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Martin Cook
06-04-2007, 5:05 PM
Just a quick hello from a new user of the forum. I've been reading the posts for several days and wanted to thank everyone for the excellent information contained here.

I have a laser cutting company here in the UK - we use large C02 lasers to cut metals, plastics, wood etc. We're getting lots of enquiries from our web site for jobs that would really suit a laser engraver - I'm therefore researching the machines / technology / materials etc. with a view to possibly buying a system. The information in this forum is excellent, and is helping an awful lot - I now realise I know very little about this branch of the laser world, although I've been involved with lasers for 15 years!

Any useful UK biased information would be much appreciated, such as the support provided by the sellers of the kit over here, and the main suppliers of the specialist materials required etc.

Thanks once again

Martin Cook

Martin Shupe
06-04-2007, 5:09 PM
Wow! Another Martin. They seem to be turning up everywhere these days!

Seriously, I am not a laser guy, but welcome aboard anyway!:D

Frank Corker
06-04-2007, 6:00 PM
Hi Martin,

hopefully you won't be too close or affect me (joking here) try this company for Epilog lasers. I searched width and breadth before choosing them. Great follow ups, they are always more than helpful to sort out no matter how small your problems. Feel free to tell them I recommended them.

Speak with Bryan Jater

http://www.identify.co.uk/

Identify Engraving Systems
Unit 8 Windmill Farm Business Centre
Bartley Street
Bedminster
Bristol
BS3 4DB
Email: sales@identify.co.uk (sales@identify.co.uk)
Sales: 0117 9530800
Fax: 0117 9530900


Highly recommended. In fact, if for any reason I wanted another machine, they would be the first place I would go to.

Good luck

Martin Cook
06-04-2007, 6:19 PM
Thanks for the welcome Martin.

Hi Frank - don't worry - I'm in Barnsley, so we're a reasonable distance apart!

Thanks for the information on Identify, they're one of the suppliers I'd marked to contact, so I'll see what they come up with. I've had a good response from the sellers of ULS systems in the Uk, and the prices seem reasonable, but it appears there's a high percentage of Epilog users on here, which is always a good sign of a machine's reliability and capability.

The most important things for me are flexibility of the kit, availability of spares (we work our lasers VERY hard!) and a fast response to service requirements (our current laser supplier has a 24 telephone number with an engineer at the end of the line). I'm not sure we'll run the engraver 24 / 7 initially, but who knows!

Frank Corker
06-04-2007, 7:03 PM
Well from my personal experiences, they have been great, the guys there know their laser stuff. I have only had the one laser, my Epilog Helix, it's simple enough to use and very reliable. There are some problems with different Epilog users but you will generally find that they seem to have great backup most of the world through.

Belinda Barfield
06-05-2007, 8:47 AM
Welcome to the Creek Martin! Hope to see lots of posts of your work. BTW, go with whatever Frank tells you, he won't steer you wrong.:)

Martin Cook
06-05-2007, 12:21 PM
Thanks for the welcome Belinda.

I'll certainly trust Frank - I've been reading his posts due to him being UK based, and he really seems to know what he's talking about!

Just an update - I've had excellent responses to my initial enquiries from ULS, Epilog, Trotec & GCC here in the UK - I would say particularly Epilog as I've spoken to more than one person there and both have been very knowledgeable and efficient.

I've set up a demo of the GCC system as the agent is the closest to me (I'm a lazy driver!), but Epilog have already offered to bring the machine to me - once again excellent.

I'll let you know how we get on, and will certainly post some images of our efforts if we do go ahead. I'm not sure whether I'm supposed / allowed to give a web site address out on here, but if so I'll let you see the type of cutting work we're currently doing on our big industrial machines

Regards

Martin

Scott Shepherd
06-05-2007, 12:46 PM
Welcome Martin, we look forward to seeing your industrial laser work as well! One suggestion you may already know, but I'll say it anyway, make sure you have some very good sample files of the exact type of work you'll be looking to produce. No one's going to do a demo of stuff that doesn't look or do well on the laser. They will more than likely show you things that it does well.

