Full Version: laser whys?
From: Sam (SAMC11) [#1]
24 Jan 2007
To: ALL
Opinions please: If you were looking for a laser engraver which would you buy and why?
Thanks,
Sam
EDITED: 24 Jan 2007 by DGL
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#2]
24 Jan 2007
To: Sam (SAMC11) [#1] 24 Jan 2007
I won't have to consult a crystal ball in order to predict the answers you'll receive.
Number one answer will be, "The company that offers the best support and is most attentive after the sale!"
You'll find proponents and opponents of many brands.
EDITED: 24 Jan 2007 by DGL
From: PenTrophy (PENINSULATROPHY) [#3]
24 Jan 2007
To: Sam (SAMC11) [#1] 24 Jan 2007
What are your current requirements and those you anticipate in the future.
size table, wattage, cylindrical.
What are you going to mark....
acrylic, glass, stainless, brass, plastic, aluminim, flexibrass, granite, marble, alder, maple, walnut.....
since you own a laser why did you buy that model (what ever it is?)
what rotary system do you own...?
EDITED: 24 Jan 2007 by PENINSULATROPHY
From: Sam (SAMC11) [#4]
24 Jan 2007
To: PenTrophy (PENINSULATROPHY) [#3] 25 Jan 2007
Thank you for your response. I use a "used" Epilog Summit 25 watt. It has served me well. The Summit runs with windows 98. I do not have a rotary. Mostly I do custom plaques for the local college and high school. I think it is time for a up-grade to a more up to date laser.
Thanks,
Sam
From: JHayes55 [#5]
24 Jan 2007
To: Sam (SAMC11) [#4] 24 Jan 2007
Sam - Considering a new laser is one of the best reasons for attending the ARA show in Las Vegas!!! No doubt they will all be there, up and running with the best discounts of the year! Seriously consider the trip - the savings on the laser at the show might pay for the whole trip. Last year some of the discounts on engravers were very significant.
There is no easier way to take a close look at the machines in use, talk with the sales reps, tech support people and even the upper management of all the laser companies.
From: Joe (SMITTY61) [#6]
24 Jan 2007
To: Sam (SAMC11) [#1] 25 Jan 2007
Hey Sam,
I can't be very objective here. I have 2 Universal Laser Systems (100 watt & 60 watt) and I love them. The phone support is good but like most machinery in this industry, you have to be the repairman. I have not had to do any major repairs yet. The 100 watt laser is 12 years old. I use both of them all day everyday. The key is having good ventilation, keeping the motion system clean, replace belts and bearings when necessary. That's pretty much it. I have had to replace the x-axis motor before. That was no big deal though. I recommend Universal laser systems. They have the different wattage, sizes and features for all types of business. Check out their website, or better yet, go to the ARA show and compare.
From: PenTrophy (PENINSULATROPHY) [#7]
25 Jan 2007
To: Sam (SAMC11) [#4] 25 Jan 2007
I'm sorry about the rotary, your profile has you listed as a full up shop
"Woodwork, laser, rotary, impact printer, sublimation"
I love Trotec... never had a problem, 3 year warranty easy to use. WYSIWYG to the max.
From: jeanettebrewer (JEANETTEBREWER2) [#8]
25 Jan 2007
To: Sam (SAMC11) [#4] 25 Jan 2007
Sam,
I couldn't agree more! ;-)
Considering you've used that Summit for 4(?) years and it was already 8(?) years old when you got it, I think you're a living advertisement for Epilog Laser systems in Sunny Southern Oklahoma! B-)
From: Sam (SAMC11) [#9]
25 Jan 2007
To: jeanettebrewer (JEANETTEBREWER2) [#8] 25 Jan 2007
Is there a compensation package for living testimonials?
Sam
From: jeanettebrewer (JEANETTEBREWER2) [#10]
25 Jan 2007
To: Sam (SAMC11) [#9] 25 Jan 2007
From: Sam (SAMC11) [#11]
25 Jan 2007
To: PenTrophy (PENINSULATROPHY) [#7] 25 Jan 2007
My apologies. The rotary is a xenetech rotary engraver.
Thanks,
Sam
From: Lisa (TROPHYUSA) [#12]
27 Jan 2007
To: ALL
My Trotec is just out of warranty (bought in November '03). 30 watt Speedy 2. I recently (couple weeks ago) paid my rep to come up for a couple days and check all, clean all, adjust all, etc. He was fabulous and my machine is back to doing the quality I bought it for. I must say that 3 year warranty is awesome. During that time I had a couple repairs, but was never down more than a day and Trotec was very responsive. I told my rep when he was here that he should have Trotec use him for upgrades and training because he's wonderful (actually he is not the rep for my territory any more, but since I knew him and he had worked on my machine a couple years ago, I felt comfortable asking him to come up and do this for me).
