There's nothing more pleasurable and satisfying than making stuff. Getting the job done takes time, energy and the right tools. For laser engraving, Lange's B1 30 watts provide plenty of power for the project to go, but for heaven's sake, be careful! It's a beast!
The Longer B1 is a 30+ watt laser mounted on a software controlled X/Y axis gantry positioning system for engraving and cutting a variety of materials.
Design and Features
The Longer B1 laser engraving machine comes in a large box. I'm glad to see they're doing a great job of keeping their content safe. At first, assembly can seem a bit overwhelming as there are so many bits and pieces, but don't worry.
Comes with TF card and USB adapter, which contains manual, LightBurn and LaserGRBL software, material configuration files, and some test files. LightBurn is paid software with a 30-day free trial. I have a license, so I use it for testing.
Assembling the Longer B1 30W laser engraver is not difficult. The quick start guide does a commendable job of illustrating the process. For convenience, there is also a playboy assembly video on the TF card! Includes assembly tools. I'm impressed that there are only 12 bolts, two straps, two switches, and 7 quick connectors to assemble. The whole process took less than an hour. Once you're done, everything is tight.
Limit switches are attached to the X and Y brackets.
The Longer B1 laser engraver has a huge engraving area of 450 x 440mm.
The laser slides onto rails on the X-axis and is held in place by small diameter thumbscrews, allowing the Z-axis focus to be adjusted. I'd like to see a larger, more accessible method of mounting. That being said, it works and I have had no stability issues.
The feet feature level adjustment.
The air assist pump plugs into the side of the laser module, and the air tubing runs along the same path as the wiring. There is an inline valve to reduce the flow if necessary, but there are several warnings in the literature not to close it or the pump will be damaged.
Before going any further, I must emphasize that the Longer B1 laser engraver is a tool. It is not a toy and may seriously injure you, children or pets, so it should be used with extreme care. This is Category IV, which is defined as "both direct and diffuse radiation considered to be a serious hazard to the skin and eyes." The stray light emitted by the B1 contains so much UV radiation that even a brief exposure can make your eyes feel like there's sand in them . Taken to the extreme, the possibility of permanent blindness is very real. Please don't take any chances. Everyone in the room should wear goggles at all times. You wouldn't let your kids frolic on the roof, or your kitty around the lit stove, would you?
Even more notably, the Longer B1 laser engraver also packs enough punch to inflict severe burns and catch fire quickly. Always maintain adequate ventilation, keep away from flammable materials, be vigilant when handling, and have a fire extinguisher handy. A lack of diligence can lead to plenty of disasters, or at least awkward conversations with doctors, firefighters, law enforcement, or insurance agents. No, I'm not exaggerating. handle it seriously. I've tested the flame detector on several occasions and it's very sensitive, but I wouldn't risk my house.
For extra protection, Lange has wisely installed keyed switches on the control module. Store your keys in a safe place the same way you store your lawn mower, car and storage room keys with a pointed tool. Also connected to the switch are power button, run box button, indicator light, TF card slot, touch screen port, USB-B socket and power socket.
If the optional touch screen is not available, the mechanism for communicating directly with the Longer B1 laser engraver is through the MKLaserTool software or the MKlaser app. Both are simple and well documented in the manual, and connect via WiFi. I'm not used to operating something as powerful as the B1 wirelessly, so I'll stick with the LightBurn's direct USB connection.
If anything happens, press the emergency stop button.
The power supply is a laptop-style brick.
Use a small lever pivoted from the back of the laser to set the focus. Attaching it is ideal for preventing loss.
I had no issues setting up the B1's parameters in LightBurn, and it was up and running in just a few minutes using 4mm Basswood and the test files provided by Longer. A setting of 5000mm/min, 20% power produces deep engraving.
I used their "cat" (paw print) and "bird" test files using 5000mm/min at 50% power and 10,000mm/min at 20% power and the results are shown in the graph below. It's a powerful laser!
The Aloalo pictured below cuts at 6000mm/min at 10% power and makes four passes at 2500mm/min at 100% power.
In general, air assist helps to blow some of the fumes away from the workpiece, thereby reducing scorching. Lange's system works well and has improved significantly, but I think more traffic could make it even better.
So, what does 30 watts of power do? I've used a 10 watt laser and it's great for light wood, acrylic, and fabric, but the Longer B1 laser engraver is on another level. Higher power means shorter project times and the ability to cut thick materials and etch metal with ease. The plate is a coated steel plate.
As you can see the laser caused the sheet to warp. This is not the fault of the Lange B1 laser engraving machine. I need to make better choices about what I'm using.
Longer provides a PDF of recommended cutting and etching parameters, which is a good starting point, but as with any machine, some tweaking and refinement will be required to bring up the best settings.
I have used laser engravers in the past, but nothing can match the speed and power of the Longer B1 30 Watt Diode Laser Engraving Machine. Similar projects that would have taken hours took a fraction of the time, I love air assist for less scorching, but caution should always be used when using this amazing tool. I have many projects waiting to be worked on.
Recommended by other brands: LaserPecker , Atomstack , Ortur , Sculpfun , TwoTrees