LaserPecker LP5 Review: Laser Engraver Tests, Tips and Settings

Known for its line of portable engraving lasers, LaserPecker has just released the LaserPecker LP5, its newest dual-laser combination. The LP5 is designed for artists and enthusiasts who require accuracy in metal cutting, engraving, and grayscale embossing – all in one device – and features a smoothly integrated 20W diode laser and 20W fiber laser. In this article, we’ll thoroughly review the LaserPecker LP5 and the optional additions. We will test laser cutting and engraving on various materials, including metal, brass, stone, and jewelry, providing settings and tips for each. In conclusion, we will list the Pros and Cons.

Disclaimer: Laser cutting and engraving may be hazardous if improperly operated. Please make sure to follow the safety guidelines such as wearing eye-protective goggles and using the machine enclosure while operating.

Table Of Contents

• Specifications
• Unboxing and What’s Included
• Setup and Design
• LaserPecker Design Space
• Testing, Materials, Settings and Results
  • Embossing Brass Coins
  • Slate Stone Engraving
  • Engraving Brass Pendants
  • Engraving on Jewelry
  • Engraving on Basswood
• Materials, Settings and Supplies
• Compare to other Laser Cutters and Engravers
• Conclusion and Pros & Cons

Price: $2,639 – $3,499
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LaserPecker LP5 Specifications:

Dimensions:
Laser Unit: 255 x 98 x 183mm
Electric Stand: 198 x 286 x 323mm
Conical Protective Cover: 167 x 231 x 160mm
Net Weight:
Laser Unit: 3.36 kg
Electric Stand: 2.28 kg
Conical Protective Cover: 0.38 kg
Total Weight: 6.02 kg
Laser Power 20W 450nm
Laser Source: Blue Diode Laser, 20W 1064nm Fiber Laser
Working Area: 120 x 160mm (Ellipse), 100 x 100mm (Square),
160 x 300mm (With the Slide Extension)
Laser Spot Size: 0.08 x 0.1 mm(20W Diode Laser), 0.06 x 0.06 mm(20W Fiber Laser)
Max Working Speed: 10,000mm/s
Engraving Precision: 0.0027mm
Preview Mode: Rectangle Preview/Outline Preview/Center Point Preview
Supported File Formats:
PC Software: G-code/JPG/PNG/BMP/SVG/DXF
Mobile App: G-code/JPG/PNG/SVG
Connectivity: USB, Wi-Fi
Materials: 300 different materials

Unboxing and What’s Included

LP5 Deluxe: • LP5 Laser unit • Electric stand • Base plate • Cutting plate • Conical protective cover • Power cable • Power adaptor • 1.5m USB cable • 0.6m USB cable • Pipe w/ adaptor • USB flash drive • Tool kit • 2 x security keys • 2 x L-shaped positioner • Safety goggles • Sample material pack • User Manual

Rotary Extension: • 3 x double-step jaws • 3 x single-step jaws • Stud component • Rotary headstock • Base plate • Tailstock • Elevation pad • 1.0m USB cable • Measuring tape • Tool kit

Slide Extension: • Slide axis • 2 x cutting plate • 1.0m USB cable • 2 x binder clips • Tool kit • Desktop Air Purifier • Air purifier • Filter set • Power adaptor • 2 x cotton pre-filters • Fan adaptor • Air inlet duct • Air outlet duct • User Manual

Setup and Design

Setting up the LP5 is relatively straightforward. Begin by attaching the electric stand to the base plate using the supplied screws. Next, attach the LP5 unit itself to the stand. You’ll then need to attach the protective cover; in some cases, you may need to power on the laser and raise it to make room. Once the setup is complete, connect the fan cable to the back of the laser using one of the supplied cables to attach the laser to the electric stand.

– Safety Key. Finally, insert one of the USB safety keys to enable the laser. LaserPecker includes two keys with the unit in case one is lost, so be sure to keep them in a safe place.

– Slide Extension. For the slide extension, attach the two cutting pads to the base unit. When ready, position the extension and connect it to the back of the laser using the supplied USB cable. For the rotary extension, secure the rotary unit to the base plate using the provided screws. Attach either the jaw pieces or the stud pieces, depending on your project, then slide the tailstock support into the track, and you’re ready to go.

