// Buying & technique
Guides
Plain-English explainers written for UK makers. Every factual claim links to the source we checked.
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Photo: Andy Dingley, CC BY-SA 3.0Diode, CO2 or fibre? Laser types explained
The three kinds of desktop laser differ in wavelength, and that decides which materials they can cut, engrave or mark. Here’s what each does well, what it can’…
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Photo: Majabojarska, CC BY 4.0Choosing your first 3D printer
FDM or resin, open or enclosed, single colour or multi-colour — the decisions that matter when buying a desktop 3D printer in the UK, explained without jargon.
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Photo: penyuan, CC BY-SA 2.0Venting and fume extraction for a home laser
Every laser makes smoke and fumes. Here’s how venting through a window compares with a filter unit, what HSE says about extraction, and the details that make e…
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Preparing designs for a laser: vectors, rasters and kerf
How laser software decides what to cut, score and engrave — and how to set up files so jobs come out right first time on any machine, from a Glowforge to an op…