Full Version: New to engraving...
From: Patti (ENGRAVINGHELP) [#35]
21 Mar 2007
To: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#34] 21 Mar 2007
From: Larry B (PALMETTO) [#36]
21 Mar 2007
To: Patti (ENGRAVINGHELP) [#18] 21 Mar 2007
Patti:
I'm a newbie here, but I just went through the purchasing experience. I chose an Epilog EXT 24x36 40 watt. This kind of flys in the face of the folks that advocate more power and less space, but I too have a tendency to overkill. I chose this route because the laser can be upgraded for more power down the road but you can't make that table any bigger. Their's no fix for that except a different machine. I am like you, as I don't know exactly where I may end up with this investment (and it is a serious one) but I know where I have been. I own CNC router and a 16x24 large format Vision rotary machine. I make signage for multifamily developments and door i.d. plates are one of the items I make. I used to make them with rotary and to me it is a slow messy process. With the bigger table I can run a whole building plus some at one time..36 plates and at $8.00 a plate thats $288.00 per run. That can be done in a fraction of the time it takes to do in rotary. I can't report the times to you yet, because we just got the machine today, but I will.
I also chose Epilog for their service reputation. That was probably number 1 on my hit parade for buying from them. The distributor also is local to me and is a very experienced guy with a good rep. That's important to anyone buying high tech machines. Good luck with your decision! :-)
From: Patti (ENGRAVINGHELP) [#37]
21 Mar 2007
To: Larry B (PALMETTO) [#36] 23 Mar 2007
Larry,
Thank you for your response. I am glad I am not the only one that thinks "overkill". I am happy to hear there are more of you out there. You are right, I have some vision where I will be in the future...but I don't want to have boundries. (when my machine can't handle a job). I am glad you mentioned you have a rotary because I struggled for a while with rotary vs. laser. Congratulations on your purchase and I wish you all the luck and happiness in the future. Looking forward to hearing how you and your machine are getting alone.
From: Rodney Gold (RODNEY_GOLD) [#38]
21 Mar 2007
To: ALL
Overkill is a very poor business model , you are paying a huge amount of money that could better be served elsewhere to enable you to do a VERY small percentage of jobs. Table size too is a double edged sword as there are lots of issues related to big tables such as power drops , alignment issues and so on. We have 3 machines with 980mm x 510mm beds and hardly EVER use the full bed size for production cos the power across the whole bed varies. NO flying optic laser can give you the assurance that power is constant EVERYWHERE on the table , so using the full bed is always a compromise of sorts to do multiple jobs over the whole bed.
One does not buy a 9 seater 500HP suv just in case you need to haul a trailer and fit a whole soccer team inside and get to 150 mph when that is NOT what you do normally.
I do a huge range of jobs on my lasers and have been at it for over 6 yrs and can count on my fingers the times I have had to refuse a customer cos I either dont have enough power or size.
25-40w is more than adequate and a bed size of 700mm x 450mm is also perfectly ok. When you get to a situation where this is not adequate , then look for a real production type laser such as a 150w kern laser or a big 250w beam dynamics machine or something like that.
I will repeat , If you intend to go into production woodwork , a laser is a very poor tool.
EDITED: 21 Mar 2007 by RODNEY_GOLD
From: Peter [#39]
21 Mar 2007
To: Patti (ENGRAVINGHELP) [#37] 21 Mar 2007
Hi Patty,
Rodney has no points to score. He is the king of his domain.
As a marketer and as a marking , engraving and imaging professional, he is one of the best.
Many here have benefited from his words of experience. He not only Knows the business, he knows an enormous amount of the technicalities, pros and cons of the machines he uses, and of others.
I have witnessed on a number of occasions where his intimate understanding of the physics of lasers has brought reps undone. Not because he has made an attempt to, but merely from his total undestanding of the industry, its, products and machinery.
You will do well to take heed of his sage advice.
Rodney can fluff up your dream or he can save you a lot of money and point you in the best directions, simply from his expert advice.
As a wise man once said.. " There has to be a best in the business"
Youve just made his aquaintence.
regards
Peter
From: Mark (MAXMACHINE) [#40]
23 Mar 2007
To: gt350ed [#14] 23 Mar 2007
"POWER does not necessarily mean SPEED"
I can certainly agree with that. I have a ULS machine that cannot vector cut over 6% in speed without serious degradation in the quality of the cut. ULS has not really solved this problem. I believe it to be a design issue, principally due the the use of steppers, and resonances built in to the machine. I have tried to get a response from ULS about this, with little or no response. The technology to avoid this has been available for many years.
Mark
From: gt350ed [#41]
23 Mar 2007
To: Mark (MAXMACHINE) [#40] 24 Mar 2007
Maybe Mike McKensie can address this on-forum. He's a member here. Is he not your rep?
From: Larry B (PALMETTO) [#42]
23 Mar 2007
To: Patti (ENGRAVINGHELP) [#37] Unread
Patti:
Well, it's here, up and running AND PAID FOR. No lease, no installments etc, good or bad, I own it. The Epilog EXT is an awesome machine, beautiful output.
Rodne is probably right and you would probably be well served with something like an Epilog Helix 18x24 or smaller in 40 watt or so.
I love the bigger table, just my preference. The EXT is a massive machine, 480 lbs, 50" wide and 30" deep outside dimensions. The space requirement is more for sure and you need a good level floor or reasonably level to start from. (our machine has levelers but a fairly level floor helps and makes it easier to get it correct) If you decide on one of these, better have some strong people on hand to get it situated.
I feel comfortable with MY choice and I spent MY money, so that's what you have to do. I have an existing business base for my machine and that helps when it comes to spending money.
Again, good luck with your purchase if you decide to do so. :-)
From: Mark (MAXMACHINE) [#43]
24 Mar 2007
To: gt350ed [#41] 24 Mar 2007
Hi again... The problem is mostly "wiggles" in the horizontal vector cut lines above 5% or 6% speed. I don't know if the X-660 has a differnt size table or components than the X-600. It is a very frustrating problem, as I cannot use the speed that the machine is capable of without producing poor quality parts.
I haven't met Mike McKensie; My rep is (or was) Chris Adams who I think worked out of Seattle.
Mark
Quote:
It sounds like your situation is unique to your machine. Your profile indicates that your ULS is a X-660. One of ours is a X-600. For whatever it's worth, we have no such issues on our X-600 or our Versalaser.
Maybe Mike McKensie can address this on-forum. He's a member here. Is he not your rep?
Ed Holley
From: gt350ed [#44]
24 Mar 2007
To: Mark (MAXMACHINE) [#43] 24 Mar 2007
BTW, his "tech" is Treavor. Treavor is very, very good. I'll put you in touch with one or both.
From: laserman (MIKEMAC) [#45]
27 Mar 2007
To: Mark (MAXMACHINE) [#43] 27 Mar 2007
Hey Mark,
We are currently working the Westec show in Los Angeles, It ends on Thursday and Friday will be a lot of catch up. We will try to diagnose the problem on Monday 4-2.
From: Mark (MAXMACHINE) [#46]
27 Mar 2007
To: laserman (MIKEMAC) [#45] 30 Mar 2007
Markrk
Hey Mark,
We are currently working the Westec show in Los Angeles, It ends on Thursday and Friday will be a lot of catch up. We will try to diagnose the problem on Monday 4-2.
CEM- Sales and Service of Universal Lasers, Versa Lasers, and Meistergram / H-square engravers.
2800 S. Main St.,Unit C
Santa Ana, Ca 92707
714-444-2385 Cem Lasers
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