Are you a crafter who’s been thinking about purchasing a laser engraver and cutter to expand the types of projects you can make? Or maybe you’re a small business owner who sells handmade items and you’d like to start offering some laser products? Are you confused about where to start in deciding on the perfect craft laser for you?
Well, you’re in the right place because today, I’m going to take a look at the WeCreat Vision laser engraver and cutter and how it stacks up against the considerations I believe any crafter needs to make when thinking about buying a laser for the first time.
The WeCreate Vision was graciously provided to me by WeCreat for my review, but the opinions expressed are my own. I am very grateful to WeCreat for giving me the chance to take try out their new laser!
Scroll down to view my video review or read the review. Thanks!
DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed are my own and based on my individual experience with the WeCreat Vision laser engraver and cutter. As with any review, the opinions and information covered here do not substitute for your own research and decision making. Before purchasing a WeCreat Vision laser engraver and cutter or any laser engraver and cutter, I strongly advise you to do your own research and determine your own comfort level with the safety considerations and other constraints that owning a laser will place on you. This is a decision only you can make and when using a laser in your home, you do so at your own risk. Thanks!
WeCreat Vision Laser Engraver Quick Overview
- 20W Diode Laser
- Fully Enclosed
- Offers a Rotary Attachment (extra purchase)
- Small Footprint
- Has Auto Focusing with Built-In Camera and Auto Lift System
- WeCreat Make It! Software has hundreds of designs available, easy to use
- Minimal set up
Considerations Before Purchasing a Laser Engraver and Cutter
There are some things I think you need to think about before deciding on purchasing any laser engraver and cutter. They are:
- Budget – How Much Can You Spend?
- The Kinds of Projects You Want to Make with It
- How Much Space Do You Have to House a Laser?
- How Safe is the Laser to use in Your Space?
- How Easy is the Laser to Use out of the Box?
Budget
No enclosed laser is cheap. There are open frame lasers without any enclosure that you can purchase for a few hundred dollars or less but those are not for indoor, residential use and have a lot more safety considerations than enclosed lasers do. CO2 lasers are another option but they are much more expensive than Diode lasers. They generally start around double the cost with an average price falling around $5,000 and they go up from there.
How Does the WeCreat Vision fare when looking at Budget?
WeCreat Vision Budget Pros & Cons
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At the time of posting in early 2024, the WeCreat Vision is on sale, so you can save hundreds right now. Click this affiliate link to check it out now.
Types of Projects You Can Make with a Laser Engraver and Cutter
The type of projects you hope to make with a laser engraver/cutter will impact what type of laser you purchase. If budget isn’t a problem for you, then a CO2 laser may be the way to go as it can cut and engrave more materials and thicker materials than a diode laser. CO2 lasers are also faster than diode lasers but they take up more space – we’ll talk about that in a bit.
CO2 lasers can cut and/or engrave clear acrylic and clear glass. Diode lasers cannot (without a work around for engraving only) so if clear acrylic or glass projects are a main focus for you, you should probably purchase a CO2 laser instead.
Diode lasers can, however, engrave or cut a wide variety of materials including wood, stone, ceramic, colored acrylic, stainless steel, fabrics, cardstock, cardboard, leather and faux leather that does not contain chromium, non-PVC vinyls and more. The wattage of the laser will effect how thick the material is you can cut as well as how fine the engraving can be and the speed at which projects can be completed.
You should also consider if you want to engrave on tumblers, mugs, rings or other round objects. If you do, then you will need a laser with a rotary attachment and consider how easy it is to use the rotary attachment.
WeCreat Vision Project Types Pros & Cons
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Space Considerations for a Laser Engraver and Cutter
How much free space do you have to house a laser? If it’s pretty limited then CO2 lasers probably won’t work for you as they tend to be larger than diode lasers as well as being much more expensive.
If you’re in a residential craft room like I am, then an open diode laser isn’t an option for safety reasons that we’ll look at in a bit. So you‘ll need an enclosed diode laser.
There are several brands of fully enclosed diode lasers available right now so how does the We Create Vision stack up?
WeCreat Vision Space Pros & Cons
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Safety Considerations with a Laser Engraver and Cutter
There are potential safety hazards with any laser engraver or cutter. Open lasers can damage your eyes and skin without the proper protection. Lasers can also release potentially volatile organic compounds in the form of smoke and vapor that require good ventilation, so you aren’t breathing them in. There is also the possibility of fire with a laser, especially when using more flammable materials with too high a power setting.
If, like me, you are in a craft room or residential space, you should not consider using an open frame diode laser. While they are the least expensive option, the potential for all of the things I just mentioned are very high. You can wear eye protection to protect against eye damage, but an open frame doesn’t provide much if any control over the fumes and vapors or possible flames that can arise while using it. And, ventilation is contingent on the air flow in the space, which in my experience can be limited in a residential space.
