Hello all, Looking for some feedback on my fisrt laser purchase. Wanting to get into hobby level lasering with the possibility of turning it into a second income (small). I have been looking at Epilog and BossLaser, obviously there is an astronomical difference in price, but how big is the difference in the product and performance? You can get a Boss with twice the work area and twice the wattage for a fraction of the cost of the Epilog. I'm looking at the Epilog Zing 24 and Mini 24 in the 50W version, and the Boss LS-2436 in the 100W version. I would be doing things like photos, glass, wood, scopes, knives, tumblers, etc.. Open to suggestions on other brands as well.Any help would be greatly appreciated!Thanks in advance, Justin
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Hi Justin, welcome to the forum.There are 2 things to look for when comparing flatbed lasers - the technology and the type of company you are buying from.
For the technology:
1. Radiofrequncy vs direct current laser generator - the good machines use RF sources.
2. Analog (voltage) vs pulse driven system - the good machines use analog.
3. Proprietary drivers and software written for the specific model - it has a huge effect over the overall performance of the machine.
So specifically about Epilog Zing vs Boss using the above list - Epilog Zing has 2 of 3, Boss is 0 of 3 (none of the good thing mentioned above).
For the type of company (ordered from best to worse):
1. R&D company - these companies research and develop their own technology, they have the best people in the field working for them, patents, the best support, access to the latest technology, etc.
2. Assembling companies - these companies assemble machines from of-the-shelf components, often cheap and outdated. The only thing they design on their own is usually the enclosure. Often not even that. Most of the Chinese machines are done this way hence their reliability issues.
3. Rebranding (reselling) companies - These companies don’t research nor manufacture anything on their own. They simply buy machines from the second category (assembling companies) and print their logo on the machines. Typically they will add a markup 2-3 times higher than the actual cost of the equipment with the promise of a better local support but from my personal experience it is always better to deal with the original manufacturer. Even if it is in China.
So again to compare Epilog and Boss -Epilog is in the first category, Boss is in the last.
With all that being said, if you need a good quality machine (for good quality results) I’ll suggest going with Trotec. In my opinion they are the best brand at the moment for small andd mid sized flatbed machines.
I'm a DIY'er and hobbiest, and do some occasional jobber work here and there. I've built a 40W laser (CO2) from parts, then upgraded tube, optics, and power supply to run 110W RECI tube; and lost many frustrating hours screwing with 2 40W chinese imports (direct, not through 3rd party).
A couple months ago I bought a new 60W Epilog Helix because I was sick and tired of crap software, crap drivers, inconsistent cut results, and slow engraving. In hindsight, I wish I would have just invested in a good tool to start rather than spend thousands of dollars and untold hours messing around with my first lasers. In my defense, I also looked at the "big guys" and saw the price tags (about a factor of 10 over DIY or cheap chinese units) and just did not understand how they could justify those prices; until I bought one and now I understand that there really is no comparison. The optical positioning of the x axis allows for crazy fast etching at high resolutions; no water chiller required for the waveguide laser; the software and manual are in English and are complete and thorough; the "material default/suggested" settings (in the back of the user manual) just work with very little tinkering and they are consistent; the bed is level and the vacuum table keeps thin material flat; and on, and on, and on. Don't get me started about the cut quality, the proper laser pointer (with beam splitter.. not just tacked onto the lens) -- lack of scorching, fast cuts, and the ability to control the power and speed to etch layers off a piece of printer paper (the beam control is insane).
Every piece of software I use (Fusion 360, Illustrator, and a photo package) print flawlessly to the laser; the driver is current and works with Windows 10 (and prior versions); the support community is awesome - - it is just a whole different world. I spend zero time screwing with the laser and all my time cutting and engraving stuff.
Having said that, it did cost me the same as a small compact automobile.. but even saying that it was worth it.
HTH.
Thanks Warren for more excellent and thorough information. An Epilog distributor is only 3.5 hours from me, so thats a bonus as well.
Has anyone looked at RMI? They're comparably priced to Boss and seemed to have a good reputation.