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Charles Webber
04-26-2019, 8:13 AM
This is always my "go to" place when I need help. I really appreciate the advice from all of you!

I have been going through the threads trying to figure out what I need, but I haven’t figured it out yet. I am looking for a laser engraver to engrave/burn names into wood. I have attached a picture showing what I want it to do. This is the only thing I need it to do. So pretty basic. As everyone, I do not want to spend a lot of money, especially when this is all I will be doing with it. The names will be less than 2 inches height x up to 24 inches long. The only issue I have is that I am burning them on a longer piece where I will need a “pass through” door to slide the pieced inside until it is at the appropriate spot to burn the name.
Right now I had a CNC built with a 4’x8’ table. It has a laser attachment. That is how I am burning the names. Although it is extremely slow. To do a longer name can take 3-4 hours! The reason I am looking for an actual laser machine is to cut down on the burn time. It uses Inkscape. I am very happy with the machine and the quality. Just burns too slow!

If you are burning a name like in the picture I have attached, approximately how long would it take for a laser machine to burn it?
Any recommendations for a good priced machine that would accommodate my needs?
408678
THANK YOU!!!!

Scott Shepherd
04-26-2019, 8:25 AM
2" x 24"? Maybe 5 minutes.

Gary Hair
04-26-2019, 8:39 AM
The only issue I have is that I am burning them on a longer piece where I will need a “pass through” door to slide the pieced inside until it is at the appropriate spot to burn the name.

That will be a problem since 99% of the lasers I have ever seen have a pass-through from front to back, not side to side. In order to get one with 24" of Y travel you'll need a pretty large machine, or one specially designed with either 24" in Y or pass-through in the sides. If you have to pass through front to rear then your engraving time would go up from the 5 minutes Steve guestimated to several times that much. Another option would be to get a galvo co2 but you'll be limited in engravable area much smaller than you are asking for. What you need can be done but it won't be a stock item from what I know.

Chris DeGerolamo
04-26-2019, 11:07 AM
Rabbit Laser?

Charles Webber
04-26-2019, 11:15 AM
Shoot! I didn't think about that. On the photos, it appeared there were pass through doors going either way. So I assumed you could. So when you say it can be done, does that mean I need to have one custom built? Do companies even do that without charging triple the cost?
Thanks!

Kev Williams
04-26-2019, 11:58 AM
There's nothing wrong with front to back pass-thru, you just need to place the laser where it'll work for you; 90° against a wall with 2 or 3' of space in front and in back, or against a wall 'normally' as long as you have space to roll the machine away from the wall when needed, or in the middle of the room...

-do what's necessary to get the job done-

Couple of rather large plates I did in the past on one of my 5000XT machines, not a laser but 'pass thru' came into play.
I have this machine positioned so anything long I'm doing will fit thru the laundry/saw-room doorway...
408698408699408700
408701408702

the plate above is 6' long, I can actually do up to 10' long if necessary, and the Y table size is only 19.5"...

--do what's necessary :)

Gary Hair
04-26-2019, 3:22 PM
I'm not saying there is anything wrong with front to back pass through, but if you are lasering an image that is 2" x 24" you certainly don't want it to be lasering across the 2" dimension, it will take forever. If you had pass through on the sides then you could laser the length of it instead of the width.


There's nothing wrong with front to back pass-thru, you just need to place the laser where it'll work for you; 90° against a wall with 2 or 3' of space in front and in back, or against a wall 'normally' as long as you have space to roll the machine away from the wall when needed, or in the middle of the room...

-do what's necessary to get the job done-

Couple of rather large plates I did in the past on one of my 5000XT machines, not a laser but 'pass thru' came into play.
I have this machine positioned so anything long I'm doing will fit thru the laundry/saw-room doorway...
408698408699408700
408701408702

the plate above is 6' long, I can actually do up to 10' long if necessary, and the Y table size is only 19.5"...

--do what's necessary :)

Kev Williams
04-26-2019, 3:44 PM
Engraving FAST stuff vertically can get dam slow, yes, but wood is already slow to engrave, so going vertical isn't going to change the engraving time much, IMO...

