PDA

View Full Version : Upgrading a chines laser from Glass to Synrad ???



Alexa Ristow
05-21-2009, 7:35 PM
Hi all you potentially helpful types,

I have a Rabbit Hx 6090 Se with a glass 60 w tube. I have seen on their website that they now sell the same model but with a Synrad Rf tube.
All my internet browsing indicates that a synrad tube will give me more consistant power and life.

I mainly cut acrylics, MDF, chipoard and paper.

Can anyone advise me whether or not it will be a worthwhile exercise to persue an upgrade when my preent tube expires.

Many thanks,

Alexa

James Jaragosky
05-21-2009, 7:49 PM
Hi all you potentially helpful types,

I have a Rabbit Hx 6090 Se with a glass 60 w tube. I have seen on their website that they now sell the same model but with a Synrad Rf tube.
All my internet browsing indicates that a synrad tube will give me more consistant power and life.

I mainly cut acrylics, MDF, chipoard and paper.

Can anyone advise me whether or not it will be a worthwhile exercise to persue an upgrade when my preent tube expires.

Many thanks,

Alexa
have you seen the cost a new synrad 60w?
If you can afford to purchase the synrad tube you will also need a new power supply, as the current one you have will not run a synrad tube.
there may be other issues as well.
good luck let us know how it works out. and remember to post lots of pictures.

Killor Perez
07-06-2009, 1:42 PM
Hi all you potentially helpful types,

I have a Rabbit Hx 6090 Se with a glass 60 w tube. I have seen on their website that they now sell the same model but with a Synrad Rf tube.
All my internet browsing indicates that a synrad tube will give me more consistant power and life.

I mainly cut acrylics, MDF, chipoard and paper.

Can anyone advise me whether or not it will be a worthwhile exercise to persue an upgrade when my preent tube expires.

Many thanks,

Alexa

It's like wanting to build the chassis of a car Opel to install a Ferrari engine.:confused:

Not worth the effort.

Best look for 2nd hand machinery using laser RF. , Like laserPro , Vesalaser, Epilog, etc.

James Jaragosky
07-06-2009, 7:42 PM
It's like wanting to build the chassis of a car Opel to install a Ferrari engine.:confused:

Actual this type of car conversion is popular here in the states. We call them sleepers. I use to have a 4 door Vega with a Cadillac 500 Eng and a Chrysler rear end, all mounted on a old dodge sub frame, it would do low 13's in the quarter mile.

On another note the HX 6090 Se is not a poorly built machine, in fact it is probably over built. On the other hand the software is a major drawback.

Killor, did you have a Hx 6090 Se that you had problems with?
This is a good place to share such experiences as it will allow others to learn from your problems.
Regards
Jim J.

Richard McMahon
07-06-2009, 9:12 PM
As James has said, you will need a new power supply as the rabbit laser uses a glass tube and is a high frequency 20K+ volts and the Synrad uses an RF signal that needs 30 to 40 volts but at a very high amperage like 40-60 amps.
Here in Australia I was quoted $42K just for a ULS.inc laser table without the laser tube. That was extra! I know they are nice but I couldn't justify the expense.
You will have to find someone to alter the software to run without their proprietary hardware but I haven't found anyone that has done that yet.
WINcnc make a laser engraving software for $1500 as do Solustan with their Linmotion suite and about the same price. Both are print drivers so you just send your file from Corel, or whatever program you use, to the printer and select the laser as the printer of choice and off you go. I have an old version of Linkmotion and have mixed feelings about it but I beleive their new USB version is a generation apart from the old one.
For the drive you can use any one of about 4-5 different drives for the stepper motors like gecko, Xylotex, Vexta 2 or 5 Phase (I love the 5 Phase stuff) etc but you have to use individual boards and not a single 3-4 drive composite board due to how you will be wiring them all up and how the software will drive them. These are then connected through a breakout board which makes setting up very easy. I use the C10 from CNC4PC. You can't use a breakout board that converts the 5 volt signal to 12 volts and back again because of the laser timing issues. The C10 is simple and straight forward.
You have to weigh the cost of a 60 watt Synrad at $12K and will last fot the next 15-20 years or just stick with the glass tubes and change out every 1000 hours (more or less depending on the glass tube quality.
Coherent have all their glass tubes made in China now but at their quality control so it also may be worth looking into that as a viable alternative as the quality would be outstanding compared to an off the shelf one from "I don't give a damn" supplier.
Hope this helps you somewhat.
warm regards
Richard.

Richard McMahon
07-06-2009, 9:24 PM
I just read my post and it reads as though I had already converted a Rabbit Laser but I have not. Sorry for any confusion I may have caused.
I made my own table due to the cost of a bought one and have had the glass tubes as well as the RF one from ULS.nc and the RF has been very good and stable.
If you are interested in my setup then just go on over to YouTube and search for "baccus61" and it will show some of my videos of the laser table.
This is not an advertising plug, just a means of displaying what you can do.
I have helped 12 people get into building one so far but only 1 has been able to come up with the money and time to finish one off. It can get expensive but things are really cheap in the good ol' US of A so it shouldn't be too much of a problem if you have some DIY skills and basic electrical knowledge.
Best of luck.
Maybe your best bet would be to try and buy the Coherent laser tube due to the better quality and no modification issues with your table. If the table still works and your happy and up to speed with the software then all you need do is change out the tube for a better quality one.
You may get a shock at the price though but it would be worth it.
Rich.