Laser Purchase Decision Time

[EdandShelley]

My wife and I own a small craft (scrapbook) boutique and have contemplated the purchase of a laser engraver/cutter for some time.
The business is relatively small so budget is important but we are also balancing capability, ease of use and reliability.

Fundamentally, we will be cutting 1/4” plexi and wood stock. We learned about the rotary capability of some machines which opened the door to customizing round objects as well (future business expansion).

We started our search thinking we found the ideal machine with the FSL Muse but then read about issues with shipping damage, customer service, etc. So we visited and received demos of the Epilog Helix and Mini24 as well as the Trotec Speedy 100 and Universal VLS3.5.

Up to this point, we have not considered the Glowforge due to the delays in shipping. Now that it’s available we are questioning if this would be a better choice...

All this to say.... “we need some advice”. Have ready so many articles, forum posts visited distributors and watched YouTube videos. What do all of you recommend based on the objectives of our business?

We are price sensitive but willing to invest a little more to deliver on the desires we mention above. Target complete ready to go price is $7,000 but we would go to $10,000 for a real value/right machine.

What we have learned so far...

Muse
- Appears to be very easy to use and we really like the camera image placement
- Like the depth of the machine, rotary accessory.
- Not thrilled with the manual focus and lack of Z axis
- Reading about and watching videos of damage in shipping
- Very mixed comments about their customer service
- As of today, I can not get their sales rep to reply to an email for an updated quote.

Glowforge
- Love the innovation and ease of use on IOS devices
- App appears to be very simple to use and intuitive
- Very good reviews since it began delivering
- I’m a Silicon Valley fan and like innovation and continuous improvement approach
- Like the ability to source material from them and the QR code to automatically set the machine
- not excited about the cloud based approach...must have internet access to use it. While we have a reliable internet provider... what if?
- Do not like the approx 2” item height restriction
- Can not use a rotary device for mugs, etc

Epilog
- Very good build quality and speed
- Excellent service and offer classes in our home town
- Excellent Rotary attachment
- Like the Ethernet approach to communication
- Servo motor approach will be reliable
- $18,000 for the Mini24 and $20,000 for the Helix are Painful!

Universal
- Nice machine
- Build quality seems a bit below the Epilog
- Do not like the USB communication. Requires dedicated PC next to the machine
- Rotary attachment is well designed
- Excellent service and onsite setup
- $17,000 price is painful

Trotec
- Continue to hear good things about the Speedy 100
- Rotary attachment is a plus
- USB communication is a negative
- Field upgradable to CO2 and Fiber in one machine is a plus
- $19,000 is painful

Other Options we should consider?
Our space restriction is 43” across... no height restriction and depth availability is approx 30”...could go a little deeper.

[Storen]

You are comparing apples to oranges. Both groups use different technologies and are different equipment class.

" Glowforge- I’m a Silicon Valley fan and like innovation and continuous improvement approach"

As far I know Glowforge haven't innovated or invented anything. They just repacked old Chinese, outdated (cheap) technology in new plastic (unsafe) body, have terrible cooling and ran dishonest, deceiving marketing campaign in an attempt to pray on the uninformed crowds.
Noone who values innovation and continuous improvement should support this type of businesses.

From your list, Speedy 100 is your best choice in my opinion but of course, there are many other options. It is expensive equipment and it appears you need more information. I would suggest researching more before ordering.

[fixtureman1]

Muse and Glowforge are about the same very low quality with lots of problems. Glowforge uses a wireless connection that is not reliable. Why is USB a negative a dedicated computer can be a cheap refurbished desktop you can get for under $100. the Trotec is the fastest for engraving.

[MichaelHenry]

A friend in Canada bought an Epilog Mini 18 with 40 watt for right around $14k(CAD) about a year ago including a rotary system. That would be about $12k in US dollars.

One possible issue with the Glowforge is that it won't run above 75°F (Basic) or 81°F (Pro). If you are in the SF area that may not be a problem for you but it has been for plenty of other owners. Another is that it can't process a large engraving in one go due to a memory limitation. If the engraving exceeds something like 3 hours you will need to reduce resolution or break it up into multiple engravings and try to piece them together. That can be a problem since they only guarantee accuracy of the engraving on the work to +/-1/4-in. If you are planning on the filter that they will be selling verify an actual shipping date - so far they haven't demoed that or even shown an actual picture of a working unit.

[cinematic2]

You are comparing apples to oranges. Both groups use different technologies and are different equipment class.

" Glowforge- I’m a Silicon Valley fan and like innovation and continuous improvement approach"

As far I know Glowforge haven't innovated or invented anything. They just repacked old Chinese, outdated (cheap) technology in new plastic (unsafe) body, have terrible cooling and ran dishonest, deceiving marketing campaign in an attempt to pray on the uninformed crowds.
Noone who values innovation and continuous improvement should support this type of businesses.

From your list, Speedy 100 is your best choice in my opinion but of course, there are many other options. It is expensive equipment and it appears you need more information. I would suggest researching more before ordering.

Absolutely right. Except that I prefer Epilog than Trotec but that`s a matter of taste.

[stylecnc]

STYLECNC STJ1390 for your reference,it can choose different tube for cutting or engraving.