Steve estimated 5 minutes lengthwise, so even if the extra time engraving vertical is doubled, 10 minutes still beats the crap out of 180 to 240 minutes! ;)

Gary Hair
04-26-2019, 6:42 PM
As I said in the other post, to get 24" of Y axis will require a larger bed than what he needs if I could get it on the X axis. So whether he could engrave it in 10 minutes or not ( I doubt it ) is a moot point.


Engraving FAST stuff vertically can get dam slow, yes, but wood is already slow to engrave, so going vertical isn't going to change the engraving time much, IMO...

Steve estimated 5 minutes lengthwise, so even if the extra time engraving vertical is doubled, 10 minutes still beats the crap out of 180 to 240 minutes! ;)

Jerome Stanek
04-26-2019, 6:50 PM
how big is the engraving going to be. Have you looked at engravers that have an open bottom

Scott Shepherd
04-26-2019, 9:07 PM
Steve estimated 5 minutes lengthwise, so even if the extra time engraving vertical is doubled, 10 minutes still beats the crap out of 180 to 240 minutes! ;)

Nope, same time vertically for me. Trotec can switch from horizontal to vertical engraving with the click of a button!

Kev Williams
04-27-2019, 12:11 AM
Gary- as you know the GCC has a 38x20 table, but I can engrave 40" long parts in the thing vertically simply by opening the front door. If I roll it out into the street and lower the back door I can engrave any length I have room for. Any laser that the work piece can extend beyond the front of the machine- like the GCC because of the drop-down door, or my LS900 with the lower door removed- you have double the Y table size in engraving area, if you're willing to deal with the sectional setups. With full pass thru your only length limit is the first wall in the way!(*) ;) There is the issue supporting the extending pieces (HF adjustable roller stands work well), and the re-setup and alignment when piecing together 'long plate' work, but that's trivial compared to 3-4 hours for one sign!

Steve- depending on exactly what's engraving, vertical can be faster with most western machines... Again, I'm just comparing different scenario's against Charles's 3-4 hour time :)

On ebay there's a podunk 12x20" 50w machine under $1400/24 month warranty/free shipping in less than a week with front & rear drop doors. Anyone can engrave 20" x any length(*) items with it. Would I recommend it? Not exactly, very barebones and doesn't even come with a chiller, just a waterfall pump and you're own bucket of water- aka a 3000 ;) ... but if Charles is ONLY going to engrave simple wood signs, might be worth trying out.

Julian Ashcroft
04-27-2019, 2:18 AM
The original poster wants something like this where it’s possible to raise the top half of the machine off the bed.

408754

Dave Haskin
04-27-2019, 7:19 AM
Not sure how 'basic' you want to get, but have you looked at a diode laser setup? A Jtech laser with an Open Builds frame would definitely handle what you are wanting to do and allow for pass thru from the sides or front to back.
https://jtechphotonics.com/

Charles Webber
04-27-2019, 8:37 AM
Dave, this is the type of setup I have right now. Although effective, it is EXTREMELY slow. To do a 2"x 14" name it takes a 2-3 hours. I would love to get that down to 15 minutes if possible!!!! Even down to 1 hour would make me happy!

Charles Webber
04-27-2019, 8:39 AM
Is the "open bottom" like the CNC set up that just has it as an attachment? That is what I have now. It is just way too slow.

Charles Webber
04-27-2019, 8:49 AM
Kev, sorry, but what is a GCC? I need it to be reliable as I am using it now every day, all day. Just because it is so slow and takes so long for one name. I am leaning towards the Boss just because of customer support (and it is under $6k) as it is my first real laser machine and feel I might need it (I know it is Chinese but the cost difference is getting me). Most engravings are 2"x 14" or under. Some get longer so wanted the longer engraving area. But if I can do part of it, and then slide it to the next section, this can be a work around for those longer ones. But then I am challenging myself reading other people who buy direct and save so much money for the same machine. Just trying to make the best decision.

Does the engraving leave the charcoal black look inside the letters like in my photo? I was assuming it does, but you should never assume!

