But more practically speaking, I don’t have a Windows computer anymore so it wouldn’t have done me any good. For one, I wouldn’t trust the pack-in software with this device any farther than I could throw it. The NEJE DK-8-KZ does come with a disc that has drivers and software for the device, but I promptly threw that in the trash.

(Editor’s Note: we tried to find the earliest occurrence of such a device on Hackaday, and came up with this machine.

I get the impression that a warehouse full of largely-obsolete optical drives was found in China, and somebody had the brilliant idea of using their accurate motion as the basis for a whole line of tiny laser engravers. There’s an excellent reason the DK-8-KZ is limited to such a small and specific range of motion: both the X and Y axis of the device are riding on hardware reused from optical drives. On one hand that means it’s convenient to toss up on the shelf when you aren’t using it, but the reality of the DK-8-KZ’s diminutive size is that it has an extremely small working area of approximately 40 mm x 40 mm. Not to say it could be called substantial by any stretch of the imagination, as it stands just under 8 inches tall. Made of black laser-cut acrylic and held together with stainless steel cap screws, the DK-8-KZ has the look of something that was built from a kit but with good enough fit and finish that it doesn’t feel cheap. So what kind of laser do you get for $70? Let’s find out… Hardware Plus, if I’m being totally honest, I wanted to start on something on the lower end of the power spectrum because I’m terrified of blinding myself. Now I wasn’t 100% sure what I would do with a laser engraver, but I thought it would be a good way to test the waters before putting serious money (and time) into something more powerful. But given the fact that you can get one of these little guys for around $70 USD shipped, it’s hard to complain. In fact, it’s specifically sold as an engraver. At only 1W, there’s no question this device isn’t going to be cutting a whole lot. In the course of looking up diode-powered laser cutters, I came across the NEJE DK-8-KZ. Lasers seem like an interesting next step in my quest towards complete in-house fabrication capability, so I started researching cheap setups to get my feet wet. But still, there’s a certain thrill in exploring the cutting edge, and I’ve been looking for something new to get excited about as of late. Which is fine getting the cost down and availability up is the key to turning a niche piece of technology into a mainstream tool, and the more people with 3D printers at home or in their workshop the better, as far as I’m concerned. When I got my first 3D printer I was excited, but now that I’m contemplating adding a forth to my collection, I have to come to the terms with the fact that these machines have all the novelty of a screwdriver at this point.

Qiilu laser engraver calibration