[GrooveMaker]

Greetings,
I am just getting into this wonderful world of etching/engraving/laser cutting, at first, on a small scale. The possibilities when purchasing a piece of equipment in the $5,000-7,000 range are very confusing. Can anyone direct me to some verbiage or videos that help one decide, considering what they intend to make? There are so many makes and versions. I need help to eliminate some so I may make an informed choice. I realize I'm dealing with small beans here, compared to the huge, industrial sized machines out there, but I've got to start somewhere.
Anyone have any ideas? Is CNC the way to go? Do I need CAD? Are the smaller machines useful or useless? This will be for the Hobby level, but I do want quality.

Thanks, ahead of time.

[RaderSidetrack]

I think you will get better advice if you first tell us what you want to make or work on, including the rough size, and the core material (wood, foam, steel, aluminum, etc).

Keep in mind that a machine to do "quality" work in steel is likely to be significantly more expensive than a similarly sized machine doing "quality" work mostly in wood.

[GrooveMaker]

Let's see.....engraving in wood, soft metals, lucite, stone, glass .....graphics, pictures (psd., jpg.), cutting through wood up to 1/2", .....can't see needing to size beyond 20".
Actually, I wasn't looking to ask for an assessment here. I was after videos or written explanations that are out there. I thought explaning here would take too much time and effort.

[laser_china]

There are many types of laser machines and many option. You may consult a professional laser machine manufacturer. LASERCHINA company is suggested.https://www.laserchina.com/