Kev Williams
04-27-2019, 12:52 PM
Charles, I have a 30w GCC Explorer -aka Pinnacle- laser that I bought from Gary a few years ago-

408769 this machine has 38 x 20" work area
Note the door in front, it opens down allowing for long parts. The back door, which the exhaust is connected to, also drops down if need be. The point in my last post is that I can engrave a 40" long part via the front door, by engraving the part in two 20" sections..

these are pics of the ebay machine- indeed, it's as basic and cheesy as they come, but it WOULD do all you need, up to 24" in normal use, and the passthru would allow for longer parts engraved sectionally.
408767408768
But I DO understand your need for a reliable machine and customer service, and for that reason I'd strongly advice NOT buying this machine!

I'd suggest Triumph as I have 2 of their machines and they've worked well for me, however, their smaller format machines -500x300 and 600x400- have no pass thru capability. Shame, because they can likely beat Boss's price.

As to engraving wood black- engraving wood with a better-than-diode laser is a crap shoot as to the darkness/lightness of the burn. However, running a finish pass well out of focus works well for many users...

Charles Webber
05-01-2019, 12:42 PM
Sorry, I was traveling for a couple of days. I contacted Boss and their pass through doors are now side to side and front to back. So I guess that helps a lot! I just hate spending $5K for a Chinese laser machine. Someone talk me out of it! LOL

Bert Kemp
05-05-2019, 2:50 PM
[QUOTE=Charles Webber;2923224]Sorry, I was traveling for a couple of days. I contacted Boss and their pass through doors are now side to side and front to back. So I guess that helps a lot! I just hate spending $5K for a Chinese laser machine. Someone talk me out of it! LOL[/QUOTE
OK DON"T DO IT:D
O

Charles Webber
05-10-2019, 10:29 AM
I got the quote from Boss Laser. It is as follows:

L-1420 Gen V: $4,394

Comes with:
Laser CO (65W), Tube
Pump Air
CorelDraw Graphics Suite (2018)
Fan, Exhaust (4" 110v)
Tubing, Exhaust 4"
Machine stand included

I am paying $495 for the Water Chiller CW-3000
Total $4,924

Before I pull the trigger, any advice on something I am not thinking about? There is a chiller 5000 model for $895. Would this be worth it? Any body get a better price? Don't know if they ever go on sale.
Thanks!!!!

Steve Utick
05-10-2019, 10:41 AM
I got the quote from Boss Laser. It is as follows:

L-1420 Gen V: $4,394

Comes with:
Laser CO (65W), Tube
Pump Air
CorelDraw Graphics Suite (2018)
Fan, Exhaust (4" 110v)
Tubing, Exhaust 4"
Machine stand included

I am paying $495 for the Water Chiller CW-3000
Total $4,924

Before I pull the trigger, any advice on something I am not thinking about? There is a chiller 5000 model for $895. Would this be worth it? Any body get a better price? Don't know if they ever go on sale.
Thanks!!!!

The 3000 is not a chiller, just a water pump basically. The 5000 is an actual chiller. Spend the extra money and get the 5000. During warm weather, you won't regret it.

Kev Williams
05-10-2019, 9:15 PM
Not too long ago I got a CW-5200 chiller on ebay for $500, right now on ebay same machine is $555, free shipping, it is FAR superior to the 3000. Mine is collecting dust... ;)

Bert Kemp
05-11-2019, 12:51 AM
+1 on the 5000 or 5200 the 3000 is not a chiller just pumps water does not cool it
5000 on ebay for 525

Charles Webber
05-11-2019, 10:49 AM
I'm sorry if this is a stupid question, but does the chiller matter to what the machine is, or do they hook up to any machine? Per your advice I am looking at the chillers on ebay. They all say 80w or higher. The machine I am getting is 65w.

Jerome Stanek
05-11-2019, 1:08 PM
You can put that on any machine the hoses are all the same size. there are many on 40 watt units that run just fine. the cooler will only chill when needed

Kev Williams
05-11-2019, 1:44 PM
ditto Jerome. And if I may, I would advise buying the 'genuine CW 5200' chiller on ebay, because it's simply the best unit. There are counterfeits out there (google that, there are 'how to spot counterfeits' websites to check out)-- they work for awhile but the story goes they start leaking due to shoddy parts; are made with incompatible materials lead to fast corrosion, etc...

