Red dot and auto focus

[Frank barry]

Hi all
Just one last question before I make my final decision on what to include with my machine

Should I include red dot and auto focus on my machine

Thanks in advance for your help and advice
Frank

[Tim Bateson]

What type/brand of machine?
Red Dot - absolutely!!!!! I couldn't work most projects with out it.
Auto Focus - not so important - I rarely use mine.

[Joe Pelonio]

I agree with Tim, Red Dot is very helpful at times, I have removed my Auto-focus.

[Kees Soeters]

to confuse you... I use my reddotlaser very, very seldom and use the autofocus all the time as my material varies in thickness from 0-300mm

Kees

[Guy Hilliard]

I use my red dot occasionally and I may have used the autofocus once. With my new machine I can see me using the red dot very frequently and again I will probably not have any use for the autofocus

[Gary Hair]

absolutely yes to both. I use autofocus 99% of the time, it's so much quicker than manual focus - but that depends on the machine and how they implement the autofocus.

[Rodne Gold]

I think he is talking chinese machines , where both red dot and autofocus are somewhat "sloppily" implemented.
If red beam is implemented just hanging off the exit nozzle , its pretty inaccurate and is easily disturbed , more trouble than it's worth.
If its combined with the laser path thru a 1/2 silvered mirror , its a little more useful.
Autofocus is great , till it gives problems. Not always that accurate either.
I have good red beam and good autofocus on my GCC machines and neither of em on my chinese ones , makes no difference either way. On the chinese machines we make our own focus gauges , the variance in lenses often means that if we replace a lens , the old focus gauge is not accurate and we have to test to make another. In terms of red beam , the chinese machines have a sharpish nozzle with a small exit hole so you can tell where its gonna start engraving.
My suggestion here is to leave AF and specify a red beam combined with the laser beam option.

[Frank barry]

Good morning all

Sorry I should have specified the machine I am looking at getting

At this point it is 90% the SH350 or SH460 in the end of the day it will come down to what I can afford

Frank