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View Full Version : Many thanks to Universal Laser Systems



Jack Burton
02-16-2010, 9:21 PM
I just returned from an awesome two day training session at ULS in Phoenix. It will probably end up costing my $200,000 plus since I am going to buy a house in Phoenix now (awesome city)...I digress...

I purchased my machine used, and the support that ULS has given me has been truly World Class. I have had the machine since early December, which gave me some beam time prior to training....but the class really tied a lot of things together, including calibration and care, not to mention REAL METAL MARKING results with the HPDFO optics! No CERMARK or THERMARK, just light. WOW.

Something else really cool: I had dinner with another board member that lives in the Phoenix area, he showed me some of his projects, pretty cool to meet a friendly face in a town 2000 miles away from home!

Thanks again!

Jack Burton

Joe Peacock
02-16-2010, 9:55 PM
I'll bite. What are HPDFO optics and what is the price tag for them? Are they available for all of the ULS lasers?
Joe

Martin Boekers
02-16-2010, 11:14 PM
This explains it a bit;

http://www.engraversnetwork.com/uls/accessories_hpdfo.html

Basically it seems to produce a beam size about .25 of the size of a normal (2") lens.

Thereby getting a finer dot and a higher intensity beam.

Marty

Dan Hintz
02-17-2010, 8:17 AM
HPDFO optics are $2,650 from ULS. A 2" FL lens has a spot size of 7mils, the HPDFO has a spot size of 1mil (if memory serves). The HPDFO also has a 2" FL, but the working depth is decreased compared to the standard 2" FL lens (about half the depth, again, if memory serves).

Jack Burton
02-17-2010, 11:03 AM
My focal length is right at 2" for my HPDFO lens. I do have a different focus tool than my 2" but the focus height is almost identical. If you mean the effective cutting depth of the HPDFO lens, it is much shorter than the 2.0 lens. But it (HPDFO) is for marking metal so it is of no consequence.

Jack

Dan Hintz
02-17-2010, 12:13 PM
Your "effective cutting depth" = my "working depth"...

The HPDFO is for significantly more than just marking metal without a marking compound. The significantly smaller kerf is great for things like marquetry.

Steven Wallace
02-18-2010, 12:14 AM
If someone on here happens to mention that they will be in your town, see if you can meet up. The exchange of info and suggestions can give you some great ideas on how to improve or expand your business. Just like on here, the conversations can expand the ideas of what you possibly do in the future. Heck its another way to network. Those of you who have done this in the past know from your own experiences, you can make some great friends.

Dan Hintz
02-18-2010, 8:19 AM
I'm not sure I ever want to go to New York because Dee lives there... I'm afraid if she starts sharing ideas my head will explode from overload. That woman is an artist.

Zvi Grinberg
02-18-2010, 4:40 PM
HPDFO optics are $2,650 from ULS. A 2" FL lens has a spot size of 7mils, the HPDFO has a spot size of 1mil (if memory serves). The HPDFO also has a 2" FL, but the working depth is decreased compared to the standard 2" FL lens (about half the depth, again, if memory serves).

The numbers are 0.005" for 2.0", 0.001" for HPDFO
The depth is +/- 0.1" for 2.0", +/- 0.03" for HPDFO

HPDFO has much finer spot size, but is not made to cut.

Dan Hintz
02-18-2010, 5:36 PM
That's right, it's the 4", I believe, that has the 7mil waist.

Dave Johnson29
02-18-2010, 6:09 PM
It will probably end up costing my $200,000 plus since I am going to buy a house in Phoenix now (awesome city)


Jack,

Just a word or two of caution before writing that check for the house. May I suggest you visit Phx mid July. It is delightful down there at the moment, but if you have never experienced 120F SHADE temperature, it might be an eye opener. :D:D

No surprises that a lot of Phx folk live in my area in the Summer, well at least for the weekends if not full time.

Steven Wallace
02-18-2010, 7:17 PM
Dave you may be right about summer but having lived here for 14years you learn only those without common sense stay out in the heat. Most people moving here need to bring a sweater for the summer because we do have great air conditioning and your spouse will continually gripe about being too cold in any public venue. Seems like every other house has a swimming pool (a hole in the ground you throw money into). People with boats know about the "hole in the water that you throw money into" analogy. The reason public transportation is not used is because you can't stand the heat during the summer waiting for the bus or train. Parking spots are valued by how long you are going to be away and if you can get the one under the only shade tree. No matter though, at some time you will have to touch that seeming 6000 degree steering wheel. It will feel that way anyway. Bring your oven mitt. If you were going to move now is the time to buy a house. My home's appraised value is forecasted to drop $30K in 2011 from what I paid for it in 2000. So much for that investment.

Dee Gallo
02-18-2010, 7:35 PM
I'm not sure I ever want to go to New York because Dee lives there... I'm afraid if she starts sharing ideas my head will explode from overload. That woman is an artist.

Okay, Dan, next time I'm in DC I'm coming to GET you!!!

:) dee

Dan Hintz
02-19-2010, 7:54 AM
Dee,

I'm slowly making inroads to the darkside of artistry... at least I'm building up the necessary tools, can't say much for my actual talent (though I've been asked several times recently if I intend to decorate cakes by request... so I guess something is working out ;) ). I now have a proper vector table, which opens up some new avenues, and I'm really diggin' my Wacom tablet with X5.