$2000 dollar laser machine?

[Sean Coyne]

Hello Creekers,

I want to buy an inexpensive laser machine...

I know this topic has been covered ad nauseum. I have poured through previous posts about inexpensive lasers but am still undecided on what to purchase. Due to either the age of the post (possibly outdated info) OR my circumstances being a little different, I wanted to bring it up again.

-I will be cutting mostly acrylic and card stock on a hobby basis. Cut needs to be crisp with no wavering on a straight line.
-With that in mind I think a 30w, 24"x12"ish (Im flexible with bed size), should do just fine.
-My main concern is reliability. I have worked with Epilogs, Universals & Trotecs in the past. As a result I currently have an unfounded distrust of Chinese machines, but I may need to suck it up given my cost parameters...

Am I over reacting about the Chinese machines? Im also looking at used machines as an option (demonstrations are a must!)... good idea, bad idea?

Any insight you folks could provide about purchasing a ~$2000 laser machine would be very appreciated.

Thanks!

[Matt Turner (physics)]

A $200 alternative I was reminded of lately, if you're okay with a max cutting thickness of 1/32", would be a Silhouette Cameo. It cuts paper and cardstock, but probably won't do any acrylic.

[Robert Tepper]

I never try to discourage a person in their passion of business. But, you get what you pay for and in this industry a $2000 laser does not sound like a good investment.

Robert

[Dave Sheldrake]

Sean

Don't....a $2,000 laser machine will sit somewhere between boat anchor and heart attack stimulator, the cheepo chinese lasers are worthless rubbish that cause more problems than they solve.

I love Chinese lasers and have rather a lot of them, I wouldn't touch a cheap one with somebody elses barge pole.

cheers

Dave

[Chuck Stone]

Sean

Don't....a $2,000 laser machine will sit somewhere between boat anchor and heart attack stimulator, the cheepo chinese lasers are worthless rubbish that cause more problems than they solve.

I love Chinese lasers and have rather a lot of them, I wouldn't touch a cheap one with somebody elses barge pole.

cheers

Dave

So ... what are you trying to say?

[Clark Pace]

So ... what are you trying to say?

I have been pretty have with my Shenhui 350 $2400

[Sean Coyne]

So if Im to follow the general consensus and not choose a Chinese machine... What are my other options?

[Dave Sheldrake]

Semi reasonable lasers are expensive, be that Chinese, German, Japanese or USA made.

At $2,000 whatever you buy is going to be a source of trouble eventually (probably sooner rather than later)

To be honest *options*wise @ $2,000 there aren't really any sensible ones.

cheers

Dave

[Mike Troncalli]

Also, Do you already have a pc and drawing software?

[David Somers]

Sean,

Just a thought. But since this is for hobby use....$2000 will get you a lot of time on a decent laser at a maker shop. If you have a mid sized town nearby, especially one with a college or university in it, you are likely to find one of these shops. We have quite of few of them in Seattle. If you aren't familiar with them, they tend to have a lot of different machines available ranging from a laser cutter/engraver, CNC routers, wood working equipment, sewing gear, electronics shop, etc. You can generally join up on a monthly or annual basis and then pay a pretty minimal per hour fee on the gear that interests you. If you don't join you can still use it, but members generally have preference in scheduling. Your costs as a non member are higher per hour.

Since your signature in your posts here shows you have a slug of Trotec's you deal with you won't be caught spending money on a learning curve. Might be worth looking into. This way you aren't putting money into a really cheap piece of gear.

Dave

[Sean Coyne]

Yes, I have Illustrator and a PC.

Im not looking for perfection out of a laser machine. As far as ive seen, each machine has its quarks and patience must be applied to learn these quarks. Im ok with a bit of a learning curve on these cheaper machines.

Basically, I REALLY REALLY want a machine but I dont have uber bucks to spend on it and cant justify buying a larger machine. I wont be turning this into a dependable business, with my standards being the only ones that matter, I can afford to take a step back from the premier machines.

[David Somers]

Sean,

I don't have a laser yet so I am speaking mostly from lurking about the forum and talking with laser users here in Seattle. But I think the reluctance folks have in recommending a $2000 laser to you isn't in the learning curve. It is in the reliability of the gear itself, and the costs of replacing components that fail, plus the hassle of working with China for something this low on the price curve. And I suspect they feel components will fail much faster than they might in a higher end machine from China. Spending less could cost you more in other words?

Everyone else...correct me if I am not stating this correctly please?

You might send a PM to Clark Pace above who mentioned being very happy with his Shenhui 350. But just based on what I have seen watching this forum since last September and digging through past posts I would be really leery of that price for a machine as well. And at this point when I am ready to buy I will likely buy a Chinese made machine. So my reluctance is not simply that it is chinese made.

I am in the "serious hobbiest" type category at this point by the way.

Dave


Dave

[Dave Sheldrake]

Dave is spot on , most of the Chinese sub- $2,000 machines are based off of the K40 series of lasers. If you want a demonstration of how bad they really are then even the sales manager of the company that MAKES the things advises against buying them.

It's not the fact they are Chinese made (I have a LOT of Chinese lasers myself), it's not that they have a learning curve to deal with, it's all to do with the fact they are unreliable rubbish.

cheers

Dave

[Bill George]

Go to the Advertisers section and look up Automation Technologies, they are out of Chicago. Purchased my Storm 500 a 35/40 watt machine that has a hand crank for the up and down of the table but it really works very well. Has a DSP controller and I wish they would update the software but it does very nice work. The K40 machines use Moshisoft, the worst software on the planet.
I paid something like $2700 shipped to my door. He is not far from me shipping was cheap.
The $700 more than a POS machine and you will thank us....

[Mitchell Tutty]

If you "REALLY REALLY want a machine" then you can justify paying more then $2000.

Even on a value for money standpoint, a $2000 machine is going to be at the very very bottom end of the scale. It's not even a learning curve issue, the only learning you'll have to do understanding you've spent $2000 on a glorified box.

I understand this is only as a hobby laser, but even then, unless your hobby is spending copious amounts of money and time fixing something that will never work, then $2000 isn't going to buy you what you're after.

Don't take this the wrong way, be thankful we're talking you out a bad decision, I wish I had somebody who had told me the same thing when I bought an eBay laser for double that 10 years ago.

[Sean Coyne]

Thanks folks! I've learned a lot through this thread. I will definitely do some more research and rethink my budget.