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       In the first part of the review, we looked at the technical specifications, unpacked the device and showed how to assemble the LaserPecker LP5 2-in-1 laser engraver with a fiber diode laser, protective cover and swivel extension.
       In the second part of the review, we will talk about our experience using the LaserPecker LP5 laser engraver to engrave various materials such as plywood, stainless steel, rubber and aluminum, as well as ceramic mugs and thermos glass mugs, using LDS software for Windows or the LDS mobile app on iPad.
       LaserPecker Design Space (LDS) is a laser engraving and cutting software designed for LaserPecker laser engravers. It helps users easily create designs with customized engravings, complex patterns, and precise cutting of various materials. It works on Windows and macOS systems with Intel or Apple (Arm) processors. Let’s download and install the software on Windows.
       Now let’s connect the LP5′s USB-C port to our Windows mini PC using a USB-A to USB-C cable as shown below.
       Please note: When you connect the power adapter, the LaserPecker LP5 laser engraver will automatically start and make noise. It does not have an on/off button, only a red stop button.
       Now launch the LDS program, register an online account and click “Home” -> “New Project”. In the upper right corner of the interface, the message “Device not connected” will appear.
       Clicking the “Connect Device” button will open the “Connect Device” window with a USB serial port, in our case COM3. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections are also possible.
       We just need to select the Wi-Fi ESSID and enter the password. Please note that this device only supports 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi networks and will not connect to 5 GHz Wi-Fi networks.
       If you go to the Wi-Fi section in the Device Connections window, you will find our LP5 laser engraver. Click on it to connect.
       If you want to take photos while engraving or cutting, you can turn on the “Free Mode” and operate the machine without a protective cover. However, we do not recommend this, as the laser may cause eye damage. For best results, especially when engraving text, we also turn on the laser delay function. Please note that this may increase the time it takes to complete the job.
       Different materials require different power, depth and frequency, so LaserPecker provides a table of material parameters for the LP5. The screenshot below shows just a few of the metal parameters; for the full details, visit the page linked above. The document provides recommended/reference power, depth and frequency values for various materials (such as aluminum, stainless steel, copper, titanium, wood, paper, plastic, leather, etc.) to help users get started. For example, to engrave aluminum at 2K resolution, the following parameters could be used:
       Please note that these values are a starting point and the user will still need to experiment to get the best values for the material and desired results.
       Open the mandala sample. Here you need to select the processing type (fill, drawing, line, cutting), the engraver’s laser source (450 nm diode laser or 1064 nm fiber laser), the number of engravings (1), power (100%) and depth (28%).
       Since we will be cutting the workpiece after engraving, we add a 2 mm indent in the “Contour” menu. You can see a brown line repeating the shape of the mandala.
       Then we check the right sidebar again to add a new layer “Layout 1″ and set the depth of the “Rib” layer to 95% and the power to 50% so that the LaserPecker LP5 laser can cut this part. Instead of the “Fill” tool, we used the “Line” tool.
       Always focus the laser and check the engraving area (border) on the material before engraving and cutting. The LaserPecker LP5 focuses on two red dots. You can focus the laser by combining the two red dots into one using the up and down arrows on the top of the motorized stand or the up and down arrows on the preview button in the software. The blue rectangle conveniently displays the material processing area.
       The blue frame backlight only appears when you click the “Preview” button in the program. At first, we did not see the blue glow, so we contacted the company about this problem. They responded quickly and suggested that we increase the brightness. We did so (set it to 100%), and the problem was solved. The required brightness depends on the material and the working environment.
       Now you can perform a test run by pressing the “Preview” button to check the laser aiming. During the preview, you do not need to put on the safety glasses, as the laser is not active yet and you may not see the blue light clearly. It is also recommended to remove the protective cone during the preview, as it will dim the light.
       Now that everything is set up and we are happy with the preview image, let’s try cutting the mandala onto the plywood section (108x108mm) of the kit using the following settings:
       The engraving process took 2 minutes 21 seconds. Now let’s cut out the part using the following parameters:
       It took 1 minute 24 seconds to cut out the product, and 3 minutes 45 seconds to cut and trim.
       Since we didn’t use honeycomb material, there were marks on the bottom plate and small burn marks on the workpiece itself. Some machines have an air pump, but the LP5 doesn’t have that capability. The company suggested we reduce the depth and make two passes to reduce the burn marks, but we didn’t have enough material or time to test it.
       The next test was to engrave a black and white comic on an aluminum card (51.5 x 43.3 mm) with the following parameters:
       This was our first time testing the LP5 fiber laser engraver and the results were fantastic. The entire process took 12 minutes.
       The package also includes a protective case, which is safer than using a screen protector and a glass cover. After installing the LP5 on the case, we connected two USB-A cables and a power adapter cable, as shown in the picture below.
       The emergency stop button was activated, so we had to turn it clockwise to release it and start the car.
       We engraved the elephant from another aluminum card (51.5 x 43.3 mm) with the following parameters:
       The first time it didn’t work, so we repeated it two more times. Increasing the number of passes should give the same effect.