– Connectivity. Overall, the LP5 setup is really easy and quick. You can use the USB cable to connect the device to your PC or configure the WiFi using the mobile app. You can link your LP5 wirelessly to the device if you have a WiFi connection.

One key thing to remember is that the laser must be physically connected to the PC via cable in order to enable USB laser engraving. This is a limitation that might possibly be addressed in a future update. Also, with embossing projects, it is preferred to use USB mode because the size of the file is large which makes it hard to transfer over WiFi and can cause issues during the process.

– Design. Following the sleek style of previous LaserPecker designs, the LP5 maintains the aesthetic but in a larger form factor. Although slightly heavier, the LP5 remains portable and stands out with its inclusion of both a 20W diode laser and a fiber laser.

– Deluxe Package. The Deluxe Package comes with several useful accessories, including a slide extension for working on larger pieces and a rotary extension with tilting capability, making it easier to engrave hard-to-reach areas. A base plate is also included for cutting projects, which is recommended to prevent marking or damaging the LP5’s base.

– Cover and Fan. The LP5 features a protective cover and a powerful exhaust fan, which includes an extendable hose. You can connect it to an external ventilation system or vent it out a window. The fan effectively removes dust generated by the embossing or engraving process.

– Cooling. The LP5 machine is relatively loud due to the serious cooling required for fiber lasers. While many companies opt for liquid cooling systems, LaserPecker has cleverly engineered a more stable, portable design featuring a large heatsink cooled by a powerful fan. Although somewhat noisy during operation, this cooling is highly beneficial for the laser, maintaining its temperature during extended periods of engraving or embossing.

Software – LaserPecker Design Space

LaserPecker provides its own software, LaserPecker Design Space (LDS), available for PC, Android, iOS, and macOS. Personally, I prefer using the PC version of programs whenever possible, as I find it easier to work with and more feature-rich compared to some mobile apps, which can occasionally lack certain functionalities.

If you’re using the LaserPecker LP5 for the first time, you’ll need to connect it via USB and click “Connect.” Once connected, navigate to the device settings to configure the WiFi, enabling wireless operation.

LDS includes everything you need for cutting, engraving, and embossing, with a simple layout that places all your settings on the right side of the screen and provides a large workspace.

– Embossing. For embossing mode, you’ll need to load a depth map image. After loading, click the image icon at the top left of the workspace, then select Grayscale to enable embossing mode. While there are preconfigured settings for scoring and cutting, there aren’t any predefined options for images, so some experimentation may be needed to achieve the desired results.

– Settings. The LP5 uses slightly different settings compared to most lasers on the market. For the diode laser, the key settings include Power, Passes, and Depth. Increasing the depth slows the operation while reducing it speeds things up. For the fiber laser, you’ll need to adjust settings such as Laser Frequency, Passes, Power, and Depth. Depending on the material you’re engraving, there might also be a Duration setting, which determines how long the laser remains on each spot, measured in milliseconds. Higher duration values typically correspond to slower engraving speeds.

One drawback of the software is the lack of an estimated time display—only a percentage is shown. This can make planning challenging, especially for projects that require several hours to emboss, depending on the material. I spoke with LaserPecker, and they confirmed that a timer feature will be added in a future software update.

Testing, Materials, Settings and Results

For all of our tests, no reference settings were provided, so we had to experiment to determine the optimal configurations. Smaller engraving projects are lightning-fast on the LP5, while embossing can take several hours – some projects require 5 to 6 hours, depending on the settings used. We hope that a future software update will include more reference settings for users to select directly in LDS, making the setup process much easier. Until then, please find the materials settings for all LaserPecker machines on their website. It’s worth investigating materials and settings before planning a project.

All images used for testing can be found at the laser-pics.com site; there are a ton of free images that are great for laser engraving.

– Embossing Brass Coins. For our first test, we chose to create a few challenge coins. Being a fiber laser, the LP5 is ideal for making these coins, as well as embossing wood, slate, and some types of stone. For the two coins, we used the following settings: Power at 100%, Depth at 30%, Frequency at 26%, and a Layer Height of 0.01mm. Each coin took just under 5 hours to complete.

