Laser Cutter/Engraver

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Boeingflyer

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#208411 10-Feb-2017 17:22

Looking at purchasing one.

Just wondering if others have purchase them and what kind they brought. How they find it and really just any general discussions on laser cutting etc.

Looking at probably the more expensive range 30k plus but keen to hear if people have brought the cheap chinese ones etc.

Geektastic

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#1718678 11-Feb-2017 16:17

What would you do with it? A lot, I assume, if you're prepared to spend that much on one.

JeremyNzl

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#1718774 11-Feb-2017 21:37

A mate got one,

He's a signwriter and was looking at a U.S.A branded and perhaps local support from the reseller. $$ wise it was going to be in the 30 range, So he went direct to China off Alibaba I presume and paid around 10k delivered in 2012, It came with a spare laser tube, water-cooling and a CNC router type setup 1.2m wide table.

It appeared a bit agricultural, I think there were small mirrors that deflected the laser to the cutting lens, which aside for looking a tad cheap worked well.

It would cut perspex , MDF to I think 18mm , I think it could write on anodised alloy by burning off the coloured layer. And do all the art type etching on wood.

I never saw him do any 3d woodworking I am unsure if it was suitable for it.

But was unsuitable for metals, To write on metals would have required a developer liquid which reacted and produced the writing, how durable that was, I have no idea as he only did a small amount of Alloy.

He lost it last year in a fire during a cut, But it had served his purpose and he has moved to latex style printing and did not rebuy.

It also appeared a bit short of eye protection guarding or shields, the more expensive models would have this covered I assume.

Had he bought the 30k model would he have lost it to a fire, I don't know as it was an unattended cut. and I don't think the software provided might have been better, but he was using Corel Draw with no problems.

Hopefully some of the above is meaningful, but find forum of users of these machines they will have the experience to put you onto the right machine.

Cheers

Jeremy

Boeingflyer

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#1719115 12-Feb-2017 22:08

Thanks Jeremy for takin the time to write that up.

There has been a few fires lately because of laser cutters, the Upper Hutt school last year to mention one. I would never leave one alone, have had a play of one and seen the difference from having air assist and not having air assist. the one without had many little flames while cutting.

I'm meeting up with a few suppliers this week for the expensive ones. I believe if you pick quality you will always win and when offloading it for one reason or another you will regain more in selling price.