I am considering the purchase of a new waterjet machine for basic 2D cutting of wooden sheet goods, so cutting area of 4' x 8' or greater. I'm amazed that there is not much info on brands, pros/cons, pricing, etc on this forum, and even the web in general. Knowing very little about the manufacturers in this space, I'd like to get your opinions on which brands to consider along with any comments/pros/cons of the brand you are suggesting (or not suggesting).
I've had a Maxiem 1530 for about 6 years. I used it daily until about 2 years ago and now it gets used about 1-2 times a week (upgraded lasers so most of my cutting is on those). It has a direct drive 20HP pump (supplied as a kit from Omax) that pushes 50K PSI. The thickest material I've cut is 2.5" steel but it can go a lot thicker. I cut almost everything with the lowest quality or second lowest and it is still a really good finish.
Maintenance is a pain on these things (but I honestly think that's normal for waterjets. high pressure+abbrasives = lots of wear and tear). Parts are high but this is a machine that makes you money. My experience is that is normal. The actual maintenance is fairly easy it's just the frequency. Pump rebuilds take me about a day to complete but I'm normally not against a time crunch. It can be done in a few hours if you are good at it.
The new Maxiem line is far superior to mine. We purchased our when they first came out. The drive system, encoder system, water line system... the whole deal is much better now.
Tech support is good. It has been a lot better as the company has grown. This is an offshoot of Omax so you're not going to get all the bells and whistles of an Omax but it's not Omax pricing either.
Oh, forgot to mention, The 1530 fits a 4' x 10' sheet with a lot of room to spare for clamping
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Which waterjet brand would you buy?
