Only drawback is the Polar isn't shipping for a few months.

@@makeorbreakshop I bought the RF model today. Thank you!

Hey Brad! So even with the laser dot smaller I could still run both machines using the same DPI resolution on the image. The Star Wars Aztec design used the same resolution so it would up being about twice as fast since it was running at 1000 mm/s vs 600. Diode lasers will also get in the same laser dot range but I haven't run into issues of them taking longer just because the laser dot was smaller.

@@makeorbreakshop cool, makes sense. It's be interesting if you ha e one specific design, like the Aztec that you run on every machine you test so you can compare them all across a similar output. Almost like a benchy for 3dprinting. Love seeing the new tech!

Thanks man! It is a new shop space, I need to do a proper tour but it's way bigger than my garage. Not sure who is more excited, me or my wife ha!

You bet!

Yep, but if RF costs come down they could be a great option. Also Gweike runs local, both their software and Lightburn. Their name just makes I’m confusing…

I'm managing a makerspace with two GCC Spirit GX (60W) and one Spirit LS (30W) laser cutters, all with RF-lasers. They all cut acrylics with excellent results.

It's been a blast having it!

I was going to mention Russ's tests also. I believe he thinks RF tubes make great engravings but as not as good for cutting. As with all things Russ he goes into all the detail you would want (and more) on why that is.

Russ is a great, if you want deep testing he is always my go to.

kzfaq.info/get/bejne/rsyBZdyYl9-rh5c.html Great video on RF vs Glass Tube; thanks for mentioning it.

Shoot! I thought I had fixed that in the edit. Thanks for pointing it out

The cutting tests towards the end show a direct comparison on a few different materials. The 50W glass is stronger but not a crazy amount. Plus I've liked the engraving results from the RF tube vs the glass.

I agree, I'd totally like to see this in detail. It isn't clear to me if the size of the laser dot compensates for the power to a degree. I'd love to see acrylic and balsa tests of one vs. the other in terms of single pass cutting. I think a lot of people struggle with understanding the capabilities here.

Shoot sorry about that!

Usually higher power is better for cutting, getting cleaner cut on thicker material. That being said, I've found that vegetable tanned leather is one of those materials that will char no matter what you do to it; Likely you'll see little to no difference between the choices you listed, you're going to be sanding the edges of the cut leather either way. The ability to turn air-assist from full blast to minimum when engraving however is quite helpful to avoid marking the leather with smoke around the engravings, but I don't think any of these desktop machine have that option unfortunately, so again, likely no difference. Hope that helps! (Just avoid glowforge basically....)

@@FurreFurre thank you! I appreciate you taking the time to message me back! I’m still on the fence about what I should get, glowforge is definitely not going to happen but I’m stuck between wether I go for a diode or co2 laser, I have ventilation where I’ll need to be more on the quiet side and in my garage I have no ventilation other than opening the door in which I can make more noise, so It’s coming down to the wire on what machine, but it will be a learning curve regardless and I’ll be starting to use lightburn and learning all about how to use the program Thanks again! You’re the only person to reply to my comments so far, have a great day and all the best 🤟

@@acrobatjones Having used both diode and Co2 lasers, I highly recommend that you go Co2 if you can afford it. Normally speeds with a diode lasers are mentioned in mm/minute, but with Co2 we normally mention it in mm/seconds, it's simply more capable especially for cutting things. With Co2 lasers you also get a metal enclosure with viewing window that's easier to keep your fumes where they belong, and you dont need to be as careful as around diodes where you pretty much need to wear protective glasses all the time (blue light). It is however more complicated with watercooling etc, but there are smaller machines similar to glowforge, like gweike and omtech polar available nowadays with cooling integrated as well into the units, competitor machines for the glowforge pretty much.

From what I can tell the everything is the same once the beam is generated from the laser tube. So still all the mirrors/adjustment process

Great suggestions! I use to get more into the technical side but have started to show more examples of what it can do practically. I'll do a better job pointing the specifics out in the future though!

Wasn’t a nock at what you are doing! Glad you’re here👍

k40

I misspoke about the bed size, I actually said the size of the machine overall. Sorry about that!

I'm on the website right now and is not discontinued. No idea where you got that from.

Yep

You don't have to worry about light in the same way as a diode laser seem the beam is invisible. But the biggest safety advantage you get with a CO2 machine is they are full enclosure so it will contain any reflections of the beam that might come off the material.

what do you expect, its a fricking laser, but the borst by far are diode lasers, co2 can cut acylic and "clear" materials so youre save behind the acrylic with co2 lasers and i think so with rf lasers as well

Yeh I tried to update it in the description. I don't know what I was thinking but gave the machine dimensions and not the work area, sorry about that!

@@makeorbreakshop well, it's to your credit that i almost jumped gun - your videos are very helpful.

I love it!

Biggest benefit in my book.

hahah!