Metaza Question

[Bob Kline]

I have a chance to buy a Metaza MPX-60 at a very good price. I have an Epilog Mini 18. Does anyone have both and, if so, can you tell me if there is anything the Metaza can do that the Epilog can't do better. (Let's face it, it bothers me that there's a tool out there that don't have :-)

[Dave Jones]

A Metaza is a device that hits the surface of soft metal plates, like dog tags, with little pins. It pounds tiny dimples into the surface to make text and images.

[Vicky Orsini]

Like Dave said, it's a completely different technology. It's very limited because of its table size. It does one thing - it impact prints text or photos (mainly photos) on small, soft metal objects, like pendants or key chains. A lot of the time, it doesn't do it very well. There is very little margin for error before you damage the stylus (on your particular model), and then it's a few hundred dollars to replace it. Service, IMHO, isn't all that great. A lot of people in the field (yes, there are Metaza boards and groups out there) are saying that the trend for photos on pendants is starting to die off. Your laser is much more versatile, and could probably produce better photos with the help of CerMark.

I'm not trying to talk you out of it, really. Just giving you my opinion based on my experience.

[Mike Null]

Vicky:

I've read some things on the engravers forum which were less than complimentary.

[Rodne Gold]

Its a piece of junk IMHO , go to www.rolanddga.com (http://www.rolanddga.com) and read the engraving boards if you can. Its severely limited , slow , inconsistent in terms of results and requires specific products to work on well (its not like you can just load anything into the machine and press a button and get a decent result) and in all likelyhood will never make you decent money.
It's one toy I wouldnt even consider at any price.

[Vicky Orsini]

Vicky:

I've read some things on the engravers forum which were less than complimentary. Have you been speaking with my husband? :p Kidding, he doesn't frequent the boards. But he hates the thing with a passion. Every day, he begs me to let him take it into the back yard and pelt it with paintballs. :D We don't use it anymore. It's boxed up, ready to go, but I don't have the heart to foist it off on some unsuspecting soul.

[Vicky Orsini]

Its severely limited , slow , inconsistent in terms of results and requires specific products to work on well (its not like you can just load anything into the machine and press a button and get a decent result) and in all likelyhood will never make you decent money. A very few people have made good money, but that's their main business. It has one heck of a learning curve, though. For example, on my laser, "home" is "home". I can change it if I want to, but it's pretty much where I expect it to be. On the MPX-60, there is no "home" position. Rather, you're constantly working from "centre", which moves around a lot because it has a floating rubber pad. The manufacturer will tell you to NEVER tape the pad down, but if you don't, your piece will invariably move in the middle of printing. I produced way more scrap pieces with the MPX-60 than I have with the laser in the same amount of time.

Another bad point - I've sold some very nice pendants and key chains with team logos on them. Less than a year later, I've been told that they've faded. The manufacturer will tell you that all they need is a little "cleaning". In reality, it's because they've been worn down. The items are a very soft metal and will wear down if they're constantly handled.

[Dean Flannery]

I own a MPX-70 and unfortunataly I have to agree with most of the posts so far. I had originally bought a MPX-60 but after reading the manual and calling Roland to discover the machine had to be sent in to have the print head replaced at @ $400 I sold it unused and got a MPX-70 instead, it has a 9 pin print head so you can switch to a new pin if one breaks. After all the pins are gone the head can be user replaced for @ $375.

There is a steep learning curve on how to get the photo to come out okay, the biggest problem I have encountered is the background color compared to the subjects color, sometimes the image has to be modified in a photoshop program before sending to metaza.

These metals scratch so easily it isn't even funny, I have had to send whole lots back because you could not even wipe them with a clean soft cloth without scratching them. (and that was rodium)

The solution I found to that problem was to put a UV cured clear epoxy dome over the picture right after it is engraved, if it gets scratched it can be buffed out with plastic polishing compound.