is the Death Rattle next?

[Chuck Stone]

I've been working on a 3rd or 4th hand machine and it's getting old
(30W Mercury with a flaky motherboard) but haven't done enough
work consistently enough to put any money into it. Just don't have it.
But where I used to cut 1/4" acrylic at 1.2% speed, then it went down
to .9%, .8% lately .6% and .4%. still, not cutting cleanly through.
1/8" birch that used to cut at 2% now cuts at .5%

I'm going to miss having a laser.. especially now that some products
are starting to sell well.

[Glen Monaghan]

Have you recently made sure to thoroughly clean and inspect the lens and mirrors? Dirty and/or damaged optics can have similar effect...

-Glen

[Chuck Stone]

Oh, yeah.. even hoping there was a hidden mirror som3where.. convincing myself
that every time I cleaned a mirror I could SEE how much brighter the red dot was!
On a similar note, Santa didn't show this year .. again.
tube prices scare me. You can get machines cheaper than these tubes..

[Rodne Gold]

Chuck , Mail the serial number and model of your source to Synrad (Pretty sure it will be a synrad J48 series) , they will probably come back and say the tube is registered to GCC and you need to contact them.Reply back with something like that you the 3/4th owner and plead a little and they will give you diagnostics to check if it is indeed the tube.

[walter hofmann]

Hi chuck
that typical signe that the CO2 laser tube is gone. sometimes you still can do some engraving but the cutting is the part where you see how the tube is.
the manufacturer of most laser tubes give as rough diagmnose that if the ray in the tube is others then redish the tube is bad. the most tubes show a white ray then the tube needs to be replaced.
one good source for a new one is " cole-tech " they sell for about $ 168 shiped from china in about 8days.
greetings
walt

[Chuck Stone]

I've seen Cole Tech advertised on Ebay .. 40w tube and power supply for under $300.
Somehow I doubt it's a replacement for the one I have, but if it is something I could
adapt, I'd look into that.. I have a screwdriver, scissors, Super Glue and duct tape!

Rodney.. I'll check with Synrad re: serial number. I've been to their website as well
as GCC, but they don't really give you much info to work with before calling them.
Having been on both sides of tech support, I'd rather have the ducks lined up first

[Rodne Gold]

Walter , the laser in question has a US made Metal sealed RF tube , he cant retrofit a glass tube (well he can but at HUGE expense) the $200 tubes are glass.
I am not sure of repair costs or how old the mercury is , but if it exceeds $3500-4000 , I would look at getting a chinese machine with a nice 60/80/100w tube and devote it to cutting and then sell the mercury and the tube - prolly make $2k or so..

[walter hofmann]

Hi rodne
I did not know this then you are right get rid of this and look for a good new machine.
greetings
walt

[Chuck Stone]

I'm still hanging on.. but the engraving is getting lighter. Cutting is pretty much out of the
question, as it takes so long to cut through that the wood is charred badly.

Synrad did send me back to GCC, who wanted my blood.
Not only do I find the re-gassing charges to be high, I just
don't have it yet. (although the Christmas season was surprising!)
And now I'm starting to get some work in.. I'm afraid to take it!

Does anyone know of 3rd party companies who will refill these?
You're right, Rodney .. J48 tube.

Just saw an 80w Chinese setup with a 3'x4' table for sale.. made me drool!

[Mike Null]

http://photovaclaser.com/?cat=1

[Chuck Stone]

http://photovaclaser.com/?cat=1

Yep.. been there too but never found anything on prices or availability

[Mike Null]

I believe they rebuild your tube.

[Chuck Stone]

I know it can be done. I was hoping the site said more than
"yes it can be done" .. hoping someone had a tube recharged
somewhere besides going back to the machine manufacturer.
The numbers just scare me.
And when I say 'refill' and they say 'rebuild' I'm sure the prices
aren't going to be the same..

[Neil Pabia]

Chuck, take a drive down and use my shop while I am at work on the other job.

[Chuck Stone]

LOL .. what's a couple of hundred miles?
Which job? You in NOLA or slinging bottles?