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PiBurners! We were absolutely honored and delighted to talk with Alexander and the crew at Laser Everything If you don't know about them, subscribe to their YouTube and join their community immediately! The amount of value they create for the laser community is astounding. If you are considering any sort of Galvo-style lasers like a Fiber or a UV that is all the rage, their channel is a must-watch. They are authentic, unbiased, genuine, and helpful. On a personal level, the guys are just givers. After this pod, at about 10 to midnight, after a hard day's work reviewing diode lasers and interviewing us, instead of taking a break, the guys stayed on. They educated us on the science of UV lasers - just because - and we drank from the firehose learning how to laser everything. Next day, we got our first UV laser. Needless to say we are huge fans and you will be too.

How do you choose the best Laser Rotary Attachment for your business? There are many different laser rotary attachments available on the market, and the best one for you will depend on your specific needs and goals. Here are the most important factors to consider when choosing a laser rotary attachment:   Compatibility Quality Features Price Support Let's unpack each one. Compatibility: Make sure the laser rotary attachment is compatible with your laser engraver or cutter. You don’t want an expensive paperweight, but if the rotary isn’t compatible with your laser, that’s exactly what you’ll get. Quality: Look for a laser rotary attachment that is well-made and durable, as it will likely see a lot of use. While 3D printed parts are fast and cheap to make - they break often and can leave your business stuck waiting for a replacement part. Make sure that the rotary is all metal if continuity is essential. Features: Consider the features offered by the laser rotary attachment, such as the maximum engraving diameter, available height and length adjustments, hold-down clamps, and very importantly, stoppers that will prevent your cup from walking during the engraving process. You want the rotary to accommodate the items you will be engraving most. So if you wish to engrave Stanley 40oz tumblers you must choose a rotary that accommodates tapered cups and is adjustable. Price: Compare prices from different manufacturers to find a laser rotary attachment that offers the best value for your dollar and will pay for itself quickly. Keep in mind what your goals are with a rotary - are you opening or growing a business, or is this more of a hobby for you? If you are going to do any serious production on your rotary, you can expect that it will return your investment. Support: it’s critical that the rotary comes with a detailed easy to read manual and that the manufacturer is easy to reach, responsive, and helpful when any questions or issues arise. Look for a rotary maker that uses their own rotary and stays active in the maker community. It's also a good idea to read reviews and ask for recommendations from other laser engravers or cutters to find a laser rotary attachment that is reliable and well-regarded in the community. Other important items you might consider are the user experience and how many resources are out there for help you on your journey. User Experience is important for success with your laser rotary attachment Before making a purchase, consider is how user-friendly the experience is with the laser rotary you are looking at. At LensDigital, we design the PiBurn to be extremely easy to use. We also focus on consistency so that you get pristine results each time. To us, design and form are important so we go to great lengths to create a functional and beautiful piece of equipment. Your rotary should allow for fast and simple swapping of items, quick adjustments, and frustration-free operation. This is your time we are talking about, and think of all the wasted tumblers you will save using a good rotary versus a cheap one.  This is the all new PiBurn V: Also, consider how many resources are out there to help you master the rotary. Does the manufacturer have a YouTube channel with tutorials? Do they foster a community of makers that help each other succeed? Finally, there are two types of rotaries that you can get: the roller rotary and the chuck-style rotary. Roller style laser rotary attachment A roller relies on friction between the object and the motorized wheels. The best rollers, like the PiBurn, have a clamp that helps create more friction. Benefits of the Roller style laser rotary Roller rotaries are usually slim, light, and fast to adjust making large bulk orders easier on the maker. Drawbacks of the Roller style laser rotary Because they rely on friction alone, Roller laser rotaries may slip when doing an object with a heavy handle. They also can't handle odd-shaped objects like dog bowls without modifications. Chuck style laser rotary attachment Chuck-style laser rotaries use jaws to fixate the item very securely. Like a clamping system, they make contact from multiple angles insuring your object never slips from the jaws. Benefits of the Chuck style laser rotary These rotaries are ideal for full wraps and engraving odd-shaped objects. Drawbacks of the Chuck style laser rotary When working with the metal jaws of a chuck, you must be careful of cracking delicate glass. Also, most chuck rotaries require tools to operate and thus take a long time to setup. Finally, they are usually very bulky and not adjustable.   If you like the chuck concept, check out the PiBurn Grip. The Grip eliminates all the standard drawbacks of a chuck style rotary. It makes it fast and simple to engrave any odd shaped objects with your laser engraver. Whichever rotary you go with, get ready to jump into the tumbler game and make big bucks!   Hope that this guide will help you with choosing the best laser rotary attachment Want to learn how you can make money using your rotary? Read on! Make Cash with your Rotary   Ready to buy a rotary? Grab one now! Need help choosing the right one? Read This Still need more information? Learn about the differences between the Chuck and Roller based rotaries. Not ready to jump in quite yet? Join our community and ask anyone why they love the PiBurn and what it did for their business.  

