Can this really be true???

[Peter Boyford]

I have a GCC Mercury. I got to a job, where I needed to open the front door to fit my workpiece.

I then startet the engraving - with NO RESULT??? Hmm.. "Door open" was on, and I called the dealer.

"You need to find some kind of magnet and cheat the machine to think, that det door is not open".

Is this really true? Is the machine not built to accomodate larger workpieces? Then, what are the side doors for?

Best regards
Peter

[mark lankton]

yup,
We take the magnets off both sides of the door and line them up with their mates on the machine body. Make sure you keep them in the same direction they were when mounted on the door. If we had a lot of "pass-thru" work we'd probably come up with extra magnets but we haven't so far.
Mark

[Peter Boyford]

Mark-> can you tell me the reason in this design?

[Pete Simmons]

Liability!

You went and defeated their safety system if someone was to get hurt.

[Peter Boyford]

"The machine has pass through doors to accomodate larger workpieces - although you are not supposed to use them!"
Heh!

[mark lankton]

Its a big ol' crazy world out there.

[Peter Meacham]

Peter - ensure you wear proper safety glasses when you work with the door open - the laser beam is contained within a closed cabinet but when you defeat the interlock system and open the doors you are allowing the beam to enter your work area. You must wear safety glasses that do not allow laser beam to reach your eyes - your manual should advise what glasses to wear or other precautions to take when operating with a defeated interlock. Pete

[Larry Bratton]

Mark-> can you tell me the reason in this design?
They tell me that the American manufacturers don't put pass through doors in their machines due to liability. I wish though, sometimes, my Epilog had them. Something about changing the clasification etc.

[Peter Boyford]

Peter-> I am aware of the necessity to use goggles when operating with the door open. Thanks anyway :)

[Sandra Force]

If you are going to do large amounts of work with the pass through doors open you can get around the liability factor and goggles by putting a welding curtin around the laser. I run open faced Kerns with welding curtins and OSHA has checked them out and approved them.:)

[Mike Hood]

Yep.... it's a liability issue. I've bypassed mine with switches and used tricolor LEDs to indicate they're in "bypass mode" on the control panel.

The pass-through is a GREAT feature that I use all the time (great for a quick "chop" of some long sheet stock). The bypass simply puts the liability on me. They ship laser goggles with each laser for that very same reason.

[Joni Campbell]

I have pass through doors also, but haven't needed to bypass yet. But the feature will be great when the time comes

[Mike Hood]

It's REALLY nice for trimming half sheets down from 48" to the 38" that will fit the table. It's like having a $25,000 chop saw... :)