For the past months, I have been trying to turn laser cutting into a real business. I tested different paths: digital files, Etsy, Hotmart, and even the idea of recording classes. I put in a lot of hours, invested money, learned the software, tested materials, created mockups, and published products.
The reality is: I struggled to get traction. I couldn’t get consistent customers or sales. Instead of feeling excited, I slowly became discouraged and started to associate the laser with pressure and failure.
So I’m changing my direction.
I’m letting this become a hobby again. Something I do because I enjoy creating, not because I need to sell. I will still make projects, still design things, still learn. I just won’t push myself to turn every idea into a product.
I’ll start sharing some of my designs here on the forum, openly, for anyone who wants to use, adapt, or improve. No expectations. Only creation.
Thanks to everyone who shares knowledge here. Reading the forum has helped me a lot, even when nothing else was working.
Thank you for saying that.
I think that’s the core of it for me too. When I stopped chasing sales and started paying attention to how people reacted to what I made, I realized that making someone happy is actually quite a reward. Creating feels lighter that way.
Same here. I probably give away way more than i sell. Do a few craft shows each year but this is my hobby not my business. Between lasering and doing my CNC work it keeps me busy. Some things ive done. Wavy Flag, sign for a relative that does camping, laser engraved then hand painted santa and snowman on ceramic tile
Same here. I probably give away way more than i sell. Do a few craft shows each year but this is my hobby not my business. Between lasering and doing my CNC work it keeps me busy. Some things ive done. Wavy Flag, sign for a relative that does camping, laser engraved then hand painted santa and snowman on ceramic tile
I think you are in the same position as many of our colleagues/friends, even though we can produce very nice things and your products are definitely some of the best I have seen, it is hard to make a business out of it.There are so many laser enthusiasts out there who all dream of making a lot of money and on YT there are also all those who claim to do it
But the truth is different. Here in the EU, people don’t want/spend much money on something that can be bought cheaper from China or the neighbor will bring it to them for the material price. Everyone has a laser or 3D printer or both these days…
But, as you point out, if you can’t or don’t want to go 100% into this hard business, with all the risks it entails, then it is a luxury in my eyes, if you can enjoy your laser activity as a very interesting hobby. That is what I have been doing for almost 6 years.
Because I was relatively early on the bandwagon, I was actually able to sell some products better than expected. My most stable and profitable work is special products e.g. my lamps.
I have the luxury of being able to travel most of the summer with my RV and or take a plane trip once a year. In the winter I am primarily at my lovely little workshop and keep myself busy. I produce a lot of gifts for our families and friends and carry out the orders that I could collect over the year. These custom productions bring in money that I use to keep the laser operation and all materials running. The profit is not large but I am not in a deficit either!
I have no fixed agreements and I determine my delivery time (mostly) myself - I consider that a luxury and I enjoy it.
At the same time, I am quite active here in the forum, keep my theory up to date and have many good hours with like-minded friends. … AND, not to forget, it keeps my brain in pretty good shape
I’m in line with much of what @bernd.dk has already said, especially:
the same thing happens here in Portugal.
Currently, I use the hobby to make some of my gifts. Now that Christmas is coming, it’s a busy time, for example.
If the designs are all created from scratch, I think your work is fabulous!
If they are designs and ideas copied from other places, you manage to put on an impressive presentation!
Everything looks great. The engraving is sharp and very clean. And that Santa piece really inspires me — it has a lot of personality.
There is so much noise online about “easy sales” and “six-figure success” that it’s refreshing to hear an honest perspective from someone who has been doing this for years.
Thats amazing. I’ll do my best.
Thank you for saying that, I really appreciate it.
Yes, the designs are all mine, created from scratch.
And you’re right. I’ll definitely take advantage of the holiday season and make gifts too.
This is beautiful. Reusing the old movement was a brilliant touch. I haven’t made a clock yet, but seeing yours definitely makes me want to try it. Great work.
It was pretty simple to make. The face is 1/4 spalted maple, but could be any wood. The fame is 2 x 4 also maple but again could be any wood. The movement i used was from an old clock i had laying around but it is the same a this one, link below. Glued the frame together. Then mounted the face and attached the movement. Then added a 1/4 piece of baltic birch plywood painted black as a back plate. I dont remember the dimensions so you would need to take some measurements
Been there, done that. Tried flea markets and craft fairs. I have 2 really nice folding tables for sale.
Today: It turns out my “market” is others that make things for sale, but want customized engraving. Cheese and charcuterie boards, trays, plaques, and occasional special order stuff I make myself. My selling point is very short delivery times and prices that do not overprice the end product. Of course, my design time earns about $0.22/hr so I am not getting rich. But I do earn enough to offset the cost of the machines and operation.
Seems like most people want to infect me with this expectation to turn the art I love making into a profitable business.
Don’t get me wrong, I would love to recoup some of the thousands of dollars I’ve spent on lasers (especially since I always seem to want to upgrade), but as soon as that becomes my focus, I lose the passion and creativity, and the art I love making becomes “work”.
I’m done trying to fulfill others expectations of what I should be doing with my art and art making tools.
I make what I like, not what I think will sell. I enjoy the creative process without the stress of making money off my creativity.
Thanks for breaking down your process. Really cool to see how simple and clean the build actually is. The spalted maple looks great. Appreciate you sharing the details.
Turning it into a hobby again is honestly the healthiest move I’ve made in a while. No pressure, no burnout, just making things because I enjoy it.
Thank you!
I get exactly what you mean. My whole family keeps encouraging me to set up a little booth at street fairs and “make it a real business”.
Every time I try to focus on selling, I lose the spark.I’ll even say this: once I decided to take this approach, my creativity woke up again. I’ve been making more projects lately, and I’ll post some of them here soon.
Really appreciate the encouragement from all of you.
…I just spent half an hour on a silly case where the customer wants to avoid paying tax but wants a itemized bill from me, small order where tax is $34…
It’s something like that that makes it sour and normally I also say nicely “goodbye, no thanks”.
Your designs and implementations are top notch! Really great looking items! You have mad skills! (I’m older… I’m hoping “mad” can still mean “awesome” )
Here’s an idea for the upcoming gift-giving season, and they’re kinda fun to make. Using old record albums, you can make them into clocks with custom center labels. They’re all mounted to a round white acrylic background cut just a tiny bit smaller than the record itself. I used to make them when I had an old Universal CO2 50-watt with a field of 12x24. That laser is gone now, and my little Omtech K40+ isn’t large enough.
If you’re interested in trying one (or all) of them, I have the vector files I used to make them. They were done in CorelDraw, so I’ll have to export them for you to whatever file type you need. But you’re welcome to them. Just message me with whatever you need.
You are very skilled and the execution looks very professional.
(I’m older… I’m hoping “mad” can still mean “awesome” 
)