For those reasons, I believe you should only consider a fully enclosed laser in a craft room or similar room in a home or office.
Another thing to consider with an enclosed laser is the rotary attachment if you are planning on using one. All other models currently on the market other than the WeCreat Vision require you to physically lift the laser on to risers or a stand to use a rotary attachment. This is because a laser needs some height to be able to properly focus on objects that are being turned using a rotary attachment. This means that there will be a gap between the enclosure protecting you from the laser and you when the laser is raised on risers or a stand. This means you will need to wear eye protection any time the laser is raised and be extra careful about pets and children who may be around while using the laser on risers or a stand.
Pass through slots on machines can also create safety risks similar to placing the machine on risers and stands due to the gap created.
WeCreat Safety Pros & Cons
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Ease of Use Considerations for a Laser Engraver and Cutter
One of the most important things you should consider when thinking about getting a laser engraver/cutter is how easy will it be to use? Does the machine itself require a lot of complicated set up? Do you have to screw parts together or remove the laser to add an air assist or other accessories? Do you have to make elaborate modifications to the machine to work with a ventilation or air assist system? Are you comfortable taking that on? Some crafters are but many are not.
Do you know how to use laser engraving and cutting software? Any time you get a new computerized tool, you will need to learn a new program to be able to use it and a laser engraver and cutter is no exception. Honestly, you can find programs that are easy to use and others that are not so easy but may be more fully functional. This is an area that you have some freedom in deciding how advanced you want to get in terms of using your laser engraver/cutter or designing projects for it. But, most lasers are designed to work with a manufacturer-specific software program and you may want to consider how many pre-designed projects are available with each manufacturer’s program and how much they cost, if anything, because that will effect how quickly you can start creating.
Some lasers can also require a fair amount of technical knowledge and ability to operate successfully. In addition to safety considerations, you also need to know how to set the power and speed settings to get the look you want or the proper cut. Sometimes this can involve making numerous test grids on a wide variety of materials so you’ll know what settings to use in the future. This takes time and money while you use sample materials to create these test grids.
Certain lasers also require you to manually focus the laser to get the proper engraving clarity or cut. Do you know how to do this? Do you even want to know how to do this? I confess this is not something I’m not overly interested in learning. If you’re like me, then some of the enclosed diode lasers on the market aren’t for you.
WeCreate Vision Ease of Use Pros & Cons
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My Bottom Line
So, what’s the bottom line? Do I think you need the WeCreat Vision laser engraver and cutter?
As with most craft machines, my answer is “it depends.”
If you are certain you will actually use it to make new, fun projects and you have the budget and space for it, then yes I absolutely think this is an amazing laser engraver and cutter!
In terms of cost, I honestly don’t think the value can be beaten given the fact that the air assist and laser bed are included in the base price. Plus, the quality of the build and easy set up are fantastic.
I also think the safety features of this machine make it the very best choice for craft rooms, basements, dining rooms – any place in a home as long as you have a window close by to be able to ventilate it outside.
Having used the Make It software a bit now, I can assure you it is very easy to use. It has a lot of similarities to programs like Cricut Design Space so if you’re used to those kinds of programs, you’ll get the hang of WeCreat Make It in no time. Plus the machine’s ability to auto focus and choose the settings based on the Quick View Matrix in the software program combined with the available projects make it super easy to start creating projects as soon as the machine is plugged in and ready to go. That’s what I did and it was really fun!!
Who is the WeCreat Vision Right For in My Opinion?
- Anyone brand new to lasers who primarily creates in a residential space, like a craft room.
- People on a bit of a budget.
- People concerned about laser safety.
- Anyone who wants quick set up of a laser engraver/cutter and doesn’t want to spend hours and hours studying how to focus a laser correctly or what different power and speed settings will do before being able to make fun stuff.
- People who want to make tumblers and mugs but may have physical limitations that prevent them from lifting a laser in order to use a rotary attachment or have real concerns about the gap created with the rotary attachment and competitor machines.
- Anyone who is happy making projects that are smaller than 16.4” x 11.5”.
- People who don’t need to cut super thick materials or regularly engrave clear acrylic and clear glass.
I personally am very excited to see even more of what this amazing machine can do so look for future posts from me that will cover the Make It program in greater depth along with using the rotary attachment and more.
If you have any questions about the WeCreat Vision, feel free to leave them in the comments below! I will do my best to answer them or find out the answer for you from WeCreat whenever possible.
Purchase or Get More Info on the WeCreat Vision Laser Engraver and Cutter Here
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