Lasers cutting wood? Undoubtedly, you envision the wood bursting into flames. Of course, a laser made to cut and engrave wood is actually built into an enclosed machine. Without contact with air, which is what fuels a fire, the wood does not burst into flames. Here are a few more benefits of using laser cutting machines on wood.

Cuts as Small as a Few Millimeters

Imagine never having to use a chisel, a jig saw or even a milling tool ever again. That is exactly what a wood laser machine does. It replaces all of the old wood cutting and design tools. The old tools also could never cut with perfectly precise movements without chipping or splitting pieces off of the wood design. Laser cutters can cut as small as a couple of millimeters wide and never damage the pieces on which you are working.

Integrated Software for Easy Design

You do not think that you can trace a design on a piece of wood and the laser does the rest? Not at all. The machine relies on integrated software that you use with the help of a computer. You set the parameters and dimensions of the wood piece you want cut and you create the design onscreen. Once it is exactly what the consumer wants, just click on the start button. The software estimates the time of completion. It is akin to three-dimensional printing, only in reverse.

No Warping or Ignition of the Wood (Unless Your Laser Is Not Hot Enough)

Sure, the laser is hot; it is like a wood-burning wand from a wood-burning kit. However, the laser cutter never warps the wood or ignites it either. Temperatures are monitored carefully by the machine. If the wood gets too hot or begins to twist, the laser shuts down for a break and pulls the gases from the interior work table. Once the temperature is down to an acceptable level again, the laser picks right up where it left off. You won't be able to tell that the job ever stopped.

Extremely Fast Cutting

Some of the fastest cutting lasers can engrave or cut a meter of wood in less than five seconds. If you buy a high-end laser cutter, you can produce many more pieces than you would otherwise Big orders are no problem because you can produce so many so quickly, and every one will turn out perfect.

You Can Even Engrave Wood in Color

If a consumer wants engraved wood items, but they want them in color, some wood laser cutters can do that. Just program the laser to add a specific color to certain areas of the product before hitting the start button. One of the most creative ideas for this particular application is the creation of colored wooden holiday ornaments. Cut white or silver snowflakes from wood and use a very intricate pattern. The results speak for themselves.

Build an Entire Business Around Wood Laser Cutting

Some laser cutters for cutting wood are now bought and sold by people who wanted to start a business from home. You already have a wood factory production line, probably with several CNC lasers and other high-tech machines. Yet, nothing quite as small or so easy to use as a wood laser machine works both at home and on the job. If you think that you would like to laser cut things at home as well, you can easily build a home business around this.

Smaller "craft" lasers for cutting wood are rather costly, but not as expensive as the industrial versions. Many people have taken to cutting wood with lasers simply for all of the previously mentioned benefits. You could try it too.

To learn more about laser cutting, contact a company like J&E Metal Fabricators Inc.