I wish all I got was jobs that do well, but that's not the real world for me. I have found several limitations as to what it can and cannot do. I wish I had that knowledge when I was shopping for a laser, as it may or may not have been an issue, depending on whether or not they all performed the same way.

If you're not using Corel at this point, I'd be more than happy to do up a couple files for you to have ready to hand them, if you need them. Just let me know.

Martin Cook
06-05-2007, 5:37 PM
Hi Scott

Thanks for the information and the offer of files. I have some items to take with me to set a level playing field, and I may even throw some Illustrator files into the arena to see how they handle them.

One of the really interesting applications for me is the cutting and engraving of leather, although I've seen on postings here that the cutting part is difficult - do you think it would be worth taking a sample to see how the machines cope?

If anyone's interested in our industrial cutting take a look at www.cut-tec.co.uk (http://www.cut-tec.co.uk) and look under "about us" on the examples page. The stuff we're doing is not as artistic as the great things I've seen on here, but we're proud of what we achieve. The technology page has details of our lasers, and the people page shows some of our team, and my ugly mug!

Scott Shepherd
06-05-2007, 6:59 PM
do you think it would be worth taking a sample to see how the machines cope?

I sure would take samples of the exact types of leather you plan to use. Some cuts like butter, some doesn't, and you'd want to see it in action on something you plan on using.

Larry Bratton
06-05-2007, 8:22 PM
Martin:
I am engraving and cutting 4-5oz leather now. Cut some today as a matter of fact. Biggest problem is getting it flat. What we do is use a piece of MDF and 3M Spray Mount adhesive. We also use Neat-lac as a finish before we engrave it. Be sure you have a good exhaust system because it stinks when you cut it. Smells kinda like dog hair burning or something. If you get any tar or residue it cleans off with isopropl alcohol. I have a post on here of a leather piece I did about a week ago. Do a search.

Martin Cook
06-06-2007, 5:05 AM
Hi Scott & Larry

Thanks once again for the advice.

I'll take some of the leather and see what happens. Funnily enough, although leather looks like it might be one of our big markets, I've never actually cut it on our current lasers! I'll cut some using the mdf mount method you mentioned Larry and see what happens. That would just leave the engraver to engrave, which is probably the better route for us to take.

Dean Carpenter
06-12-2007, 4:56 PM
Hi All,

Tips for cutting leather: use a low rate of pulse like 500hz: soak the leather for some time in warm (it has to be warm) water before placing in the machine. DON'T put it in to the machine wet!! You want it damp, like a chamois for cleaning windows.

If the leather type stains easily during cutting then use a solution 100 parts water to 1 part washing-up liquid. Stir the solution without making too many bubbles. the washing-up liquid will act as a barrier to the debris and will allow the smokey HAZ to release from the leather when washed after cutting.

If your machine has it: use the underside exhaust ONLY over a honeycomb table - switch OFF overside extraction (standard on most machines) as this will dry the leather out too fast. the underside extraction will hold it flat during cutting + draw all the fumes down through the cut line as the material is cut

For thin leather cut using a 1.5" lens. For thicker leather use a 2" lens with multiple passes rather than going all the way through in one go.

If you have a Trotec use the link feature in the software to make 60% power 0.25mm links every 25mm. This will leave the leather more or less as one piece as it is cut.

leave the exhaust ON while you lift the leather. the cut out parts should stay behind if you got your settings right and your exhaust is powerful enough

Dean

Bill Cunningham
06-12-2007, 10:39 PM
Hi Scott & Larry

Thanks once again for the advice.

I'll take some of the leather and see what happens. Funnily enough, although leather looks like it might be one of our big markets,

Perhaps the same folks that bought the stainless steel collar on your web site.. :rolleyes: Nice work by the way.. Not just the collar (cough) but everything else too..:D

Martin Cook
06-13-2007, 5:52 PM
Hi Bill

Funny you should spot the connection between the collar and the leather ;)

Now, haveI asked anyone whether they've done anything with latex on their lasers :D (cough)