I noticed many of the chillers on ebay are the 'Vevor' brand-- that happens to be the brand of the Ebay fiber lasers I, and several others have bought, and so far we're all happy with them, far as I know anyway. HOWEVER, I have no idea how well they build a refrigerated chiller. But I DO know how well CW builds them, so far mine has worked flawlessly, and it's very nice not having to add a 20' coil of copper tubing and dunk it in ice water in a storage container so I can finish my cutting jobs! ;)

Charles Webber
05-12-2019, 9:16 AM
Sorry to be high maintenance, but could you supply a link to the one you recommend. You made me worried about the generic brands. Just want to make sure I get a good one!
THANKS!

Charles Webber
05-12-2019, 9:18 AM
Also, for anyone looking at buying a machine from China soon, you might want to consider purchasing quick as they just implemented a 25% tariff on China goods. I am not sure how soon it will go in affect so it might increase the cost of the machines.

Kev Williams
05-12-2019, 4:14 PM
Mod's don't like links, so, do this:

search: S&A cw-5200 DG/DH water chiller
seller: cnsigntech

Same one and same seller as mine, and as before, best price I found for the same unit...

Charles Webber
06-22-2019, 5:02 PM
411757Well.........I have received my new laser this week. I got the Boss. Very excited. Just got it set up and ran a test file. Now I have to learn how to use it and what to do with it!!!! I am hoping someone can answer this question. I ran a file to engrave and attached a photo. I was expecting it to make the inside of the letters black. But it is not coming out that way. I have tried a few power settings but still the same thing. Does anyone know a trick to get it to be burnt inside black? I appreciate the help. I am completely new to this machine.411757

Bert Kemp
06-23-2019, 9:45 AM
All wood will engrave differently . Taking the material out of focus will help darken the engraving , but most likely with out real high power your not going to get a burnt black, and even then it will depend on the type of wood. There a product called Laser Dark which will darken the engraving. A trick I've used is to seal the wood before engraving then use a ebony stain to fill the engraving, but this method often results in the stain bleeding into the wood. I've also seal the wood after engraving then used black acrylic paint to fill the engraving this works pretty good but it doesn't have the burned in look. Its going to be trial and error till you find a look you like.

Chris DeGerolamo
06-23-2019, 9:46 AM
Does anyone know a trick to get it to be burnt inside black?

Species will dictate much of the 'tone'. Slower speed with higher power will char the wood more...you could do a vector outline to add some 'pop' also. Defocus the bed too to increase the spot size. Test and log your results.

David Takes
06-23-2019, 9:54 AM
Apply a low-tack paper mask, engrave, paint fill with a few light coats of flat black enamel, then remove the mask. This process is simple and results in perfect black engraving every time.

Steve Utick
06-23-2019, 10:06 AM
411757Well.........I have received my new laser this week. I got the Boss. Very excited. Just got it set up and ran a test file. Now I have to learn how to use it and what to do with it!!!! I am hoping someone can answer this question. I ran a file to engrave and attached a photo. I was expecting it to make the inside of the letters black. But it is not coming out that way. I have tried a few power settings but still the same thing. Does anyone know a trick to get it to be burnt inside black? I appreciate the help. I am completely new to this machine.411757

Off topic response, but if you're using a Boss, You may want to replace the RDWorks software that it came with and give LightBurn a try. Much more user friendly than RDWorks and has a lot more capabilities as well. 30 day free trial to give it a spin.

Kev Williams
06-23-2019, 2:06 PM
5 things are certain:
Death
Taxes
Everyone who buys a laser expects wood to go black
Everyone needing wood to be lasered expects wood to go black.
Lasered wood hardly ever goes black.

;)

Bert Kemp
06-23-2019, 3:29 PM
5 things are certain:
Death
Taxes
Everyone who buys a laser expects wood to go black
Everyone needing wood to be lasered expects wood to go black.
Lasered wood hardly ever goes black.

;)

an't that the truth LOL
;)

John Lifer
06-23-2019, 4:40 PM
Yep. And a lot of times if I get a decent black, it brushes right out.... Paint fill or laserblack

Keith Outten
06-24-2019, 9:37 AM
Links are fine here as long as they are pertinent to the discussion and are not advertising related.