One of the best side hustles is laser engraving with a rotary attachment Starting a side hustle can be a great way to earn some extra income and pursue your passions. One interesting and potentially lucrative option is to start a business using a laser engraver. This HD cup is a winner. A laser engraver is a machine that uses a focused beam of light to etch designs and patterns onto a variety of materials, including wood, plastic, glass, and metal. These machines are relatively affordable and easy to use, making them a great tool for anyone looking to start a side hustle. One of the biggest advantages of starting a business with a laser engraver is the wide range of potential products you can create. Laser-engraved products are highly customizable, so you can create unique and personalized items that are sure to appeal to a wide range of customers. You could make everything from custom wooden signs and plaques to personalized glassware and jewelry. Even though custom tumblers (our personal favorite!) many of our customers also create amazing mugs, rolling pins, and baseball bats - the sky is the limit! Another advantage of starting a side hustle with a laser engraver is the relatively low overhead costs. Since the machines are relatively affordable, you can start your business without a huge initial investment. Additionally, the materials you need to create your products are widely available and affordable, so you can keep your costs low and your profit margins high. Of course, starting any side hustle requires effort and dedication. You'll need to invest time and energy into learning how to use your laser engraver effectively, as well as into marketing and promoting your products. But with a little hard work and determination, you can turn your passion for laser engraving into a successful and rewarding side hustle. We have a whole blog series on how many of our customers grew their successful side hustle. Check out our featured PiBurners and learn about huge orders in PiBurn Gigs. In conclusion, starting a side hustle with a laser engraver can be a great way to earn some extra income and pursue your passions. With its low overhead costs and wide range of potential products, a laser engraving business can be a rewarding and exciting venture.

Nowadays, side hustles are quickly becoming a reliable source of income for many. And why not? Who doesn't want an extra coin in their pockets? It gets more interesting if the side hustle is a fun activity you enjoy. But starting one can be stressful and intimidating, especially if you have never tried running a business. Once started, maintaining and growing a good side hustle is also a challenge. In this post, we share excellent tips on how to start a side hustle and keep it. How to stick to a good side-hustle Here are some tips for sticking to your side hustle and ensuring its success: Set clear goals: It's important to have a clear understanding of what you hope to achieve with your side hustle. Whether it's earning extra money, building a portfolio, or gaining new skills, having specific goals in mind can help you stay focused and motivated. Create a schedule: Scheduling dedicated time for your side hustle can help you stay on track and avoid letting it fall by the wayside. Try to set aside regular blocks of time each week to work on your side hustle, and be sure to respect those boundaries. Find an accountability partner: Having someone who can check in with you regularly and offer support and encouragement can be a huge help in sticking to your side hustle. Consider finding a friend, colleague, or mentor who can serve as an accountability partner and help you stay on track. Take breaks: It's important to remember that side hustles are supposed to be enjoyable, so don't be afraid to take breaks and recharge. Taking regular breaks can help prevent burnout and keep you energized and motivated to work on your side hustle. Optimize for SEO: If your side hustle involves creating a website or blog, optimizing for search engines can help increase your visibility and attract more traffic. Some simple SEO strategies include using relevant keywords, creating compelling titles and meta descriptions, and including alt text for images. Here are some other tips that can help stay motivated and focused on your side hustle, even when life gets busy. Remember to stay true to your goals and have fun, and your side hustle is sure to be a success. Consider Doing What You Love and Start It's one thing to have a hobby and another to make it generate money for you. For example, if you love knitting, how can you make money out of it? You can share knitted pieces and sell them to newbie knitters. They can follow the samples and start knitting. Now, you can consider selling the patterns, and that's how you start a side house. If you find your hobby - don't try to overthink it. Most times, when you are in deep thought, and sometimes, there are higher chances of wanting the changes. Use a Freelancing Platform Are you looking to start a side hustle on a work-from-home basis? Then a