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Brian Robison
08-07-2007, 1:41 PM
I'm having an issue, I believe it's always been there.
If I'm engraving or cutting in the corner of the table farthest away from the home position, I don't have as much power. It looks like the table is level to the optics so I don't think that is the problem. Any one else have this issue?

Rodne Gold
08-07-2007, 1:58 PM
You will generally have a drop in power the farther the beam has to travel due to various reasons
If you ensure your beam alignment is spot on , this will lessen , so first step is to check alignment of mirrors and optics
Generally this is a fiddly thing but becomes easier with practice and is well worth doing.
An indication that you are out of alignment is substantial power drops at points on the table and more so , the fact that cuts arent square , ie have slightly sloping sides.
Cut a sq of 3/8th inch pex and stand it on edge to check the squareness.
PS This is something generic to all lasers , not just epilog

Mike Null
08-07-2007, 2:13 PM
Brian

I agree with Rodney about the beam alignment. Your owners guide probably has a section on this adjustment.

Ed Maloney
08-07-2007, 2:44 PM
Brian - I have the alightment procedure in electronic format. Let me know if you want me to send it to you. I have two versions of it and both leave out some details, but there is a thread which points those things out. It's not in the Epilog manual.

Joe Pelonio
08-07-2007, 3:04 PM
All of the above is true, but it's really not noticeable until you get close to the limits of the machine to cut thicker material. For engraving it really should be able to do the far corners. Eventually, when the tube starts to go out, this becomes much more apparent and then gets worse and worse.

Brian Robison
08-07-2007, 3:22 PM
Thanks guys,
When I cut I try to JUST cut through the material. I was cutting 3 items the other day and the one farthest away wouldn't cut all the way through.
Joe, don't scare me, I don't want to buy a tube quite yet.
Ed, please send the info, thanks ahead of time.

Joe Pelonio
08-07-2007, 3:47 PM
Thanks guys,
When I cut I try to JUST cut through the material. I was cutting 3 items the other day and the one farthest away wouldn't cut all the way through.
Joe, don't scare me, I don't want to buy a tube quite yet.
Ed, please send the info, thanks ahead of time.
Sorry if I scare you but I'm on my 3rd tube, and both times that was the first symptom. Both times Epilog suggested other problems that can also cause it though, from weak power supply to lenses and mirrors.

Bill Cunningham
08-07-2007, 10:28 PM
A quick way to get around the problem, is to put a piece of scrap at the far corners, then set the power so it cuts all the way through in those areas, then run the whole job at that power.. Or colour code the cut/power speed, for one setting near the source, and another at the far reaches.. That way the machine will not have to run slower for the entire job..

Eric Allen
08-09-2007, 2:44 AM
All of the above is true, but it's really not noticeable until you get close to the limits of the machine to cut thicker material. For engraving it really should be able to do the far corners. Eventually, when the tube starts to go out, this becomes much more apparent and then gets worse and worse.

Joe, how long did those tubes last, just out of curiosity? The 20 to 30,000 hours claims seem high from what others have said here.

rick woodward
08-09-2007, 5:35 AM
Yeah Joe and besides that, what brand of tube are they ? Thanks.

Joe Pelonio
08-09-2007, 8:11 AM
When I bought mine the advertised claim was 11,000 hours. That's nearly 6 years at 40 hours a week.

There's no hour meter, but based on my order records I can estimate the hours. My first lasted about 1,000 hours, the second about 3,000. So far 2,300 on the latest tube. As I recall these are Coherent tubes.

Eric Allen
08-09-2007, 4:28 PM
When I bought mine the advertised claim was 11,000 hours. That's nearly 6 years at 40 hours a week.

There's no hour meter, but based on my order records I can estimate the hours. My first lasted about 1,000 hours, the second about 3,000. So far 2,300 on the latest tube. As I recall these are Coherent tubes.

I kinda figured. I'm trying to be meticulous about tracking, I have maybe 1 hour not documented in small, 30 second or less cuts. I don't suppose they backed any of those short term lasers and didn't bill you?