Brand Name Laser Machine Choices? Suggestions?

[shaun091382]

I have been looking into getting a small laser engraving machine to run out of my home.

I have seen some local ebay ads like Motiontek and Logilase and some Asian based products.

As much as I like lowered priced units..I would definitely be willing to buy North American for optimal support and compatibility.

I have been looking at 3 different Products:

Rayjet

Epilog Zing/Mini

Universal V3.60

Basically I'm looking in the price realm of between 8k to 12k

I am a huge newbie...I dont need a large footprint for now...I understand that 35w should be a good minimum to effectively do projects to full capability.

I am always looking for the bargain and assume bigger is better...(i.e. Logilase 9060 80w 36x24 for 10k delivered...its larger and more powerful then the models I mentioned above.

Can anyone give me any suggestions why I should go for the smaller units? Support and compatibility (Windows OS's ) are huge to me.

Maybe someone has another company I could check out?

Thanks for your time!

[bpoulin]

I believe almost all CNC machines are exclusively windows based? I could be wrong, but I don't know of any cad programs for mac, but I never looked. So I wouldn't worry about the OS. Smaller/larger is better all depends on what you want to do. If you want it to play around and don't have a specific thing in mind, yeah bigger is better because you won't be limited by your machine. If you are dead set on US based Epilog is, from my understanding, the cream of the crop. But others disagree. Honestly if you are mechanically inclined and not afraid to get your hands a little dirty Chinese machines are great for hobby work, and if you invest in a good brand, they can be good for production work too. Support is pretty good on here, lots of people with lots of experience willing to help out a friend.

[shaun091382]

Yeah sorry I should have been more specific.

Yes mostly from what I have seen majority if not all are Windows based. I guess what I meant was, current standards...something that will run under windows 7....something that can make use of the latest corel and adobe software suites.

I have seen that XP is the based OS to run on and almost current corel and adobe software is supported and if not the supplied drivers/software makes use of importing of filesp or some other machines require controller upgrades etc etc...I just want stuff straight forward and working almost out of the box.

About the size though I would like to have something with size for expansion down the line if I get into enough.

I was just wondering I know all can't speak for me but is it crazy to consider a machine like I mentioned with useable area 24x12 or smaller for high price compared to say the Logilase 9060 I mentioned or Motiontek L36 with a higher wattage and useable size 36x24

[a_laserguy]

Check out Legacy Laser’s - Laser Engraving, Laser engraver and cutters
Their 800 Series is 36 x 24 for $8,000 with a 2 year warranty

[shaun091382]

Thanks for the reply

It looks similar to the unit available local to me for about $8300 minus taxes

Logilase Products

Just might be a bit behind on the software support

[shaun091382]

Was just speaking via email with a local Logilase rep about their machines and I was explaining my situation about storage and operation of the equipment.

My big issue is that I have a decent sized 24x24 detached garage however it is poorly insulated...if I was using it during the days with the heat source on I'm sure it would be sufficient, however I dont leave the heat on at night (dont trust it and operating cost)

Obviously this poses a problem when it is extremely cold out. I was thinking of making due for the warm months coming up if I go this route and maybe getting an external building smalled but insulated to move into come the next winter months.

The rep mentioned to me that extreme cold and summer humidity play a factor and that I need to take into consideration ice in the glass tube in extreme cold and high humidity and that I might want to look into a air conditioning system for my garage for such a device.

I can see the dollars already starting to flee from my wallet.... and I havent even decided on what machine is best for me...

Can anyone say whether or not I'm in over my head with this idea of getting into these laser machines? or does anyone else have any recommendations?

[bpoulin]

Temperature control is a huge factor, First, the machines can't endure the expansion and contraction of getting hot then cold, then hot then cold in the spring/fall months. And humidity in the summer can wreak havoc on the computers and metal parts. I have a 14x20 shed I had built for my machine, I found a used PTAC (hotel heat/AC) unit on Craigslist for $50 and paid a guy $300 to insulate the whole building *also a CL find. I'd imagine you can get the garage insulation relatively inxpensive including installation. As far as the winter, everyone is afraid of the water freezing, I don't understand why they don't run Glycol or anti-freze in with the water. It's a coolant, it's a lubricant and rust inhibitor... Oh ya and it prevents freezing lol.

[shaun091382]

Yeah running the glycol mixture to prevent freezing isnt a huge deal...thats doable...however I just dont know if I'm at the stage to dump a big pile of money into building a new shed or retroing my exisiting one...I kinda only have funds to buy a decent machine but thats about it...

Either shop...or machine...but not both.

I guess they go hand in hand....Out of my league I suppose