Shenhui Lasers

[Bill Simmons]

Thanks to everyone for your very helpful posts on Chinese lasers. I am considering a 60 Watt laser from Shenhui and am dealing with a man named Joy. I am looking for any user experience with Shenhui lasers. What is the maximum thickness plexi/wood that can be cut with their 60 watt machines? Are you overall happy with the machine? Any pointers would be greatly appreciated. I live in Vancouver Canada and a trip to Beijing is fairly easy for me. Is it worth going to the factory as I read that some members have been there? I understand that it is a 4 hour train ride from Beijing. Of all the different Chinese lasers out there would you say that Shenhui is close to the best? I thank you very much for your help.

Bill Simmons
EtchCraft Canada

[Rodne Gold]

Read my threads
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?165815-Despatches-from-China
and then
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?166611-Chinese-lasers-they-re-here-!!!

[Bill Simmons]

Thanks Rodney........Yes I have read all your threads and they are the main reason that I am considering Shenhui. I tried to PM you before I posted but your box is full. My main question is.......Is it worth going to the factory and setting specs with them there and actually see what I am getting? Is it difficult to get there from Beijing? My main business is glass etching here in Vancouver but I want to branch out and do some lasercut letters for signage as well as some plaque lasering for awards. I am considering the G460 or G570 with 60 or 80 watts but might just go with the G350 and 50 watts. I really want my transition to laser cutting it to be as simple as possible. I am very software proficient so that is not the issue. I just want a laser engraver that works with as little fiddling around as possible. Thanks for your help.

Bill

[Rodne Gold]

It is not that easy to get to Shenui , I flew to Jinan and its about 130km to Lioacheng city
I don't think its worth the trip , I ordered my laser before going and they had despatched em before I got there. I went out of curiosity and to see what else they do.
I would buy the 690 (600 x 900) with either a 60w or a reci 80w tube. we cut 8mm acrylic with ease with the 60w .. don't do wood at all as I dont beleive the laser is a great tool for wood - I dont like the char. Our shenuis are running full blast , 8 hrs a day , no issues at all. Keep it simple , leave out stuff like autofocus and red dot thru the optics. Get spares.. lenses , mirrors , tube , tube power supply , mainboard , lcd panel , belts , stepper motor , stepper driver.

[Bill Simmons]

Thank You very much for the advice. I think that you have saved me a trip to China.

Bill

[George M. Perzel]

Hi Bill;
I have a Shenhui twin tube 80 watt- bought based on a lot of discussions with and advice from Rodne and conversations with the factory. I did not go to China nor really see the need to do so. I would go with the 80 watt RECI tube, get a spare tube and spare all axis motors, a power supply, and the motherboard if its in your budget. Also a few spare lenses. Get the C5000 chiller-anything smaller is junk. Feel free to call me or PM me if you have questions. Joy is the technician not the sales person- who I think is Pascal for North America. Will send you a copy of my proforma invoice if you wish so you can compare prices.
Best Regards,
George
Laserarts
585-924-4519

[Rich Harman]

I've not encountered the troubles with the autofocus that others have. I am using a 50mm lens and the plunger is adjusted so that when autofocusing, the table rises to within a couple mm of touching the nozzle. When the table then lowers to focus there is plenty of clearance underneath the plunger.

As I understand it, if you choose autofocus, you must use the LCD keypad to raise or lower the table manually. If you choose a system without autofocus, you will have a separate toggle switch to raise and lower the table.

[Rodne Gold]

I suppose it depends on what you do whether you raise or lower the table a lot , we do mostly 1-25mm flat stuff so we never really mess with table height and use the lens tube to focus .. I must actually check whether this is the best way , maybe its better to leave the lens tube in the fixed position where one did the alignment and then move the table , increasing the distance from the last mirrror to the lens might throw it out a bit?

[Rich Harman]

I leave the lens tube fixed in it's highest position. My reasoning is that the tube is a loose fit and when extended may move slightly, especially when rastering or fast vectoring. I also suspect that moving the tube in or out will affect the alignment somewhat.

[Rodne Gold]

Yeh , I agree , I will change my method of focussing to yours.

[john banks]

I have downloaded and installed the demo English version of RDCAM 5 thanks to your link Rodney.

The manual didn't work, but this did: http://ishare.iask.sina.com.cn/f/20758953.html?from=like hope that is correct.

I wondered if the chipset on the main board was anything like the MCP6515 that Lasercut 5.3 runs? Are they compatible? I don't know enough about the various software available, but wondered if the Shenhui shares a main board with other common Chinese lasers? Thinking of future upgrades, keeping options open etc.

[Rodne Gold]

I think its the RDLC320 or 360 board , you can use any controller you want , all it requires is a new mainboard and LCD panel and software .. they all will control the motion system and firing of the laser. They all fairly similar. The software Shenui provide , RDcam/Laserwork is good.