Long and short, I would probably go with another Trotec. They are the cadillac, and you pay for that, and they have an unbeatable warranty. My grandma always taught me "you get what you pay for", and in this case it has proven very true.
From: Mike (MIKEN) [#13]
27 Jan 2007
To: Lisa (TROPHYUSA) [#12] 27 Jan 2007
Their tech support is outstanding though. Didn't have any problems just how to stuff.
From: Lisa (TROPHYUSA) [#14]
27 Jan 2007
To: Mike (MIKEN) [#13] 27 Jan 2007
The problem I've found with the sales reps is that they want to sell, get their commission and move on. My rep did that, and then soon after that he left the company. When I had problems (year 2, I was still a laser newbie and things just weren't clicking) and got frustrated, Trotec sent John Bain to work on my machine and he is wonderful! Always available to help, answer questions, send tips and tricks. John is the rep I recently brought in to work on my machine. He is based in Alabama. The new rep for my territory called me to introduce himself, asked me how I liked my machine, then, when I told him I was unhappy (his timing was perfect -- he called when I was having issues), he promised to check and get back to me -- and I never heard from him again! So I hope John stays with Trotec because I will always go to him for help, and, if I get another machine, I will buy it from him!
I will also say that Trotec's phone support is fantastic.
From: PenTrophy (PENINSULATROPHY) [#15]
27 Jan 2007
To: ALL
Most people think that reps work for the company directly....... In most cases that is incorrect.. They represent the company and the commission is all they get paid for a sale....... Unless you pay a training fee or service payment, which they may do on the side, The sale is their income............ So if you sell one machine a month and get $^%%@.00 that is all you will get for the month... so selling IS their business and warranty is the Companies business. It is in the best interest of the sales rep to follow-up.......in hopes of selling another machine or upgrades.
There are reps that repair, trade, sell, train, engrave ... etc... and that is their business.
So the fact a rep leaves the company after x months only indictaes he was not a fit to sell the product... or they got tired of fielding calls that the company should have been dealing with...
EDITED: 27 Jan 2007 by PENINSULATROPHY
From: UncleSteve [#16]
27 Jan 2007
To: PenTrophy (PENINSULATROPHY) [#15] 27 Jan 2007
NOT directed at any particular company or rep!!!
From: RALLYGUY (RALLYGUY1) [#17]
27 Jan 2007
To: PenTrophy (PENINSULATROPHY) [#15] 27 Jan 2007
I agree....The more I look at laser systems, the more I realize that the ones to determine your success are the tech support people, not the reps...The reps are essentially salespeople. Granted some reps are awesome (People like the Brewers)....but many are not. This doesn't mean that you will get poor support....just that you may have a less than satisfying rep if you're asking them to do more than sales work. So....on that premise I am looking more toward how people feel about the support that they recieved from the tech support crew back at the factory....how fast are parts getting to them....how quick ae they to respond to problems etc......
One rep came right out and told me..."If there's a problem....I don't want you to call me...I want you in touch with tech Support". Meaning....that direct support wasn't his specialty or typical responsibility, but there were people in their network that were fully capable .
Still looking ;)
EDITED: 27 Jan 2007 by RALLYGUY1
From: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#18]
27 Jan 2007
To: PenTrophy (PENINSULATROPHY) [#15] 27 Jan 2007
Mark,
While I knew that the reps did not work directly for the company, I had not considered the rest of the equation. Thanks for an enlightening post.
From: PenTrophy (PENINSULATROPHY) [#19]
27 Jan 2007
To: UncleSteve [#16] 27 Jan 2007
You must have been stung sometime in the past......now you have the experience to see through a mediocre rep.
Most reps are not engravers. They know how to turn on the machine and make it run...turn out a graphic that was provided to them and makes the new guy "ohhhh and ayyyy".........Ask them about Corel, curving text, mirror images.... and watch them squirm.... "Oh ya it can handle that"... sure the machine can....but I want help with the design software..but that is not what they sell..... even their own design software use is limited..... I learned most of my skills/knowledge of engraving from my customers... then I became one.
From: UncleSteve [#20]
27 Jan 2007
To: PenTrophy (PENINSULATROPHY) [#19] 28 Jan 2007
Dilbert is an engineer having to deal with both a salesforce that makes promises and a boss that has no idea what they sell or what it can do.. :/
You know the kind... flips the sales chart vertically to convert a loss to an increase... ;-)
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