From Weekend Experiments to $2,000 a Month: How an IT Engineer Built a Side Business With a 40W Laser

Many people start laser engraving as a hobby and later discover new possibilities. This is the story of Ethan, an IT operations engineer from Fruitdale, California, who turned a weekend experiment into a small engraving business with the LONGER Ray5 40W laser engraver.

At the beginning, Ethan was not planning to start a business. He simply wanted to create more personalized gifts for his family.

From Gift Ideas to a New Hobby

Ethan is 34 years old and works as an IT operations engineer. His daily routine was stable: handling tickets, attending meetings, checking systems, and finishing work. Like many remote workers, he wanted to find something new to do after work.

In late 2024, he searched for custom wooden photo frames and engraved pet memorial products on Etsy and Amazon. However, many products were either expensive or looked too similar. A simple idea came to his mind:

 “Could I make these myself?”

At first, it was only an experiment.

After several weeks of research, Ethan purchased a LONGER Ray5 40W laser engraver and placed it in a corner of his garage. Three months later, his hobby started generating $500–$800 per month. During the Christmas season, it reached more than $2,000 in monthly sales.

He still works as an IT engineer, but his garage has become his creative workspace.

Choosing a Laser Engraver for a Garage Workshop

Ethan had never used a laser engraver before. He did not have a professional workshop or a business plan. He only had a garage corner and the idea of making products by himself. For him, the LONGER Ray5 40W solved three important challenges.

1. Compact Setup for Limited Space

The Ray5 40W fit easily on his existing workbench. He did not need to rebuild his garage or create a dedicated workshop. This made it easier for him to start without extra space or complicated preparation.

2. Easy Learning Process

Although Ethan had experience with software because of his IT background, laser engraving was completely new to him. 

The workflow from design software to machine settings was easy for him to understand. Instead of long training, he learned through testing different designs and materials.

3. Suitable for Different Materials

The 40W laser power allowed Ethan to work with materials such as wood and acrylic. This matched his original ideas, including:

• Wooden photo frames
• Pet memorial plaques
• Personalized ornaments

The machine helped him turn his ideas into physical products.

The First Two Weeks: Learning Through Mistakes

The early stage did not go smoothly. Wood burned unevenly. Designs came out misaligned. Depth control was all over the place. Ethan later said that period made the machine feel like a “complicated hobby tool” rather than something that could ever produce sellable work.

At that point, he reached out to Longer’s support team. That changed everything. They didn't just send him a manual. They explained the relationship between speed, power, and material behavior. They shared tutorial videos that showed him exactly where he was going wrong. He learned that oak and pine respond differently to the same settings. He learned that a misaligned design was usually a software step, not a machine problem.

Within a week, the burned scraps turned into clean cuts. His first usable items were simple: engraved pet-name keychains, small wooden tags, and basic decorative ornaments. They weren't perfect. But they were good enough to give as gifts, which was all he wanted at the start.

That failure-to-progress arc matters because most people quit in the first week. Ethan didn't. He had support, and he kept testing.

The First Customer Came from a Simple Conversation

The turning point was not a big marketing campaign or a viral post. It was a neighbor walking by his open garage.

Ethan had left a few sample pieces on his workbench—a pet memorial plaque, a wooden keychain, a small engraved ornament. A neighbor noticed them and asked a simple question: “Could you make one of those pet plaques for my dog?”

It was a small request. Almost casual. Ethan had no pricing system. No business structure. He just said yes and charged $25.

That moment didn't feel dramatic. But it changed something fundamental. The work was no longer just experimentation. Someone saw it—not in an Etsy ad, not in a sponsored post, but sitting on a workbench—and decided it was worth paying for.

Building a Small Engraving Business Step by Step

From there, Ethan set up a basic Etsy shop and started posting photos on Facebook community groups and Instagram. No ad spend. No marketing strategy. Just a simple loop: make something, post a photo, receive a request, produce it, deliver it.

Over time, his work fell into three categories that customers actually asked for: pet memorial plaques, seasonal gift items (Christmas ornaments, Mother's Day gifts), and small business logo engravings for local shops.

The income grew slowly but steadily. In the first few months, it was unpredictable—some weeks nothing, some weeks a few small orders. After about six months, it stabilized at $500–$800 per month. During peak season, it climbed past $2,000 per month.

Ethan spends about 25–30% of revenue on materials—wood, acrylic, packaging, and shipping supplies. He buys discounted blanks on Amazon and only purchases specific materials after a custom order is confirmed, which keeps inventory waste near zero. Etsy takes about 8–10% in fees. After materials and fees, his net profit margin lands around 55–60%. So a $2,000 month means roughly $1,100–$1,200 in take-home profit, for work done entirely in evenings and weekends.

He never quit his IT job. He didn't need to. But that extra $500–$1,200 a month changed his financial flexibility—covering a car payment, a weekend trip, or just reducing the stress of monthly bills.

A New Routine After Work

Ethan still works as an IT engineer during the day. However, his evenings and weekends have changed. Instead of spending all his free time relaxing, he now works in his garage:

• Creating new designs
• Testing engraving settings
• Preparing customer orders

He does not describe this as leaving his old life behind. For him, laser engraving simply added a new possibility—turning creative ideas into real products and additional income.

Ethan’s Advice for Beginners

Ethan’s advice is simple:

• Start small.

Do not focus too much on building a complete business plan at the beginning. Start by learning the machine, testing materials, and creating your first product. A simple project on your workbench may become the first step toward a new opportunity.

Final Thoughts

Ethan’s story shows how a laser engraver can become more than a creative tool. With patience, practice, and continuous learning, a simple weekend project can grow into a small side business.

The LONGER Ray5 40W helped him explore personalized products and discover new possibilities beyond his regular job.