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Ryan Wolfe
12-09-2011, 12:13 PM
Hello everyone. Avid listener, first time caller to the forum.

After having read many postings on this forum, I'm now considering purchasing and importing a laser from Shenhui. I am looking at the G570 with an 80W Reci tube. The 570 is apparently the smallest machine that will happily handle this tube. I would love the additional bed space of the 960, but my work space only has standard doors at the moment, so something moderately more mobile has its advantages.

I will be using this laser primarily for prototyping and small production runs of custom parts for sculptural installations. I have significant experience using Epilog lasers, which I have always had a very good experience with. I could spend significantly more on a used Epilog mini (and indeed, that was my initial trajectory), but the cost of replacement parts as a machine gets on in age seems like more of a risk than buying something less expensive and new from Shenhui, and just ordering some spares along with it.

My question for people who are familiar with the performance of the 80W Reci tube (and Shenhui lasers in general) is this: can the 80W reliably engage in fine-resolution cutting of thin materials? I do prototyping (cutting) in acrylic and wood, and I would like the power of the 80W for this. At the same time I also do work with fine-pitch electronic components, an have a need to cut solder stencil masks in materials like 10 mil mylar, where the spacing between shapes cut in the material need to be less than 0.25mm. Even on an expensive 75W Epilog Legend, I'm used to having to dial-in settings to get the right balance of cutting power and speed for the material. I just want to make sure that the 80W Reci tube in the 570 chassis won't just blow holes through thinner materials. I don't think it should, but I figured I should ask before I pull the trigger on such an exotic purchase. I don't innately measure twice and cut once, but I do try. ;)

Thanks,

Ryan

Ross Moshinsky
12-09-2011, 12:23 PM
I'd suggest drawing something up and having someone on here cut it out for you. It might cost a few hundred bucks but you'll know if it will work and the person doing the work will be able to give you their honest opinion of the process.

Rodne Gold
12-09-2011, 11:28 PM
My 80w Reci cuts with the same kerf width as my 30w RF tubed GCC's
Only problem you might have is that you cannot fire the tube at under 15% power and some super thin materials might be overpowered , like cutting 10mil mylar might need a setting that is 5% power and 100% speed , this might be an issue for solder masks? Ours cuts thin paper excellently tho , so maybe its not an issue?
I have compared the 80w output in terms of how fine the cut/engraving is compared to my mainstream machines and the 80w Reci is almost as good as my RF tubed machines , and this difference is really only visible if inspecting with a 10x loupe.
Go for a bigger machine , the door thing is not relevant , you can take the top off the stand and get it in sideways , I could easily fit a 1200 x 800 bed size machine thru a std 800mm wide door