Hey Peter, yup it's me

I needed something more taxing than chopping up MDF and answering broken laser questions all day, it was your cufflinks you posted on the laserscript forums that made me look at jewellery (Plus I'd really like to develop a skill, lasers don't need skill just patience and a good memory)

Hi Carol,

Laser cutting some metals like silver require a lot of power, some smaller machines will do it with high power CO2 lasers in them but the only way to get decent quality with no raising or dross is to use a YAG or Fiber laser with high pressure Nitrogen gas pumped into the cut. It's more expensive to do that way but is the only way to get decent quality.
Different lasers have different properties, a machine that will cut 20mm thick acrylic may not cut metal at all, a machine that flys through metal may not even scorch wood and so on, it's all to do with wavelength and power.The individual cost of machines (especially metal cutters) can be very high so people who have maybe only one or two types will try to diversify into new markets without realising the laser they have isn't always suited to what they are trying to do.

best wishes

Dave