On this episode of The Creativity Podcast, we interviewed Chad Dowdell. Chad is a maker, an art teacher, and a laser enthusiast.

We talked with Chad about his Etsy store, his X-Carve CNC router, and his “black and red” laser cutter from an unknown manufacturer in China.

Chad is excited about what he’s doing, and it really shows. We had a great time talking to him, and we think you’re really going to enjoy this episode of The Creativity Podcast!

  • 0:00 - Intro
  • 3:48 - Chad’s story
  • 7:00 - Chad’s Etsy experiences
  • 9:06 - Chad’s robot helpers
  • 11:08 - I guess a CNC router isn’t good enough for you guys?!
  • 14:39 - Don’t quote us on these laser safety tips!
  • 17:51 - Coffee break!
  • 18:46 - Lasering cardboard, leather, and other materials
  • 22:05 - Laser cutting a pizza
  • 26:27 - Did the black and red 60-watt laser cutter work out of the box?
  • 31:00 - Putting an ammeter on the laser cutter
  • 38:00 - Why not pay more for a Glowforge?
  • 40:44 - Monitoring your laser with a webcam
  • 42:04 - Chiller for your laser cutter
  • 43:42 - Potential lens upgrade for your laser
  • 47:48 - Pro tip: Perfect focus isn’t always best for the job
  • 50:06 - Should you order your laser direct from China, or buy one that’s already been imported?
  • 53:28 - When is Chad getting a second laser cutter?!
  • 54:19 - Chatting about the Maslow CNC and the Shaper Origin
  • 55:50 - What have we all been working on lately?

You can also listen to this episode of The Creativity Podcast on SoundCloud.

You can find Chad Dowdell here:

You can find Pat Regan here:

You can find Jeremy Cook here: