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xTool F2 Ultra UV dual laser engraver review: So cool it’s hot
The xTool F2 Ultra UV is a fast UV laser that cuts and engraves wood without char, engraves plastic, and does amazing things with crystal and glass. xTool has excellent software and support for the business of selling your works of art. However, a premium piece of equipment also comes with a premium price.
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The xTool F2 Ultra UV laser is not your ordinary laser. Normally, lasers mark, engrave, and cut by burning the material. Instead, a UV laser uses a shorter wavelength of light (355 nm) that produces a photochemical reaction that breaks down the material instead of simply setting it on fire. These are called “cold” lasers, but I still wouldn’t put my hand in there.
The UV laser generates extremely clean cuts and engravings in wood and plastic that are simply not possible with other types of lasers. It's also able to etch glass and crystal, and can actually engrave the INSIDE of glass for some fantastic effects.
The F2 Ultra UV is a galvo laser. Instead of moving around on a gantry, the laser is stationary while the beam is directed by galvanometer mirrors. It’s extremely fast and capable of “moving” at 15,000 mm/s. The downfall of many galvo lasers is that they lose focus the farther away from the center point the beam travels. At the edges of the 200 x 200 mm work area, the F2 Ultra UV still does a great job.
The F2 Ultra UV is part of a family of lasers. The F2 is a portable “standard” diode laser, the F1 Ultra has both a diode and a fiber laser for etching metal, and the F2 Ultra is a 60W MOPA with a 40W diode. I wish the UV laser had been given its own class, as this is a confusing cluster of machines.
The retail price for the F2 Ultra UV starts at $4,299. It's pricey, but it can handle everything but metal and is the only laser that can handle crystal. This makes it a good all-around machine for many home and business uses. For that, it’s going on the best laser cutter list for a small business.
294 mm x 429 mm x 520 mm (11.57'' × 16.88'' × 20.5'')
Glass, Crystal, Acrylic, Wood, Metal, Leather, Plastic, Rubber, Silicone, Ceramic
Glass, Plastics, Fabric, Leather, Acrylic (Not Fully Transparent), Paper, Wood