Articles

HO HO HO! Naughty or Nice, you'll love this limited Xmas PiBurn We are thrilled to announce, the limited PiBurn Christmas Edition! We are only making 50 (FIFTY) of these PiBurns. The last themed PiBurn we made for the Fourth of July sold out in just a few hours.

Let's celebrate our PiBurner of the week:   Cathe Ray aka The Floss Queen owner of Needle In A Haystack   About Cathe We are so excited to tell you about Cathe - she is simply wonderful and her journey is a beautiful one full of inspiring lessons. Cathe has been a needleworker for almost her entire life, for 60 years now (how cool is that?!) To her husband, her customers, and her friends, Cathe is known as the Floss Queen. Long before she opened her needlework shop her husband always called her his Floss Queen because she loved using threads of all kinds and he thinks of her as his queen, of course! They will be celebrating 37 years of marriage this month. Well, thanks to hubby Carl, the name stuck and became her brand. Cathe's Story Cathe has been a maker most of her life and has tried most crafts at one time or another. In college, in the late 70’s she majored in Textiles, but got the software bug and pursued a degree in Computer Science. Well, working in high tech wasn’t enough of a challenge for Cathe (naturally!) and she opened a retail needlework shop in 1997, intending it to provide for her retirement in her 60’s - and that's now! Getting laid off from her main job a few years later (by this time she was already a manager!) turned out to be a blessing in disguise as it let her focus more on her business and her customers. After some soul searching, she decided that she liked working for herself and helping other makers a lot more than working for large corporations. So rather than go back to the world of high tech, she went to work in her needleworking shop full time to follow her true life's passion. She credits two people that were key in this decision. Her husband, Carl who believed she can do anything she puts her mind to. And C.A. Wells, who helped her understand that she could build a business as a side hustle without giving up her main job right away. Of course, she has not led the journey alone and has had help from her fabulous staff over all of these years. Her needlework shop is called Needle In A Haystack and is located in Alameda, California, just south of Oakland. Check it out online: http://www.needlestack.com/index.html She was even on an old Mythbusters episode from the early 2000’s the one about how hard is it to find a needle in a haystack! And because Cathe works with a lot of fabrics, she recently got a Vortex vacuum table from LensDigital as a hold-down solution. This is a nice addition to her growing arsenal of tools that will talk about later. Check out the Fabrics section of her shop! In September 2019 Cathe bought a Glowforge Basic as she'd been following them from their crowdfunding days. Owning that laser, she realized she needed even more. She now operates an Aeon Mira 7 with a Thunder Laser Odin 32 due in early 2022. A little note from Cathe: Working with lasers is special to me as it lets me combine my creative side and my technical/geeky side. I love testing new materials, new tools and sharing that knowledge with other enthusiasts. I make and sell mostly needlework-related items as an adjunct to my needlework shop that I sell under my brand name The Floss Queen. I work a lot with acrylic as I love the many options it provides for materials. I came across the PiBurn from my friend Emily Caroline (That Mom With A Laser) and even though I had a perfectly serviceable rotary, decided I needed to get one - who doesn’t need more cool tools! I was blown away with how much easier it makes my projects, whether I’m doing a small run or a larger number of tumblers or cylindrical objects. And the support Stan and Len have given me is great. I’m looking forward to expanding my rotary usage and having even more hands on time with my PiBurn. The design on the tumbler in the photo was designed to look like cross-stitch, which is one of the needlework techniques my shop sells supplies for. What motivates Cathe We asked Cathe what drives her? My motivation is to see projects or even customer orders in the shop, come to fruition. I’m inspired by all of the creativity I see both in my needlework community and the laser community. So many great ideas and great people. So many people dream of doing what they love for a living. But it's very hard for many as their passions don't always come with steady paychecks. How did you do it? For turning a hobby into a living…know that it takes blood, sweat and tears - or hustle in the current vernacular, to make it all happen. Be persistent in what you want, be willing to adapt and be willing to learn new things, whether that’s tools, procedures, materials or other things. And never let it become your sole reason for existence…family and friends in the mix of importance help balance it all so you don’t go insane.   What a beautiful lesson. Cathe reminds us that you can achieve your dream but it won't be easy, it will require real determination and an open mind. But with your resourcefulness and the support from those you love you can do it! Favorite Projects Check out this amazing and unique design Cathe achieved on her PiBurn. The intricate detail is astonishing and can only be achieved on a high-end rotary device. Thanks Cathe! If you are like us and are inspired by Cathe's story, go ahead and read up more about her shop at http://www.needlestack.com/about.html We are so honored to put products out that help amazing makers like Cathe create beautiful things and build a true legacy. The PiBurn, the Vortex, these are all just tools, but what you create with them is pure magic. For us, this is the main reason to keep on PiBurning! Cathe Ray, Thank you!!! For being a maker, a leader, a giver, and an inspiration. And of course a PiBurner! That's all for today my friends, and Happy PiBurning! Stan & Len PS: Want to be a featured PiBurner yourself? Find out how!

