Today, we will talk about a useful tool in the workshop of any maker, a good addition to carpentry and additive equipment, which makes it possible to process the surfaces of various materials — the engraving and cutting machine TwoTrees TT-5.5S with a powerful diode laser.
The engraver features a combination of reasonable price with pretty decent quality.
An example of working with acrylic
Tech specs:
Motherboard: TwoTrees LKS
Software: GRBL
Power supply: 110/220V
Focus: Manual
Cutting and engraving area: 300 x 300 mm
Positioning accuracy: 0.01 mm
Connectivity: USB
File formats: JPEG, BMP, SVG, G-CODE
Dimensions: 568 x 485 x 56 mm
The image above shows the supply package. Here you will find everything you need to assemble and operate the engraver: mechanical and electronic components, power supply, cables, goggles, and a complete set of required tools. There is even a wooden stand for a mobile phone so that you can shoot videos of the process or use the stand itself as the first object to test the machine.
The assembly process is simple and takes less than an hour, depending on the user's experience. The box also contains a 20 mm 3D printed calibration cube that can be used to set the focus of the laser. This parameter requires fine tuning for optimal engraving results. All necessary files for training with the free LaserGRBL software can be found on the memory stick.
The laser machine allows you to quickly get good results when working with almost any opaque material, including metals and wood. We have tested this engraver on fibreboards up to 5 mm thick, 4 mm opaque acrylic sheet, foam, and other materials.
An example of working with plywood
In sum, let’s look at the advantages and disadvantages of the engraver, as well as the planned improvements.
Pros:
good value for money;
low weight;
ease of assembly and operation;
relatively low noise;
great supply package;
good focusing system on a linear guide with manual control.
Cons:
no limit switches, which can cause operational problems;
USB connectivity only.
Planned upgrades:
replacement of electronics with MKS DLC32;
Wi-Fi connectivity and a color display;
a fan to improve the quality of engraving and cutting;
an increase in the working area by means of longer aluminum profiles.
Overall, this laser engraver proved to be effective. However, if you are looking for more professional solutions, we recommend the FLUX Beamo 30W that boasts an enclosed design, numerous smart features, and outstanding performance.