freelance platform would be an excellent place to begin your escapades. There are many freelancer platforms on the internet to help you scale your business. Some of the most common ones are Fiverr, Freelancer.com, and Upwork for content creators. There are other platforms for other niches, including engineering, technology, and the likes. These platforms will help you build your brand from the ground up. The best thing about them is that you don't have to know anyone on the platform to use them. Instead, you need to visit the website, sign up, and start selling. Set a Reasonable Schedule and Stick to it Routines are good to help you work on your side hustle, especially if you have a full-time job. Setting a schedule is one method that will help you create a good routine. And a good routine will help you set times when you work on your side hustle. For example, if your full-time job starts at 8 am and ends at 5 pm, you can set hours before and after the full-time job. The secret is in the consistency of the routine you set. You will definitely grow your business if you are consistent and diligent in keeping up with your schedule. Delegate Some Work to Industry Experts You now know your strengths and weaknesses and where you may need help. The truth is everyone who ever succeeded in their side hustle was not skilled in every area, and some got an extra hand from an expert. For example, you may be skilled in offering your type of service but need to be more experienced in digital marketing. In this case, you can focus on perfecting your service skills while you leverage the skills of an expert in digital marketing. First, you will have the time to build your service skills and deliver pure gold. Second, you will be fully advertising your business to the world. Have a Flexible Pricing Strategy Stick to more than a single pricing strategy when starting your side hustle. You can choose to have different and flexible pricing. For example, you can give offers on your business for some time before you actually begin to sell your services. You can give your customers welcome offers, which will help you build a good reputation and a solid customer base. A good customer base is a perfect starting set for a side hustle. Get Real Feedback from Customers You need to get customer feedback to set your business up for success. If you don't listen to what customers say, your business may fail to meet their unique needs. Proper feedback enables the correction of failures and the improvement of successes. Laser Engraving as Side Hustle Using a laser engraver is one perfect example of a lucrative side hustle. A laser engraver is a perfect idea if you love crafts and are also looking for a less competitive side hustle. With a laser engraver, you don't have to break the bank for start-up money. You might be surprised at the variety of things people want to engrave with a laser. You can tap a wide market, from engraved tumblers and engraved gifts to engraved trophies. To engrave the most unique items, consider investing in a great rotary like the PiBurn. Tip: Start Engraving Tumblers Tumblers are insulated cups used to keep drinks hot or cold. Tumblers are becoming very popular and offering custom tumblers is a good product diversifier and added revenue stream for any business. There are many ways to customize tumblers, and engraving custom tumblers is a profitable business. Laser engraving tumblers can include names in custom fonts, engraving business logos, or even pictures. So how much do you need to start a laser engraving tumblers business? First, you obviously need an engraver which may cost $2000 - $5000, depending on how much you want to spend on the laser. You will also need to choose a good rotary. You may also need to invest in digital marketing. How to Sell Your Engraved Tumblers If you want to scale up your laser engraving tumblers business, you need to consider sourcing the tumblers yourself. Some of our customers get tumblers from Save-a-cup and JDS. Others buy higher end cups like Stanley and Yeti brand tumblers. To sell these, there are four main principles to follow. Read more about them in our PiBurn Gigs Blog. In short, you must choose one approach of these four: Elephant hunting (going after huge orders from corporations based on relationships) E-commerce platform (running a shop on Etsy or similar for micro-orders) Local Business (Going out and landing orders at local small businesses) Community building (Becoming an influencer and relying on the trust of your community to create demand) Bottom Line A side hustle can help you earn an extra income without affecting your day job. All you have to do is manage it well, and it will be successful. Identify what you love and your passion and find a way to monetize it by making it a side hustle. Laser engraving is one side hustle that will earn you return customers. You also don't need a physical space to operate–your living room or garage is enough. For sure, a good side hustle is one that effortlessly brings you money. All you need to do is stick to it and scale up.