Buy with confidence, we have you covered Starting now, all PiBurns come with a full 1-year warranty from LensDigital. For those that know us, this does not come as a surprise. We always move very quickly to replace any damaged parts or offer support when our customers need it. Well, now we are just making it official! For one full year after purchase, you are covered by our warranty. Go ahead and buy with confidence knowing we will stand behind the product and help you succeed!  

Fantastic news, rotary fans! Starting now, all PiBurns are shipped fully ASSEMBLED! Check this beauty out: No need to worry about doing the final assembly - just plug the rotary in and start engraving right out of the box. Why? We used to ship the PiBurn partially assembled to save space and money on shipping for our customers and to prevent any damage to the beautiful rotary inside. But our customers spoke out. "Please ship it ready to go! I don't mind paying a bit more on shipping" We are all about our customers and making their whole experience of using the rotary that much better and hassle free. And when we got to work on the packaging, we found a way to ship the beloved PiBurn FULLY ASSEMBELD and still keep it safe! Now, its easier than ever to keep on PiBurning Best, Stan and Len

    Let's celebrate our PiBurner of the week:   Shane Whitecloud owner of Team Valor   A Story that inspired us Today, we are honored to feature another truly inspiring person as PiBurner of the Week. Shane is a man who has overcome much in his life. He is a service-connected disabled Navy veteran (which means that he was injured while in active military duty for this country). He is also a father of three boys and the owner of Team Valor, an online shop that sells uniquely crafted items to those who appreciate great design and craftsmanship. There is nothing like hearing his story in his own words and luckily, Shane had recently given a Ted Talk. From foster home to lead singer, and now business owner, his journey is an epic one. His story is exceptional, terrifying, gripping, and of course, absolutely moving. See and hear it for yourself: Shane's Ted Talk   Shane now works as a Public Affairs Officer at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital - a position he has held for the past two years. He also created a nonprofit 501c3 organization, Veteran Development Group Inc. (opemploy.org) that focuses on assisting Veterans who are going through treatment court with costs tied to their substance rehabilitation, counseling, and substance screening. His organization also assists Veterans with finding and procuring gainful employment. More about Shane As you can imagine, Shane is not new to helping Veterans. Prior to starting his organization, Shane was head of public relations for the Veterans Resource Centers of America for 13 years working with homeless veterans while also being a rock radio personality on the FM station, Rock 104.5 for 23 years. He even had his own radio show podcast on iTunes, American Warfighter Radio. He is a Public Speaker and subject matter expert on suicide, substance addictions, homelessness, and military sexual trauma, currently serving on the Sexual Assault and Harassment Prevention workgroup under the Secretary of the VA to help develop litigation to protect staff and Veterans attending any VA facility. A published author in national magazines and websites, Shane is currently writing his first book titled after his 2021 TED Talk, “The Path to Empathy”. If that wasn't enough, there is more! Shane is also the lead singer/frontman in a rock band called Seasons of Insanity. He is the proud father of 3 boys ranging from 26 to 4, grandfather of one (but we don't mention the G-word!) What motivates Shane We asked Shane what drives him? What makes him get out of bed and tap dance to work each morning? Over the past two years, being creative has been my therapy, and being able to make other people happy has been my reward. I also love the idea of building something up from my garage into something bigger that I can one day hand down to my children. Satisfaction from creating something new is a deeply ingrained human instinct and we find this creativity to be the driving force of many a PiBurner. Shane's Shops, YouTube, and Facebook Page Currently, Shane is doing a lot. He has the equipment and skill to do all of the following: 