       Next, we tested the effect of LP5 on skin. For this, we used a piece of Mandala leather measuring 46.8 x 48.03 mm with the following parameters:
       The results were disappointing… So we switched to 3D mode with the same parameters, but now with 254 channels instead of one, so it will take a long time (several hours).
       Unfortunately, after a few hours, the engraving stopped at 40%. We contacted the engraving company and they advised us to turn off the computer’s sleep mode and use a USB connection instead of WiFi. We initially used this configuration, but tried again and the engraving was “finished” after about 13 hours, but the laser was not working… This happens from time to time, so always check that the laser is on before you start. We stopped there because we ran out of time. Maybe we’ll try again later. Here’s what the coin looked like at 40% of the engraving process.
       Even though the LP5 has ventilation inside the guard, we wanted to test if there was a difference in engraving results with or without the guard in the same setup.
       We achieved this by engraving Linux Tux on a wooden keychain (26.17 x 39.25 mm) with the following dimensions:
       The test done in the protective case failed: the right side of the Tux was badly burned. At first we thought it might be due to poor ventilation in the case, but after trying to engrave the inscription “CNX Software” on the back, both methods gave equally good results.
       So it’s unclear whether the burnout in the first photo is due to differences in the materials themselves, ventilation issues, or something else. The key is to try different combinations of model and material. Reducing the depth and/or power and increasing the number of engravings can help prevent burnout, but it will increase the time it takes to complete the work.
       If the connection is successful, the blue LED above the USB-C port on the swivel extender will light up.
       We can then import the image into the program and use the Magic Eraser tool to remove the background if there is one.
       Click on the Fill icon to enable the layer fill and align it to the center (Align Center). Resize as desired and don’t forget to adjust the Circumference (mm) and Diameter (mm) parameters according to the size of your mug, glass, cup or bottle.
       This is a preview. The blue light only scans the design area. If it scans the entire circumference of the cup, you may have forgotten to set the circumference/diameter value or set it incorrectly.
       The first test we did with the rotary extender was using an insulated (stainless steel?) drum with the following parameters:
       The result looks pretty good, although there are a few burnt areas. Small dots and marks on the roller can be ignored – these are just errors in circumference/diameter left over from previous attempts…
       If you don’t have a computer or prefer to use a mobile device or tablet, the LP5 engraver can also be used with the LaserPecker Design Space (LDS) mobile app, available for iOS and Android. We installed the app on an iPad. Once the app is launched, click the “+” button in the upper right corner and select LP5-XXXXXX.
       We also need to cut out the shape of the lion’s head. The border should be 3 mm from the drawing.
       The results are as follows. The application is quite easy to use and is similar to the LDS program. Once you get the hang of the device and the LDS program, the transition to the application is quite simple.
       The LaserPecker LP5 is a portable laser engraver that combines a diode and fiber laser into a 2-in-1 module, supporting a variety of materials including leather, stainless steel, wood, and aluminum. The company offers software for Windows and Mac computers, as well as Android and iOS devices. The documentation could use some work, as the reviewer (Kuljira) had some difficulty using the device. However, once we got a better understanding of the LP5 and the LDS software, we were able to create crisp, detailed artifacts that looked much better than those from more affordable diode laser devices like the TwoTrees TS2 we tested in 2023.
       There are some downsides, though. Despite using the recommended settings, we still noticed a few scorch marks, partly because the LP5 doesn’t have an air supply and relies solely on a built-in fan. We also had trouble processing brass coins, as it took a long time, sometimes several hours. We were also surprised by the lack of an on/off button, so once turned on, the machine runs with a noisy fan. Some may complain about the lack of a touchscreen for control – you have to use a computer, phone or tablet, and the work area of 120 x 160 mm (Eclipse) or 100 x 100 mm (Square) is smaller than less portable laser engravers.
       The protective screen effectively reduces noise and protects the eyes from harmful light, although the cone-shaped screen itself is a protection. A big advantage of the protective screen is the presence of an emergency button, which also serves as an on/off button, although it is not located on the main unit. The rotating extension rod is ideal for carrying cups, mugs, glasses, bottles, etc.
       iPad users may prefer to use the LaserPecker Design Space (LDS) app instead of the LDS program on Windows or Mac, but be aware that there are some limitations, such as the inability to use the fill or black fill features in the app.
       Thanks to LaserPecker for providing the LP5 laser engraver, rotary extension pole, and protective cover for review. The LP5 2-in-1 fiber and diode laser engraver is priced at $2,899 (with a free materials kit), the rotary extension pole is $319, and the LaserPecker LP5 protective cover is $599. You can also buy the LaserPecker LP5 on Amazon for the same price (after applying a $400 coupon), with the rotary extension pole sold separately. The protective cover is also available on Amazon, but on a separate page. We initially thought the price was a bit steep, but after searching for alternative 20W fiber and diode laser engravers, we only found the xTool F1 Ultra, which retails for almost $4,000. However, it offers a larger work area and built-in features like a camera and touchscreen controller.