Need help buying new Laser

[Rich Noterman]

Hi Everyone, I have used the Creek for my woodworking hobby, My wife and I own a small printing biz, we also have a vinyl cutter to offer banners and window graphics. Now we want to offer laser engraving on awards, glass, wood, acrylic, plaques, name plates, ect. and of course use in my woodworking shop.
Now i need your help, we have sent for info and samples from, Universal, Gravograph, and Epilog. We have not received any thing from Universal, we have from the other 2 and Gravopraph stop in the shop and we had a demo, next week we are going to demo a Epilog.
If you own any of the 3 listed could you please let me know what you like and dislike about your system. Like I said we want to offer this in our shop, but our main biz is printing so I wont need a 100 watt system.

I thank you for any info and help
Rich

[Rich Noterman]

Fogot to ask, What sould I look for as a must in a laser system, do you have to vent to the out side with or with out a blower?
thanks again
Rich

[Bruce Volden]

Well, I for one will never have another machine that doesn't have ethernet. I have 2 old clunkers, one has a serial port (sslloooowww) and the other has a parrallel port (ssllooww). My epilog has an ethernet port (FAST)!!! I have read of horror stories using USB connection but have no experience. Also have them go through EVERY menu setting on the machine as well and ask questions about their driver / GUI prior to printing options. Lastly I wanted to know how ALL the "idiot lights" appear under normal conditions. I have a tech background and it helps me to understand what is supposed to be lit up. Maybe they won't go into that since covers et al have to be removed :eek:

Bruce

[Scott Shepherd]

I'd never own another laser without Job Control software. Our ULS connects via USB and it's never had an issue like other models do with USB.

Job Control and programmable Z height are two things I could not live with in a new laser. I don't have to focus anything, just put the material thickness in and it moves the table automatically, and job control because I have tremendous data for each job run, all automatically, and I can pull up to 2000 jobs from history and see what settings I used or run repeat orders without having to send them over again.

[Scott Shepherd]

You might want to check out the Classifieds here on this forum, Chip has a Trotec Speedy 300 for sale that's practically new. He had health issues and wants to sell it. It's one of the finest machines on the market. Better than any machine you listed.

[Larry Bratton]

Epilog here. Excellent tech support, easy to learn and use, American made, easy availability of parts, buy as much power as you can afford with as much table size as you can effectively utilize. I have 40watts and I traded off some power to get a 24 x 36 table in Epilogs top of the line machine and I haven't regretted it, but it would sure be nice to have 100 watts with that table. Epilog machines are not cheap but they are good machines and mine has been very reliable. Good luck with your purchase.
Oh, and in my opinion, a MUST is air assist.

[Martin Boekers]

One thing to consider, I know much negotiating is to be done
but, I do try to make major purchases to coincide with a trade show as
manufactures tend to have specials then.

Just a thought.

Marty