It's time to... #GetaGrip   PiBurn Grip Launch The revolutionary PiBurn Grip is a chuck-style rotary, but it's more than that. It is the BEST chuck rotary on the planet. This chuck system was designed and built by LensDigital from scratch. It is the only chuck rotary designed specifically for laser engraving. Other systems are borrowed from the lathe and drilling applications - they are heavy and bulky and can't hold the delicate glass without breaking it. We have spent years conceptualizing and bringing this tool to our makers, and we are so excited at the new opportunities it will open for you. You will be able to pre-order the PiBurn Grip this coming Monday, November 21st, 11am EST (Scroll down for how to order!) The price for the Grip Add-on Kit will be 395$ - you will need your original order number to purchase. The price will go up after the first 100 kits are sold. Note, the Thunder Addon Kit has a $100 markup due to the motor, plug, and wiring cover. On that same day, you will also be able to buy a full PiBurn Grip rotary - a chuck-only rotary without wheels shown below. The special pre-order price will be $995. Finally, on that same day, you will be able to pre-order the PiBurn 4.0 with a Grip Addon for $1,245 (Buy PiBurn4 + Grip Addon. This is called the Omni) When you have the PiBurn 4 and the Grip Addon kit, you can swap from the chuck-only system to wheels-only and vice-versa. If you have a metal clamp on your PiBurn 4.0, you can also configure the rotary to have the chuck mounted above the wheels instead of the clamp. We will aim to ship by the second-third week of December. Our goal is to ship every pre-order before Christmas. We may hit, we may miss. Stay tuned for shipping updates on this forum. The benefits of a chuck are plenty, and I will only list a few of them here: Never worry about walking or horizontal shift - no need for stoppers, EVER You can now make multiple passes! Frame at high speeds Engrave rings and other smaller items Engrave mugs with heavy handles without the worry of slipping Engrave non-cylindrical items with ease Direct drive system means no belts, no gears. Less things to go wrong or break down. No need to run test to dial in steps, simply change the object diameter. And the benefits of the PiBurn Grip above and beyond any chuck are: No tools are required to use! Simple and quick swapping, tighten and loosen with your hands. Adjustable angle like the original PiBurn for tampered objects Includes rubber-padded "fingers" for the extra delicate glass items (NO OTHER CHUCK DOES THIS!) Extra long jaws are to be sold separately for items like dog bowls. Pre-orders start November 21st 11am ET on lensdigital.com Introduction to the Grip: How to Order the Grip? You have two options: 1. Buy the Grip Addon kit ($395 on pre-order), or 2. buy the PiBurn Grip Rotary ($995 on pre-order). 1. Have a PiBurn? You will be able to purchase the PiBurn Addon kit and simply bolt on the chuck system to your PiBurn! Just $395 for the pre-order of the first 100 kits. 2. Do not Have a PiBurn or need another Rotary? Love the chuck jaw system? Consider the PiBurn Grip Rotary. Powerful, versatile, and precise, this will let you engrave anything you can imagine! Want a Roller system? Buy the PiBurn 4.0. Our latest and greatest Roller rotary is the essence of simplicity, repeatability, and reliability. It is the ultimate tumbler engraving machine! 3. Want the Omni? Why is the Omni the last rotary you'll ever need? It will give you by far the MOST capability possible on any rotary attachment. I mean, it's not even close. And sometimes you want it all! You may want the speed and simplicity of a Roller rotary AND the power and precision of a chuck. For you, there is the OMNI: This incredible build has both the Roller system and the chuck system in one beast of a machine. It is fast and simple to swap the Grip Addon for the metal clamp when you wish to move back to the roller, or even reconfigure it into the standalone Grip Rotary if you need more clearance:  

PiBurn Gigs: Make money with your rotary   2,000+ Tumblers in one GIGA order, featuring Kory Cook and his Thunder Nova 63 / PiBurn combo       Welcome to another PiBurn Gigs feature - a blog where you can learn how to score big orders, get new customers, delight and retain those customers, and grow your business just by offering customized tumblers.   All the amazing makers featured in Gigs are proud owners of the PiBurn rotary, the best laser rotary attachment on the planet!       Meet Kory   We often follow up with our customers to inquire about their experience with the PiBurn.       We recently asked Kory to share a review of his experience with the PiBurn V4. Then, he shared an image that blew my socks off. It was a small fraction of a recent P&G order for 2,000 20oz tumblers. No Typo. TWO THOUSAND.    