3D printing, powder coating, sublimation, CO2 laser engraving and cutting (hoping to get a fiber laser soon as well), DTG (direct to garment), DTF (direct to film), screen printing, and at the end of this month he’ll be receiving his 20-needle embroidery machine. If you have not already, check out his online shop: (which is still new and items are being added as he builds it, so check back often!) https://www.team-valor.com/ There, you can find customer engraved drinkware like tumblers and bottles and exquisite cutting boards. Also, subscribe to his YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/shanewhitecloud Don't forget to check out his Facebook page, and make sure to "like" it! https://www.facebook.com/officialwhitecloud Favorite Projects Some of Shane's favorite projects can be found in his shop that is still being built out. Thanks for being AWESOME, Shane. It is a true honor to be able to put our PiBurn in the hands of this real American hero. This is what drives us at LensDigital - beyond creating simply great tools - it's helping people like Shane be successful in their endeavors. What could be more rewarding than to be a part of such an awesome community of makers?! For us, this is the main reason to keep on PiBurning! Shane Whitecloud, Thank you!!! For being a hero, an inspiration, and of course a PiBurner! That's all for today my friends, and Happy PiBurning! Stan & Len PS: Want to be a featured PiBurner yourself? Find out how!  

To Chuck or to Roll, that is the question! One of the most common questions we hear from makers starting with tumblers is: What is the difference between a chuck and a roller-style rotary—and which should I get? It’s a great question because the differences aren’t huge—but they matter. Think about the projects you plan to run, read the pros and cons below, and choose what fits your work. Many makers own both to cover the widest range of objects. Before we dive in, here’s what they share and why you need a rotary in the first place. What is a Laser Rotary Attachment? “Rotary” refers to an attachment for your CO₂ laser that lets you engrave cylindrical items—tumblers, mugs, bottles, even baseball bats. Instead of only moving in X/Y for flat work, the rotary spins the object so the beam can engrave it line-by-line around the circumference. Both chuck and roller rotaries hold and rotate the object as the laser fires. They sit inside the laser and connect to a dedicated rotary port or the Y-axis port. The Chuck Laser Rotary Attachment A chuck rotary uses a metal jaw system (like a drill chuck) to clamp the item securely. You can grip an object from the inside or outside; inside clamping often leaves more usable outer surface for engraving. Benefits of the Chuck Handles heavier objects, especially with a rear support. Supports bidirectional moves (e.g., cross-hatch/scoring) since the piece won’t slip. Excellent for small items like pens. Very secure grip for high precision—no walking or slipping, even with heavy handles. Clamp inside or outside the object. Can handle some non-cylindrical shapes. Allows faster framing/idling without losing registration. Drawbacks of the Chuck Typically requires a chuck key/Allen wrench to adjust. Often bulkier, limiting clearance in smaller lasers. May require more setup time to level irregular shapes. Jaws can crack thin glass if over-tightened—use care. Higher cost (quality chucks are expensive components). Usually requires changing diameter settings when switching cup sizes. Slower swap-outs when doing many pieces back-to-back. UPDATE: We designed a chuck that removes virtually all of these drawbacks. Meet the PiBurn Grip 2. Above: PiBurn Omni 2. The Roller Laser Rotary Attachment Roller rotaries rely on friction between motorized wheels and the object. They’re versatile and easy to use, but unbalanced items (e.g., mugs with heavy handles) may slip without added traction. High-quality rollers include a clamp to increase friction. PiBurn’s metal clamp is exceptionally strong and features adjustable tension for stubborn objects (think heavy beer steins). There are two overall “roller” styles: wheel and “hot-dog.” We’re discussing the wheel style—it’s more versatile. And for handle-bearing items, a roller with a clamp is a must. Simple eBay roller rotary: Top-of-the-line roller: PiBurn V Benefits of the Roller Engraves cups, mugs, wine glasses, and