Laser engraver are everywhere these days. It seems a lot of people are finding that making unique, personalized and custom gifts during COVID is a great way to keep costs down and maybe even develop a side hustle. However, as with any hobby, having the right tools is fundamental to a great gift. Where is the Ortur Laser Master 3 laser engraver suitable?

What is It?

The Ortur Laser Master 3 Laser Engraver is a 10 watt (output) fiber laser engraver that can engrave or cut a variety of materials including glass, metal, wood, plastic and more. With some additional accessories, you can cut/engrav flat and cylindrical surfaces. Ortur is a professional laser engraving and cutting machine manufacturer.

What's in the box?

1. All the components to build the engraving machine - rails, rails, motors, cables, electronics, and of course the laser
2. Instruction Manual/Assembly Guide
3. Micro SD card with documentation, videos and software
4. Protective glasses to prevent damage when you inevitably have to look directly at the laser while using it, you can buy your favorite Ortur Laser Master 3 from the HTPOW online store.

Design and Function

The first step in the Ortur Laser Master 3 is assembly. Let me tell you, it's not 30 minutes from boxing to engraving operation. That's not to say they're bad - they're actually pretty good. The build time only takes a fraction of the time, and there were many times along the way where I thought I was doing something wrong and had to take a step back to design where I was going.

To spare the pain of assembling pictures, I can summarize the whole process like this: There are 32 separate parts and dozens of screws, cables, cable ties, connectors, etc. in the assembly process. Here's the finished project, 4 hours after unboxing:

About the Ortur Laser Master 3 laser engraver itself:

The Ortur Laser Master 3's laser is a blue diode laser with a 10 watt output. It features a 0.08mm beam compression spot, allowing for fine detail in your projects. With a wire speed of 20,000 mm/min, the unit takes less time to burn projects than many competing products. On the left side of the laser housing is a hose that connects to an optional blower unit to help keep the laser chamber clean and running at peak efficiency. Now the brains of the operation:

This is the control box for the laser - it drives the x and y axis guides and the laser. It has a USB 2.0 Type B connector for the computer, but if you're using a machine that only has a USB Type C port, you'll need a USB C to B cable to connect directly. As with other laser engravers, the SD card slot is used as external memory for burning, putting a card into this slot will help speed up the engraving process.

Another optional accessory for the Ortur Laser Master 3 laser engraving machine is the rotating drum, as shown in the picture:

Place a cylindrical object such as a cup or tube between the rollers. Remove the Y-axis motor connection and plug it in - the control box will now spin things between the rollers for a nice, even burn on not-so-flat surfaces. There's a problem with this accessory, though: To use it, you have to elevate the laser assembly higher than the object that sits between the rollers. If you are mounting it on a bench, this means removing 4 mounting screws. Then you have to find 4 objects on which you can place the sculptor's feet, and they have to be fairly stable so that the x-axis movement doesn't knock it off the thing you're using to get the desired height.

Enough for all parts. Let's burn something!

I chose to start with glass, a notoriously difficult surface to laser etch - mainly because, well, glass. You can see through it, and so can lasers. I went to a local hobby store and bought a really cheap 4×6 dual picture frame and got out the glass and used it.

In order to etch on glass, you need to put something on the glass that prevents the laser from going straight through, but at the same time is easy to remove after etching. For this experiment, I chose black tempera because it was supposed to wash off with water after I was done.

This is glass with tempera paint on one side. This is the first layer - I added a second layer to minimize brush marks from the first layer and to provide a better etched surface. Now it's time to put it under the laser, but what image to use?

I set the laser power to 30% and the speed to 500mm/min - this should result in a very nice, clean and clear etch without ruining this very cheap glass. Each burn takes approximately 2 minutes to complete. Soaked in a bowl of water for a few minutes, then wiped, here are the results - JPG version first:

While the results are good, I think this kind of detail is better suited for materials like metal or leather. The picture makes the logo look blurrier than it really is, and with the right image, this will work on glass as well. Now for the SVG version:

Much better this time. Vector graphics FTW when glass is involved.

To obtain these results, I used the LaserGRBL software on Windows 11. It's free and out of the box, it reads that Ortur Master 3 directly adjusts its settings. Finally, I also tried LightBurn software. While it's good, it takes a lot of prep work to get the software to talk to the laser. Once you've adjusted it, it's fine - but it's easy to get lost trying to get it to work.

I had wanted to do a laser cutting project - recreating a tiki bar sign out of plastic, which required a lot of cutting out using different plastic colors. I assembled all the necessary graphics but couldn't find the materials locally to complete this project. I've ordered the necessary parts, but unfortunately they won't arrive until sometime in early December. I'll update this review when I get it.

I have experience with other laser engravers, but to be honest, they are more consumer-focused. The Ortur Laser Master 3 laser engraver is a prosumer unit that shows in the attention to detail in the engraver's material and, of course, in the actual output. It's a great device from start to finish, and so far, for me, it's produced some zen-like experiences when playing with the engraver. If the foot problem can be fixed, this will be the device to beat prosumers. For now, though, it's an excellent entry in a field with plenty of other excellent entries.

What Do I Like

Includes more than you need to get started (including spare parts), even if you didn't know it was there in the first place
Accessories are readily available, making the Ortur Laser Master 3 feel more like a system than a single device
How simple and clear the instruction manual is when you start your first project
How do I follow the instructions above so I can look like a seasoned professional engraver instead of an absolute noob

Final Thoughts

My reaction to previous laser engravers was mostly yawning and the occasional "my god, this is horrible" reaction when looking at the output. From the very first burn, the Ortur Laser Master 3 laser engraver captured my attention and enthusiasm. I can see how it could be an interesting artistic outlet for me, where I can spend more time being creative and less concerned with the mechanics of realizing my vision. I can recommend this system as the price is reasonable and the equipment is great. This will become a definite must-buy.