Im going to build a new CO2 laser engraver, just wondering where the best places to get parts from are?
and what brands should i stay away from? and what parts to not skimp out on.
currently, i’ve been shopping for parts on CloudRayLaser
and will be using some parts from OpenBuilds
and plan to use Cohesion3D for my controller board.
Definitely don’t skimp on the power supply or laser tube, foundation of any system. CloudRay is great for the supply. For a tube I would suggest Light Object as they sell solid quality SPT tubes.
Cohesion3D also sells good quality lens and mirrors.
yeah i’ve taken a look at Light Object before, unfortunately, i think their a little out of my price range for this build. Their parts seem to be more expensive than CloudRay Laser. Maybe their parts are higher quality, but for the moment, i just need to get a machine up and running as my old one is on its way out.
comparing the two brands, i see Lightobject is selling a 40W-50W tube for about $195
Cloudray is selling a 60W-80W tube for $192
seems like the better deal is with Cloudray?
Yeah parts from light objects can be pricey. I haven’t heard one way or another about the tubes cloudray sells. I just know that the SPT tubes light object sells are good quality based on my own experience and that of others.
What wattage are you looking for? Keep in mind that power scales linearly with tube length. So more power needs a bigger tube enclosure.
Generally speaking, im looking for at least 60W but would be pretty happy to get 120W
i’ve chosen this tube from Cloudray 60-80W L1250 D55 CR70 as it seemed to be the best bang for your buck.
after talking with Cloudray, they’ve dropped their prices even more for me.
I was hoping they’d be shipping from the US (to Canada) but seems they’re shipping from China… which means it has to be imported… 
Importing was not a fun experience when i imported my last laser engraver.