tumblers with handles (with a clamp). Low risk of damaging drinkware—no hard jaws. Easier to master for beginners; fewer moving parts. Height adjustability (on quality rollers) makes leveling tapered items simple—no shims. After initial dial-in, you usually don’t change diameter per cup. Generally smaller / lower-profile than chucks—more Z-clearance. Fast swap-outs on quality designs like PiBurn. Drawbacks of the Roller Because it relies on friction, frame and jog slowly (lower accel/max speed) to avoid shifting. Very heavy/unbalanced items can challenge traction; full-wraps demand zero slip. PiBurn’s adjustable-tension clamp helps—lower-end rollers may need added weight inside handled cups. Full wraps are less forgiving—tiny slips can show as a seam. Rollers typically engrave in a single direction, so cross-hatch techniques aren’t practical. Walking (axial drift) can skew designs on some rollers. PiBurn counters this with an adjustable front stopper and a rear stopper with a wheel for smoother rotation. Want both? A few systems combine chuck + roller. One rare example is the PiBurn Omni. We hope this helps someone choosing between roller and chuck. Share with a friend who’s getting into tumbler engraving! Make Cash with your Rotary Shop PiBurn Rotaries Help Me Choose Join the Community Best,Len and Stan @ LensDigital

PiBurn 3.0 is listed at the top of the Best Rotaries list for OMTech   In a recent Blog Post , the team at OMTech laser listed the PiBurn 3.0 at the very top of their "Five Best Rotary Attachments for OMTEch Laser" list.   Here is what they said about the PiBurn: The PiBurn Rotary Attachment V3.0 is an upgraded roller-style, four-wheel rotary attachment with exceptional build quality. The experts at Lens Digital added a clamp to hold your cylindrical object in place, rather than relying on just the object’s weight to keep it stationary, like most other four-wheel rotaries. In fact, the overall construction is designed for extra stability. They even offer magnetic feet as an upgrade option, adding a more secure grip on the object while rotating so that the laser can engrave it line by line. The PiBurn 3.0 allows you to engrave cups, tumblers, glasses, bottles, and champagne flutes with ease and precision. Plus, this CO2 laser rotary attachment is compatible with OMTech cabinet lasers and other Ruida controller-based machines right out of the box. We are thrilled that the quality of the PiBurn is officially recognized and endorsed in this way by a highly respected name in lasers. We are also thrilled to have full compatibility with all OMTech laser machines and to offer OMTech customers the flexibility of choosing the rotary that's just right for them. In the blog post published on the OMTech website, they describe how to setup and enable your rotary, and also show the settings you should use in LightBurn and RD Works. Learn more about OMTech laser machines here. Happy PiBurning! Len and Stan

So, you want to run tumblers! But which rotary is best? 50 makers polled 38 upgraded to PiBurn from a different rotary — some after trying a fifth rotary. We asked 50 PiBurn owners what their favorite rotary is. No surprise—every one of them said the PiBurn is their go-to for tumblers. Their old rotaries? Collecting dust. Here’s what they’re saying “The PiBurn is my 5th and last rotary. So well thought out and constructed. Well worth the money.” — Jeff R “PiBurn V3 build quality is amazing. We run hard during the holidays—Pi lets you sleep at night. Machined parts instead of 3D printed; changing sizes is a breeze. Switching to huge items is easier and faster. Time is money—precision is money—the Pi saves both.” — Todd T But why do people love the PiBurn so much? Customers told us what sets PiBurn apart from the old “Plastic Fantastic” rotaries they replaced: PiBurn vs. your old “Plastic Fantastic” rotary Support & resources. Plastic Fantastic: sparse manuals/videos and slow help. PiBurn: responsive support, clear manuals, and training that backs you up. Build quality. Plastic Fantastic: cheap 3D-printed parts, shaky frames. PiBurn: CNC-machined wheels, all-metal construction—even the clamp—for repeatable precision. No dry-rot drama. Plastic Fantastic: O-rings that crack and skip. PiBurn: no O-ring turn-knob headaches. Simplicity. Plastic Fantastic: over-engineered with more to break. PiBurn: clean, minimal