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View Full Version : Trotec 4 inch lens is it worth it?



Greg W Watson
12-08-2014, 6:06 PM
I have an 60 watt Speedy 300 and have been using the 2.0 for everything and I am happy with it overall. I have the option to go with a 1.5 or a 4.0 lens.

I was thinking of going with the 4.0 for cutting through thicker material easier.

What are you thoughts?

Greg

Gary Hair
12-08-2014, 6:20 PM
About the only time I use my 4" lens is when I'm cutting sandblast stencil and it's on a surface that's not very flat - the 4" stays in focus where the 2" wouldn't. Other than that, I use the 2" about 99% of the time. I do have a 1.5", 2" and a 4" - I used the 1.5" about 6 times in 8 years...

Kev Williams
12-08-2014, 6:40 PM
I bought a 4" lens about 6 months ago for my 80w Triumph. I don't do much cutting but I did find out I can cut thru 1" thick mahogany in one pass with it, can't with the 2". I've also used it for Cermark engraving when high detail isn't required.

After the Ebay $30 lens thread, I ordered a 1.5", a 2" and a 3" lens. Haven't tried the 1.5" yet, and haven't given the 3" much of a test yet, but it worked quite nice when Cermarking brass last week.

That all said, the 2"er is definitely the 'go-to' lens! :)

Dave Sheldrake
12-08-2014, 7:00 PM
I was thinking of going with the 4.0 for cutting through thicker material easier.

It doesn't cut easier Greg it cuts straighter, in fact the power density is lower (the spot is bigger) so speedwise it will be slower than a lens of a shorter focal length on thinner materials but it's depth of field (the length of *straight* beam) will mean it will likely cut as fast as a 2 inch on thicker stuff. Kerf will always be wider the longer the focal length.

cheers

Dave

Scott Shepherd
12-08-2014, 7:04 PM
I have an 60 watt Speedy 300 and have been using the 2.0 for everything and I am happy with it overall. I have the option to go with a 1.5 or a 4.0 lens.

I was thinking of going with the 4.0 for cutting through thicker material easier.

What are you thoughts?

Greg

I don't believe you're going to cut through anything thicker with the different lens. I have the 4" and 2" and I extensively tested them on 1/2" thick acrylic and found that power/speed wise, it gained me nothing in cutting. What it did do was raise my fire risk through the roof, since the air assist is 4" away, it doesn't push air through the cut on the acrylic.

I later tried various plywoods and I never found that it allowed me to cut anything I couldn't cut with the 2". That's on the Trotec, I have no idea about any other machines or how they work, but I know in all my testing, it gained me zero on cutting. It makes the spot bigger, which works against you on many things.

Guy Hilliard
12-08-2014, 7:31 PM
I had a custom 4" lens made for my Trotec. It's a 4" lens mounted on a 1.5" carrier. This is so I can engrave the bottom of recessed areas on some of my client's parts. The engraving cannot be done with the 2" lens as it will be way out of focus or the lens carrier will hit the part. Other than that it's useless (to me). Everything else is done with a 2" lens, including cutting SMT stencils.

Greg W Watson
12-09-2014, 11:13 AM
I decided to go with the 1.5 as I do more detail work, will just continue using my 2.0 for cutting. It has done great so far.

Thanks guys

Greg