So you've got questions?
We are here to help.

Different machines have different space requirements. The Bolt can be used as a desktop and you only need about 3’ x 2’ of space. Our Aurora line of fibers can also fit on a desktop. Nova machines are larger and more powerful and require more room.

Nova Requirements 

Bolt Requirements

Choosing the right laser can be daunting, but we are here to help! The best way to figure this out is to call us or set up a time to speak to one of our laser experts. They will ask you questions about what you’d like to create and help you find a machine to suit your needs and budget.

The main things to consider are:

• How much space do I have?
• What materials do I want to cut or engrave?
• How thick of material do I want to be able to cut?
• What is my budget?
• Am I going to be doing production runs or one-off projects?

We’ve written a more in-depth article on this here

Great question! This question would be best answered by one of our laser experts, but here is some general info as you are looking at different lasers.

• We are much faster than many other brands, for starters. Check out this video for a speed comparison against a Glowforge. In this example, the Thunder machine finished in 3 minutes and the Glowforge finished in 13 minutes, making Thunder over FOUR TIMES FASTER.
• We do not participate in affiliate programs. These programs are an excellent marketing tool, but at the end of the day, they cost the consumer money. Rest assured, you are getting the most bang for your buck at Thunder Laser!
• Our customer support is, by far, the best in the industry. Just look at our reviews
• Our machines are incredibly well-made by our factory in China. The Quality Control that goes into these machines is what you’d expect from a product from America or Germany. There are a lot of companies out there that buy cheap Chinese lasers, re-wire them or improve them in some other way, and claim they are made in the USA. A machine that is well-built the first time means less down time for our customers.
• Our software does not require an internet connection. This is crucial because if your internet (or their server) goes down, you are out of luck. Additionally, cloud-based services often take a very long time to process designs and you may not technically own the design.

At Thunder, you will get the quality of an enterprise-grade machine for a fraction of the cost.

For a more in-depth answer to this question, please give us a call or schedule some time to speak to one of our experts.

Setting up our machines is surprisingly straightforward. Typically, we can unbox and set them up in just 30 minutes at a trade show. Unlike many lasers that necessitate a complex alignment upon arrival, our machines are robustly constructed to maintain alignment during transit. This design philosophy ensures that if a machine is prone to misalignment during shipping, it’s likely to require frequent realignments, leading to lost time and unnecessary frustration for you. With our machines, you can expect consistent, hassle-free performance.

We know purchasing a laser can be daunting at first, but we are here to help! There are TONS of resources to help get you going. Check out our Training Academy. In addition to that, we have the Official Facebook Group, tons of YouTube videos, and a Knowledge Base with over 400 articles. In addition, most of our lasers come with a FREE hour of virtual training with one of our technicians.

Thunder Laser USA has the best support in the industry, bar none. We consistently receive praise from our customers about how they are treated: before, during, and after the sale. We offer technical assistance through phone, email, and online resources. Our team of experts is available to help with troubleshooting, maintenance, and any questions you may have. They are incredibly quick to respond. Please check out our reviews to see what other customers have said about our service.

Yes! We have financing through Geneva Capital. Click here to fill out the online application. It’s quick and easy!

Thunder Laser machines are versatile and can work with a variety of materials, including wood, acrylic, leather, fabric, glass, paper, rubber, and more. The specific capabilities depend on the model of the laser machine.

Co2 lasers like Bolt, Odin, and Nova can’t cut or engrave into metal directly. However, you can leave a permanent mark on them using something like Cermark. You spray the metal with this “paint” then laser over it. It will leave behind what was lasered over.

Our fiber and UV lasers in the Aurora lineup can mark, engrave, and cut directly into metal.

Each machine can cut through varying thicknesses. Our smaller machines are more in the ¼” range while the bigger ones can cut things over an inch. You can see an overview of thicknesses for different wattage machines here

Generally speaking, Bolt and Odin are best for high-speed engraving. Nova is where you want to be looking if you’re mostly interested in cutting. For metal and polymer (firearms) marking and engraving, please check out our Aurora series machines.

Yes! However, you will need a rotary attachment

This depends on many factors, but a small 3” x 3” engraving would take about 2-4 minutes, depending on the machine. You could cut a large 20” x 20” square of thin material in 1-3 minutes, depending on the thickness of material.

Yes, Thunder Laser machines are designed to be user-friendly. In fact, most users are able to start using the machine within a few hours of unboxing. They come with intuitive software interfaces that make it easy for users to create and execute their designs. Additionally, we provide comprehensive training resources to assist our customers.

LightBurn has minimal computer requirements. It runs on Mac and Windows.

Our machines run on LightBurn and installation instructions can be found here

Yes! We have a collection of sources that provide free design files here

The machines do not require much maintenance. You’ll need to clean your lens quite often, depending on use. This task is quite simple and takes just a few minutes. We have information on that here

No. Each machine is different, but they all run on standard 110v. You can see more info here

• Bolt – 170lbs
• Nova24 – 290lbs
• Nova35 – 690lbs
• Nova51- 950lbs
• Nova63 – 1060lbs
• Aurora – 160lbs
• Odin32 – 370lbs

Yes, ideally the machine is vented to the outside through a window, door, or hole. We also offer filtration systems if this is not possible. More info can be found here

Yes! A laser is just like any other tool. The better you take care of it, the longer it will last. Ideally, the laser is kept in an environment between 55 and 85 degrees with low humidity. However, we have many users that keep them in shops and garages. If ambient temperature drops below freezing, the water in the machine will freeze and break the laser tube. Many users will use a space heater to mitigate this.

Yes, all machines will fit through a standard sized door. We have more info on that here

The short answer is “about as loud as a vacuum cleaner.” For more in-depth analysis, please visit this link

The camera allows you to see the work space on your computer. You can use it to position odd-shaped objects. Say you had a cutting board in the shape of Texas and wanted to make engravings for Dallas, Austin, Houston, etc in the respective places on the Texas. You could easily position these engravings on the cutting board. Additionally, say you had a floral print fabric that you wanted to cut one particular flower from the print. You could use the camera to “trace” the flower in the software then cut it out.

This head has two lenses in it, so it focuses the laser beam, then it focuses it again. This produces a very small spot size for the laser beam, which is ideal for photo engraving.

Only the Nova series requires a water chiller. The water chiller circulates cold water around the laser tube so it doesn’t overheat. But it is super simple to operate! Just fill it with two gallons of distilled water and the machine handles the rest. There are also safety measures in place to make sure the chiller is always on when the laser is running. Only our Nova series machines require a water chiller.

Glass laser tubes on our Nova machines will last between 2500 and 4000 working hours, typically 2-4 years, depending on usage. The cost to replace them ranges from $450 (60w) to $1300 (130w). The RF tubes will last up to 10x longer than the glass tubes.

We stock parts in our Texas warehouse. All orders placed before 1pm Central, get shipped the same day. We also have Express Shipping available.

Thunder Laser machines come with a standard two year warranty on machine parts and one year on the laser tube.

You can call or email us. We will send you a quote and payment is processed through the quote. It’s super easy!