design that just works. Design you’re proud to show. Plastic Fantastic: …not pretty. PiBurn: professionally designed hardware that looks and feels premium. True cost. Plastic Fantastic: wasted cups + limitations = $$ over time. PiBurn: versatile and consistent—pays for itself. Length/size changes. Plastic Fantastic: fussy adjustments. PiBurn: quick, precise set-ups for length and width. Fast swaps. Plastic Fantastic: clamp design slows you down. PiBurn: swap cups quickly and keep orders moving. Wine glasses & stoppers. Plastic Fantastic: missing/poor stoppers, tricky stems. PiBurn: adjustable front stop and wheeled rear stop keep items aligned and rolling smooth. Height adjustment. Plastic Fantastic: awkward. PiBurn: fast, accurate, and easy. Motor placement that matters. Plastic Fantastic: motor between wheels—large handles snag. PiBurn: motor outside the wheels—big mugs rotate freely (and you don’t need to mirror artwork). Community. Plastic Fantastic: little peer support. PiBurn: vibrant maker community with shared settings, tips, and real-world help. Ready to see why makers call PiBurn their “last rotary”? Learn More Shop PiBurn Join the Community Happy PiBurning! Len and Stan

Let’s celebrate our PiBurners of the week: Todd and Misty Tomlinson owners of Higher Grace Creations   How it started, and how it evolved Today’s PiBurner is special. It’s not just one person, but a truly inspiring couple that we can all learn a lot from. Todd and his wife Misty are the co-creators and owners at Higher Grace Creations. They started as a screen-printing and jewelry-making business focused on the addiction recovery market. But as the market changed so did their business. They began focusing more on small orders that most screen printers wouldn’t touch. They also moved into personalized items with the help of their newly purchased Thunder Laser Nova 51 and the PiBurn 3.0. This pivot, along with their investment in top-of-the-line laser and rotary equipment helped them expand their offerings to cover faith and family markets and run FOUR successful Etsy shops. Read on, the shops are linked below. “We’ve found that personalized items are the niche market where our skills and capabilities match the demands of the market. There’s something about seeing your name or a significant milestone date on a piece of jewelry or a coffee tumbler that brings an additional level of appreciation and goes well beyond something you can buy at your local retail store.” – Todd We couldn’t agree more. Personalization is a mega-trend in the market and a big opportunity for many of our amazing PiBurners.   An “Upgraded” Rotary experience for Thunder Laser Todd is no beginner at using a rotary. But since his business shifted to micro orders – small quantity orders of highly customized drinkware, his rotary needs changed too. He had a decent rotary before the PiBurn but his changing needs required a better rotary design. For instance, he wanted the rotary to allow for faster and pain-free swapping of tumblers between jobs. He needed a faster horizontal adjustment. He also needed more precision and rigidity than his current rotary provided. He really needed a powerful rotary like the PiBurn! But there was an issue. The PiBurn at that time was still not compatible with Thunder Lasers! Not to be deterred, Todd ordered the PiBurn anyway. And, with his generous help, we made a Thunder compatible version, that now works with ANY thunder laser, 7 or the older 5-pin plug configuration, right out of the box. There were a few hiccups where we thought Todd will surely give up and ask for his money back. But nope, he stuck with us with a friendly “That’s just part of the process, boys.” He officially became our first Thunder Laser customer (even though a few brave pioneers before him have adopted the PiBurn to Thunder by fitting it with a hybrid servo motor themselves!) And it all paid off. He loves his new rotary experience so much, he could play it like a flute! He even made a comparison video with his old rotary: About Todd and Misty Todd and Misty live on the outskirts of Portland Oregon and love to spend time with their kids and grandsons. But there is a lot more about this amazing couple than meets the eye! Todd has spent the last 40 years as a senior executive in the technology industry and has been at the forefront of technical innovation, working one-on-one with some of the industry’s greats. Including even… Steve Jobs! Todd was an early pioneer in factory automation, distributed computing, and electronic document management  (say that three times fast!) and pivoted to the web in the mid-1990s. He is widely known as one of the world’s leading experts on web technologies and eCommerce, with six published books focused on web development. That’s serious talent! Think we’re kidding? Check him out as a best-selling author on Amazon!  