The Difference Between a Fibre Laser and a CO2 Laser
We run both in the same workshop. Here's what each one actually does and why they're completely different machines.
How they work
Both machines use a focused beam of light to cut or engrave. The difference is in the wavelength of that light.
A fibre laser produces light at around 1,064 nanometres. That wavelength is absorbed by metals — steel, aluminium, brass, copper, titanium. It bounces off organic materials. You could point a fibre laser at a piece of wood all day and it would barely leave a mark.
A CO2 laser produces light at around 10,600 nanometres — a much longer wavelength. That wavelength is absorbed by organic materials: wood, plywood, acrylic, leather, fabric, paper, cardboard. It reflects off bare metals. Point a CO2 at a sheet of steel and nothing happens.
They're not competing technologies. They're complementary ones that happen to look similar.
What we use the fibre laser for
Anything metal. The Ash & Grain brass inserts are fibre laser work. Deep engraving, surface marking, colour annealing on stainless steel, serial numbering on components. We also use it for industrial work — batch marking, prototype engraving, bespoke metal pieces for commissions.
Our fibre laser is a 100W MOPA unit, which gives us additional control over pulse duration. That lets us do things a standard fibre laser can't — like producing different colours on stainless steel without any ink or coating. Just light and metal.
What we use the CO2 laser for
Everything that isn't metal. Cutting plywood sheets for Tog & Twig prototypes. Engraving hardwood. Cutting acrylic for signage and display pieces. Scoring leather. Cutting fabric. Paper invitations. It's the more versatile machine in terms of the range of materials it handles, but it can't touch metals at all.
The CO2 is also our go-to for quick prototyping in wood. If we're testing a shape or a pattern before committing to a CNC cut, we'll laser it in thin plywood first. Takes minutes instead of the hour-plus a CNC run would need.
Can one do the other's job
No. A fibre laser can't cut wood and a CO2 laser can't engrave metal. There are some edge cases — a CO2 can mark anodised aluminium, for instance, because it's removing the anodised layer rather than affecting the metal itself. And some people spray metals with a marking compound and then hit it with a CO2 to bond the compound to the surface. But those are workarounds, not real capabilities.
If you only work with one type of material, you only need one type of laser. We work across everything, so we need both.
Which one should you care about?
If you're a potential customer or a business thinking about commissioning work: you don't need to choose. You tell us what you want made and from what material, and we'll put it on the right machine. That's the benefit of having both under one roof — your project doesn't need to get sent to two different shops.
If you're a maker considering buying a laser: buy the one that matches your primary material. If you mainly work with wood and organic materials, CO2. If you mainly work with metals, fibre. If you work with both, you'll end up owning both eventually. We did.