Full Version: Newbie needs guidance

From: PenTrophy (PENINSULATROPHY) [#7]
 15 Dec 2006
To: smitty [#6] 15 Dec 2006

A Google on your laser brings up.....

http://www.mech.gla.ac.uk/Research/Losec/facilities/lasers.html

From: smitty [#8]
 15 Dec 2006
To: ALL

Thanks Mark, got it. Looks like I'll nose around there for a few.

From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#9]
 15 Dec 2006
To: smitty [#5] 15 Dec 2006

Unless someone got funny and did what I did for a friend.

They had a huge spin art machine in the front of the store and did not want anyone to know what it was. The manufacturer's plate showed through the window.

It was replaced with a plate marked Rowoco Spin-O-Matic, Model 200. The plate looked great if I say so myself.

From: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#10]
 15 Dec 2006
To: smitty [#1] 15 Dec 2006

Smitty,

It looks like you've got yourself a YAG Laser. Did you inherit this machine for free or actually buy it without research or a plan?

From: smitty [#11]
 15 Dec 2006
To: ALL

Naw, I work for this company and I was in the prototype tooling dept for the last 3 years. The girl that was running the engraving dept. got mad and quit. I basically was in the wrong place at the wrong time and because "Smitty is good with computers" lets stick him in that dept. I have done pad printing and hot stamping back in the day, but this is crazy right now for me cause nobody there knows how to run this stuff. I am basically flying solo on this. I have two of those Blazer 2000 units, one is currently tore apart. I have 2 ULS co2 lasers which I think are the shit.,not sure which model they are but have a fairly large work space on them. We also have a New Hermes with a Vangard work table or is it the New Hermes Vangard??!! Don't know, but most of this stuff is pretty old by todays standards, so yeah I was looking for some help. Just started trying to learn the New Hermes. One good thing about some of this is there are alot of programs that got saved to run alot of repeat jobs I get in, just have to hunt stuff down. The software is mostly dos like running on Windows 95 or Windows 3.1. I also use Corel draw suite, Autocad and then some dos ran conversion software. I'll have more info on the yag I'm using later on, thats the one I use the most, but don't have any info on how to get stuff to it, like certain fonts and things. Frustrating to say the least. Had to actually turn work away because it is out of my capabilities. Anyway, thank you all so much and I will be learking around here for more answers and how to's. Thanks!!

From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#12]
 16 Dec 2006
To: smitty [#11] 16 Dec 2006

There are many experts here on the NH Vanguard series machines, which do you have?

Are you running Open System software or Gravostyle 98? I am familiar with both. (If you need to set the numbers for margins and baselines, it probably is Open System. That is a very old style program.

If you are having problems with the ULS systems, it is either very poor maintenance or ancient software. ULS will supply the most modern drivers for even their oldest machines. I have a very old system and find it wonderful. You need to keep the rails clean and especially the mirrors and lenses. Do not forget the laser input window in the back of the machine, in the early manuals, (at least the early ones), they left out the instructions to clean this area. Not spotless and it can kill your output power and focus.

Any questions and we are here to help.

From: smitty [#13]
 16 Dec 2006
To: ALL

Thanks Harvey, the NH is a Vangard 8000 and yes I set margins ect so it's an open (old) system but seems to work fairly well considering. My CO2 lasers are ULS model uls25a says made in 1994, these work really great, just did like 40 wood ink pens for DiamlerChrysler both sides for I guess x-mas gifts, they turned out real awesome. My yags on the other hand are a handful. Made by Quantrad Corp in California, Blazer 2000. The one that is currently functional says it was made in 1985!!!! The other we have is newer but looks the same and says it was made in 1998, but could be wrong. I'm still searching for info on the older one mostly a software/operators manual type thing. I have the maintenance manuals which right now doesn't help me out much. Okay, thank you everyone for all the info I am sure I will be asking more questions soon enough. This place rocks!!

From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#14]
 16 Dec 2006
To: smitty [#13] 16 Dec 2006

One question I forgot ask with that age of machine, (I am not familiar with the V8000 but think it was basically a larger version of the V3000).

Does the controller use cartridges for the fonts? That would make it what is known as a cartridge unit, if it uses a controller that looks like a tower computer with an orange readout near the top it is an EP controller.

From: smitty [#15]
 16 Dec 2006
To: ALL

Hey Harvey, it's got it's own little tower unit (EP) to run off of, no cartridges. It's probably fairly old like the rest of the stuff. It seems to work pretty good. Right now I've been doing mostly steel, aluminum tags and stainless steel. The heavier steel or harder steel I am just burnishing stuff on. The little aluminum tags just scratching serial numbers ect on them. Need to, when I get any time, learn how to get it to do plastic signage. I've seen it done just got to learn the cutters to use for what and what they do. Thanks for all your help. I'm sure I will have problems ahead of me and I know the place to go for help!