Misty worked for one of Portland’s premier law firms until she exited the legal world to focus 100% of her efforts on her custom jewelry business. And boy, is this work rewarding… “The level of satisfaction we get when we hear stories about how our products touch the lives of those we serve it makes the long hours all seem worth it. Hearing the heart-felt stories from parents who gave their child a piece of jewelry, t-shirt, of laser created and how it inspired them to continue in their recovery makes all those long hours worth every second.” – Misty What keeps Todd and Misty going? It’s the magic of creating something new – going from idea to reality where you control the outcome. Or in Todd’s words: What motivates us each day is the ability to move from concept to creation of a physical product in a matter of minutes. A bit more from Todd: If an idea pops into our heads while having coffee in the morning we can have that product produced and listed in our online stores before our coffee gets cold. With our Thunder Laser Nova 51 and our PiBurn 3.0 we’re able to tell a prospective customer “Yes we can!” and that is with confidence that the product is going to be perfect. Another reason is a lot more personal and really makes you think: When we hear the stories from our customers about the impact that something as small and seemingly insignificant as a coffee tumbler with the serenity prayer and their sobriety date has on their life it makes us realize how easy it is to make a positive impact on someone’s life. If that tumbler keeps them from taking another drink of alcohol and prevents them from using drugs, then all the investment and hard work were more than worth it. We’ve said that if we only change one person’s life by doing what we do then it will all have been worth it. Three years later we’re humbled to say that we have stories from so many people on how our products changed their life, or someone they love. Our advice to you – do something that matters. At the end of the day its not all about the balance of your bank account, but the impact and legacy that you leave behind. Do good things. How inspiring, how beautiful, and how wise is that! Now, we know for sure that you will check out their products and social pages. Todd and Misty’s Shops and Facebook Page   Check out Todd and Misty’s main shop on Etsy: www.highergracecreations.com (The page takes you to their Etsy shop) There, you can find apparel with uplifting themes and faith-inspired designs from hoodies to caps to (our favorite) custom cups and tumblers.   Besides their main shop, Todd and Misty run four other shops on Etsy. Visit them and browse through their unique and uplifting selections below:   www.12stepshirts.com www.spokenheartgifts.com www.highergracejewelry.com Don’t forget to check out their Facebook page, and make sure to “like” it! https://www.facebook.com/highergracecreations Favorite Projects Some of Todd’s favorite projects are the personalized coffee tumblers they do with the help of PiBurn  on their Thunder laser.   And in time for Halloween, Todd’s signature Pumpkin Pi: To finish up with a quote from Todd Len and Stan, the work that you do is like dropping a pebble in a pond – it has a ripple effect. Your diligence and commitment to excellence enable us to do the work that we do, which in turn impacts the lives of so many people. You don’t just create the best rotary in the market, you enable those of us in the market to make things that have an impact. Thank you for all that you do. Todd and Misty, it is we who are thankful we met you and learned about your wonderful journey and your meaningful mission in life. You are truly inspiring and you honor us by being our customers and more importantly a part of the maker community. Thank you!!! That’s all for today my friends, and Happy PiBurning! Stan & Len PS: Want to be a featured PiBurner yourself? Find out how!