Everlast has been selling Laser welders for about 6 months now. They are great machines, but there are limitations. They work great for long seams and items that don't require ALOT of intricate manipulation. Some manipulation is possible, but the laser cable and the additional wire feed makes it a bit more stiff than MIG, but about the same space requirements to weld. Plus, unless you get a really large one, they are not going to weld much more than 1/4", if that. They require regular changing of lenses and occasional recalibration of the laser "focus". They do well at cleaning/derusting and paint removal (except bright yellow). They can cut light gauge materials as well. They are perfect for fabrication and production. The provide a precise beam so they do not tolerate poor fit up and bad joint design, even with a scanning beam. As said they are pinpoint precise but their manipulation needs a firm, strong hand if intricate weld patterns are needed. The capacity to bridge a gap is kept around .040" with wire....about .007" without. They do not take a bunch of banging around of the gun if you want things to stay calibrated. They also cannot stand for the cable to be run over or habitually stood on or it will break the fibers. For the money, our 1500W air cooled unit is a fantastic deal if you need to weld 1/8" or smaller. BE WARNED: Owning a laser MAY (depending upon where you live) cause you to be subject to government regulations and regular reporting. OSHA standards also have special requirements that aren't regulated with a laser. Some states require additional record keeping...some do not. Other than that, we are selling a lot of these units and have found them to be in relatively high demand. And the bonus, is that they almost never have a problem if the above cautions are followed and maintenance taken into account. They can be much more dangerous than a regular welder. The beams are invisible until they contact a surface, so they can burn instantly holes in your hand, and anything that that the beam passes through during welding or cutting. The beams, in some circumstances can be reflected. Depending upon the setting, the beam may still be capable of burning or piercing at 60 ft. So there is that aspect to consider. And don't let the videos fool you. You should wear protective clothing. While the metal may only be warm to the touch immediately after welding, it can get quite hot later on due to the heat created in the seam being conducted out and away from the weld.