From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#16]
 16 Dec 2006
To: smitty [#15] 16 Dec 2006

Then you have Open System software with the EP module.

Bad news is that it cannot import normal fonts, only the fonts supplied with the program.

The good news is if you can find someone out there who is willing to part with their old dongle and Gravostyle98, it will run the EP module giving you WYSIWYG features like Corel and can use TTF fonts also. With TTF it will only give the outlines, but depending on what level dongle you get, you can have quite a few engraving fonts available.

I will be home after Christmas and will see if I still have a book on the Open System software. That could help a lot.

Strange that the manuals have disappeared from the shop. (devil)

It is a lot more problematic learning that software by fumbling around than from the book. You do not even know which function keys do what.

From: Vicky (ANDERI) [#17]
 17 Dec 2006
To: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#16] 17 Dec 2006

Open Sys software can't import true-type fonts, but it can import the "other kind" (sorry, can't remember what that is right now, my brain is oatmeal). :P If you have a dongle, you can create whatever you want in Corel and convert it to a job file in Open Sys (there's a great recent thread on WOE about creating filled fonts for conversion - thanks Harvey! ;-) ). No need to spend the $3000-$5000 on GravoStyle. >.< Good luck trying to find a "used" version. A new dongle should run you about $300, give or take. Of course, all of this is provided your machine is similar to my 3400 with EP module.

EDITED: 17 Dec 2006 by ANDERI

From: bobkat [#18]
 18 Dec 2006
To: smitty [#11] 18 Dec 2006

quote:
I have 2 ULS co2 lasers which I think are the shit.,

So, is that good or bad? Do you suppose you could find a classier way to describe them?

From: smitty [#19]
 18 Dec 2006
To: ALL

Sorry Bob, got carried away. Let me try and rephrase what I meant by "The shit" : These ULS CO2 lasers work very well and efficiently do an impressive, quality engraving job when ran properly. I do enjoy them very much and would recommend them as an important step for anybody wanting to try and enter into the engraving profession.

From: Boz (CHEDDARHEAD) [#20]
 19 Dec 2006
To: ALL

Gee BobKat, he wouldn't know what you were talking about if your referred to a "bubbler". (devil)

From a fellow Cheddarhead

From: bobkat [#21]
 19 Dec 2006
To: Boz (CHEDDARHEAD) [#20] 20 Dec 2006

Do you suppose he would think it was a water fountain or a bong? :P

From: Boz (CHEDDARHEAD) [#22]
 20 Dec 2006
To: ALL

No one outside Wisconsin would ever know that reference to a bubbler is actually a reference to a water fountain. Now, I don't know about the bong .... Remember, I come from the generation that never inhaled B-)

From: Cody (BOBTNAILER) [#23]
 4 Jan 2007
To: ALL

Hmmmm.....another reference to the song I wrote (mostly finished). I reckon DGL and I will have to sing it at the Beach Party!

From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#24]
 4 Jan 2007
To: Cody (BOBTNAILER) [#23] 4 Jan 2007

Cody,

I'm making too much money in people paying me not to sing, but I may be able to handle the guitar parts. :-)

From: Jim (JEARMAN) [#25]
 4 Jan 2007
To: smitty [#1] 5 Jan 2007

Smitty,

Quantrad was a So. CA company that went out of business a dozen or so years ago. I believe your Blazer is a cw pumped, AOQ switched YAG, The 20,000 number probably refers to either the max Q switch pulse frequency or peak power per pulse (this is really a pretty useless number for most users). Quantrad built a lot of these systems and after they went out of business a handfull of people went into the aftermarket business of refurbishing, reselling and supporting the systems. I'm not positive who ultimately bought the rights to their design and their inventory but I think it was a guy in Valencia, California.

If you are really stuck using it I can probably get a name or two for you of people who make their living supporting that equipment but I'm pretty sure they would charge you for their time. I'm not personally familiar with their software or operating controls so I would not want to offer advice. Let me know if you would like a name(s) of one of those service companies.

Quantrad did not make a particualry good system. My only advice to you would be not to spend much money getting the system to work. I suspect that you will never be really satified with the results from the sytem and you could easily spend a lot of money either getting it back on line or supporting it. Good luck.

EDITED: 4 Jan 2007 by JEARMAN

From: Peter [#26]
 4 Jan 2007
To: Boz (CHEDDARHEAD) [#22] 6 Jan 2007

people from New South Wales ( Sydney) call them bubblers....

The rest of us call them water fountains..I am yet to see one blow "Bubbles" yet...

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