That's gotta be a record, right?!       While this is a very good order, it's actually only our 3rd largest!               In case you were wondering what 2,000 tumblers look like all packaged up:         So... Kory has to be doing this full-time, right?!       While my wife and I have our normal day jobs, our laser business is actually still just a side hustle for us. I don't post many pics because honestly we're constantly busy with the next order. But when I do post a picture, I do get asked how we get such big orders.     How does he do it?!   Keeping an open mind for new business opportunities and the ability to give something of value away helps tremendously. We see this many times with successful PiBurners.   Sometimes opportunity knocks, even when buying a car!       Our first big order was when we went to purchase a new vehicle for my wife, the night before, I decided to make a tumbler with that dealership's logo on it. After we purchased her new SUV, I gave the tumbler to the owner of the dealership. That night we left not only with a new SUV but with a check for a 7,000 tumbler order.       That same dealership has since ordered 4,000 more tumbrels from Kory. That's not to mention all the personal orders from the owner and his employees as well.   Incredible that deals like this are just a friendly conversation away!   They have also had various 250, 500, 1000, and 1200 tumbler orders from local businesses, schools, local sports teams, and other organizations.   On top of all this, they average around 200 tumblers from normal customer orders each month!   So, when we say the market is HUGE, we aren't kidding. It's big enough for all of us to succeed.         What about that Giga order from P&G?   Orders bring more orders. And in this case of a mega-order, serendipity had a role to play!       Our most recent P&G order of 2,000 tumblers was a result of their marketing director seeing a tumbler we did for someone that works at the plant. That goes to show you never know who's going to see your work!       But that's not all. Kory has his eyes on even bigger whales.   We've recently had a meeting with a hospital and the initial meeting was to secure an order for 8,000-10,000 tumblers. We have a follow up meeting soon, so hopefully we get that contract as well.       Wow. That is some serious scale.     How does the PiBurn fare on those massive orders?   Our first big order was unfortunately before we got the Piburn V4, oh how I wish we would have had it when we first got that order.       The PiBurn made Kory's work a lot easier and more predictable.   We did receive the Pi when we had about 1,000 left of that order though and those last 1,000 felt like they took an hour to complete compared to the first 6,000.       So, what did you think about the performance of the PiBurn?   The ease of the V4 and the product quality is second to none. We could swap out a lasered tumbler with a new one and get it started before the exhaust fan on our Nova 63 even stopped. Since we received the V4 when it first came out, I estimate that we've done around 9,000 tumblers (my wife feels like we've done over 10,000) but the V4 works just as it did when it came out of the box. Not a single spring, o-ring, wheel, belt...NOTHING has broken or came loose. I initially explained to someone that the V4 is a workhorse, but I was wrong. It's a tank that can not be stopped. My only regret is that we only ordered one, we have 3 lasers, but we'll be one of the first in line to get the Omni and we won't have a worry in the world that it'll handle our next big order.         Any advice for folks starting out?       My usual response to anyone asking how we get big orders is step out of your comfort zone, don't be afraid to bet on yourself and approach businesses. We're constantly making tumblers with the logo of other local businesses. We'll take them to the business, ask for the marketing director or the highest level person available. It's not always a great meeting, sometimes we get the cold shoulder and we move on. But we won't give up! Someone will see that tumbler you made, someone will ask about it, and someone will reach out for an order. People don't throw away free tumblers, they may or may not throw away the business card we put in every single tumbler that leaves our store. But they more than likely looked at our business card and threw it on their desk or in their desk drawer and it'll be there when they change their mind or someone else asks about their awesome tumbler.           Did you catch that tip? Put a business card in your tumbler - when giving out freebies.             Ready to try the PiBurn? See what it can do for you and your growing business!   Try the PiBurn 4   Happy PiBurning!