– Post-processing. After embossing, we ran a cleaning pass with the settings adjusted to 50% power and 4% depth. This helped remove some of the residue. We used a wire brush attachment on a Dremel to complete the polishing, which cleaned the coins nicely. Any discoloration was easily removed with brass polish. The finished coins looked fantastic, with details that truly stood out.

We also tested a coin included with the LP5, featuring a wolf head design. While we didn’t know the specific settings used, the engraving process took about 4 hours to complete. The test file also turned out exceptionally well, showcasing great detail and depth.

– Slate Stone Engraving. Next, we tested a pair of slate coasters: a smaller piece and a larger serving tray-sized piece of slate. For both designs, we used the same settings: Laser Frequency at 26, Power at 40%, Depth at 30%, and a resolution of 8K, using the fiber laser.

The smaller slate coaster took approximately 40 minutes to complete, while the larger piece required just over 5 hours. However, the results were worth the wait. The image detail on the slate is stunning, with remarkably clean and precise engraving.

It’s also possible to emboss slate in the same way as the coins, but this process can take several hours, depending on the complexity of the design. On 3DWithUs, we offer a detailed guide on laser engraving on stone-like materials. Embossing on slate stone takes it to a whole new level.

– Engraving on Brass Pendants. Next, we engraved a gold dog tag using an image of a raven that I generated with an AI image tool on Creative Fabrica’s Flow platform. This tool allows you to create various styles of images using prompts. AI tools like these can be incredibly useful if you’re unable to find the right design to engrave. While it may take some trial and error, they are excellent for generating unique images when you’re stuck for ideas.

Using the fibre laser, we engraved the raven image with the following parameters: resolution of 8K, frequency at 26, power at 50%, and depth at 35%. The end result demonstrates that even though increased resolution takes longer, the image quality is exceptional. Less than five minutes were needed for the engraving process, and the result was a stunning piece with a distinct and noticeable design.

– Engraving on Jewelry. Next, we have a small brass pendant on a chain. These are great for gifts or for products you may sell. The simple design was found on the Creative Fabrica website as a pair of earrings. Settings: Using a fiber laser with a frequency of 55, 60% power, and 40% depth produces a dark, prominent engraving on the brass pendant. The process took less than three minutes, and the results were fantastic.

– Engraving on Basswood. As a last fast test, we used the diode laser set to 50% power and 25% depth to engrave the StudioZombie3D logo on a wooden keychain. The logo took roughly 4 minutes to engrave at 1K, and the finished product was excellent – clear and sharp.

Materials, Settings and Supplies

Laser engraver and cutter manufacturers now commonly offer materials and supplies for laser engraving and cutting directly on their websites. Here is the collection from the LaserPecker website.

Another quite helpful section on their website is the materials settings for all LaserPecker machines. It’s worth investigating materials and settings before planning a project.

Boasting the most compact design in its class for a 20W diode and fiber laser, the LP5 shines in versatility. We tested it on a variety of materials, including its grayscale embossing mode. The LP5 is particularly suited for batch engraving, with optional rotary and slide extensions that enable seamless adaptation for projects of various sizes.

Its work area ranges from 160 × 300 mm with the slide extension to 100 × 100 mm for square shapes and 120 × 160 mm for elliptical patterns. Additionally, the LP5 can cut metal up to 1 mm thick and engrave a wide range of materials. With a maximum speed of 10,000 mm/s, engraving tasks are completed faster than ever before.

Compare to Other Laser Cutters and Engravers

Compare to Other LaserPecker Laser Cutting and Engraving Machines:
LaserPecker aims to meet all your needs. On their official website, you can find a range of products along with a comparison page.

• LaserPecker LP2 (Review)
• LaserPecker LP4 (Shop)
• LaserPecker LX1 (Shop)

For a comparison with other laser cutters and engravers, please refer to the detailed Best and Budget Laser Cutters and Engravers Guide.

Recently reviewed:

• xTool F1 Ultra (Review)
• Longer Nano Pro 12W (Review)
• Snapmaker 40W Laser Module (Review)

At 3DWithUs, we have featured several laser cutters and engravers that utilize diode and CO2 lasers. As a portable device, the LaserPecker LP5 competes with products like the xTool F1 Ultra and the Longer Nano Pro. Each machine has its strengths, so it’s worth researching to find one that fits your budget and project requirements.

Conclusion and Pros & Cons

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