How do you balance customer expectations, profitability, and personal standards for your engraving work? Kyle shares his thoughts on getting that balance just right. We also talk about tariffs and their impact on the laser industry, coin engraving, and the challenge of accepting custom jobs. Plus, a look at UV spot sizes, custom engraving plates, and Anthony’s YouTube channel.

Think UV lasers are always safe for plastics? Think again. In this episode of the Laser Source Podcast, we kick things off with a full Q&A session before diving into UV laser safety myths, the Longer Nano PRO, air vs. water cooling, and even cutting gold. We also give you a behind-the-scenes look at the shop’s latest updates—including a new POS system and a very revealing showroom setup (yep, there are mannequins involved). It’s a little chaotic, a little educational, and a lot of fun. Don’t miss this one!

Ever feel like you’re running on fumes? You’re not alone. In this brutally honest episode of the Laser Source Podcast, we dive into the emotional and mental toll of running a laser engraving job shop. From rebuilding our Google My Business from the ground up to juggling customer projects, slat walls, websites, and content creation—we cover what it really takes to keep things moving when you’re completely burnt out. If you’ve ever wanted to hit pause, quit, or just sleep for a week, this one’s for you. Let’s talk about how to reset, refocus, and reclaim your productivity.

Not everything in a laser workshop is just about the laser! In this episode, we talk about some of our favorite non-engraving tools that make life easier—like calipers for precision, button batteries (handle with care!), and Anthony’s Beam It Up Laser Tape. Plus, Alex shares why he highly recommends the Elegoo Resin Printer. Whether it’s measuring, marking, or improving workflow, these tools are game changers for any laser engraver.

In this episode, we sit down with Blake Sanborn from Great Lakes Laser Supply to talk about his business, their community, and the awesome laser engraving products they offer. We cover everything from hat clips, expert advice, and how their group supports laser makers of all levels. If you’re looking for new blanks or just want to connect with a great laser community, this episode is a must-watch!

In this episode, we’re answering a bunch of questions and covering everything from holographic tumblers from Johnson Plastics Plus to huffing cedar wood since it just smells that good. We also check out Potracify, a WordPress plugin from Sam at the Laser Master Academy that helps convert photos to SVGs. Plus, a serious chat on laser safety—if you’re thinking about engraving dangerous materials, wear the right gear (or better yet, just don’t). If you care about your health (unlike me) do NOT ablate ABS with a UV laser! Just because a UV can do something safely doesn’t mean you can’t hurt yourself. I found out the hard way. Also - USB hubs, going live, Anthony has a YouTube channel and acrylic appliques! All of this and more this week on the Laser Source Podcast!

In this episode, we’re answering questions and diving into some fun topics! We talk about the Community Coin Challenge on Discord, Matt shows off a sleek engraving on black acrylic, and we chat about whether Emergency Stop episodes might make a comeback. Participate in the great COIN CHALLENGE! See all the amazing work people have contributed over the last year and learn how to submit your own and claim the title. PLUS - Acrylic trophies, the MakeArmy wiki, engraving epoxy - plus, a little laser maintenance talk—Peng Sheng and other lubricants—because keeping your machine running smoothly is just as important as keeping your Pengus running smoothly.

In this episode, we sit down with Len and Stan from LensDigital to talk all things PiBurn! We dive into what makes their rotaries stand out, how they handle tricky engravings like items with handles and fragile pieces, and more. Plus, we chat about the awesome community they’ve built to help laser owners succeed. If you’re into rotary engraving, you won’t want to miss this one! They’ve got a brand spanking new set, brand spanking new rotaries, brand spanking new capabilities. Stay on top of the cutting edge from creators of the PiBurn on this episode of the Laser Source podcast.

A MASSIVE crew of Laser Source Alumni awaits you on this brand new episode of the podcast! Matt’s back to being Mr. Boddiford, so get ready for some lectures about literature. Bleh. Kyle’s tearing apart lasers. Michael wishes he HAD a Kyle. Bronson and Anthony are having a sleep over. Also - this episode turned into a full-on leather deep dive—whether we meant to or not! Michael, Anthony, Bronson (aka Cubing Cracked), and Jason cover a range of topics, but we kept circling back to leather engraving, cutting, crafting, and of course, the terrible smell. If you work with leather (or just want to hear us complain about it), this one’s for you! Get updates from the whole crew this week, plus a bunch more!

Opening up a shop is exciting—but also a huge project. Alex talks about setting up the space, furnishing it, and getting Square up and running for sales… which led to buying some creepy mannequins for the shop. In this Q&A episode, the team also tackles power supply issues and the real challenge of promoting yourself as a small business owner—without feeling like a sleazy salesman. Where’s the balance between making money and keeping it genuine? Seamless designs. Acrylic signs. Creepy mannequin? If we weren’t all over the place, this wouldn’t be a brand new episode of the Laser Source Podcast! Coming straight to your ears with the latest on power supply failures and some serious discussion about how to best promote yourself without being a turn off to potential customers. All this and more today on the Laser Source Podcast!