Laser Tube

[Ross Lowry]

I am now in need of a new laser tube for an epilog 45 watt.
Does Epilog have the cheapest prices or can I get it elsewhere?
Thanks

[Joe Pelonio]

Epilog has the tube made especially for their machines, so unless something has changed recently, you can get it only from them. Last time I checked the 45 watt for my 24TT had dropped from $2,300 to $1,100 which was good news if it hasn't gone back up again by now.

Are you sure it's dead?

[Ross Lowry]

Not completely dead yet, but now the results are not very good anymore.
I used to do a lot of mirrors, but the tube started going low and I couldn't pierce through the back that well anymore. So then I did only wood, and those results are not that good now.
So I guess I will spend the money to get another tube:>(

[David Fairfield]

Hey Ross, about how long have you had the old tube? Just wondering what I can expect with mine. 3yrs, going strong.
Dave

[Joe Pelonio]

Not completely dead yet, but now the results are not very good anymore.
I used to do a lot of mirrors, but the tube started going low and I couldn't pierce through the back that well anymore. So then I did only wood, and those results are not that good now.
So I guess I will spend the money to get another tube:>(
Talk to tech support, there are other things to try first. It may well be the tube (I've replaced two) but can also be a bad mirror or lens, or power supply.

[Mike Null]

Dave

Laser tube life is unpredictable. I had one last 3 years another for 6. Same machine. I've read many stories of 6 weeks tube life and others of several years.

It doesn't seem to matter how much or how little use they get either.

[Ross Lowry]

This one I bought was one they used for the teaching classes.
I have had it for about 2 years now.
I had the company I bought it from come down and take a look at it to see what they thought. They cleaned the lense and made sure the laser was lined up properly and even did some sample engravings at different ends of the table. There conclusion was the tube was low on power. All that was done about 6 months ago.
I sure wish it wasn't the tube, but it is.

[Dave West]

I hope this doesn't jinx me, but about a year ago I bought a used Epilog Profile 25 watt from a friend. It was manufactured in 1998 and is still on it's original tube. I'm still cutting materials with the same power/speed settings he used 10 years ago so it's still going strong.
I'm not sure if it makes a difference but he used it infrequently.

Dave

[Abdullah Almalki]

Joe,

Is this price for replacing the existing tube or for new one ?


Thanks

[Larry Bratton]

This one I bought was one they used for the teaching classes.
I have had it for about 2 years now.
I had the company I bought it from come down and take a look at it to see what they thought. They cleaned the lense and made sure the laser was lined up properly and even did some sample engravings at different ends of the table. There conclusion was the tube was low on power. All that was done about 6 months ago.
I sure wish it wasn't the tube, but it is.
Has it been moved since it was aligned? Have you cleaned the optics since? If you have moved it, it will have to be aligned again. Alignment and dirty optics can just kill the performance.

[Ross Lowry]

All that was checked in my home by a person from the company I bought the machine from. From the time I received the machine and set it up it has not moved.
The bottom right part of the table has the least power from the laser.
I dont remember exactly how the aligned it, but he used something that looked like crosshares on a scope.

[Neal Schlee]

You might talk to Chris at Photovac Laser regarding recharging the tube.
www.photovaclaser.com (http://www.photovaclaser.com)

Neal
Lasertech Alaska

[Joe Pelonio]

Joe,

Is this price for replacing the existing tube or for new one ?


Thanks
Epilog calls it a new tube, but it may be new or refurbished, whatever is on the shelf, either way with a one year warranty (last time I got one).

They do not fix yours and send it back, probably because you'd be down for a long time.

[Dan Hintz]

Joe, I believe he was asking if he could pay that fee and receive a working tube (as in "no core charge").

[Joe Pelonio]

There's a deposit required, which may be more than the price of the tube, to ensure that they get the old core back. You may get them to waive it if you ship the core and wait for it to arrive at Epilog before they ship the replacement.

[Jeanette Brewer]

No core charge/deposit required if you can afford to be down long enough for Epilog to receive the old tube before shipping the new one.

Alternatively (best option, IMO), if you'll provide a tracking # from the shipping company indicating that the defective laser has been shipped back to Epilog, you won't be charged the deposit/core charge.

Call Tech Support or your distributor to set up the replacement.

[Bill Cunningham]

Epilog calls it a new tube, but it may be new or refurbished, whatever is on the shelf, either way with a one year warranty (last time I got one).
They do not fix yours and send it back, probably because you'd be down for a long time.

I just got one a while back. Dan, the tech at Epilog I was in contact with during the critical old tube diagnosis phase, told me the replacement tube has a 3 year warranty .. Certainly hope he was not in error!

[Ross Lowry]

Thanks Neal I see what he has to say.

[Larry Bratton]

All that was checked in my home by a person from the company I bought the machine from. From the time I received the machine and set it up it has not moved.
The bottom right part of the table has the least power from the laser.
I dont remember exactly how the aligned it, but he used something that looked like crosshares on a scope.
Ross:
The alignment is done with a little target with the crosshairs you remember supplied by Epilog. It fits in the hole in the front of the lense carriage. The machine is in maintenance mode/alignment from the keypad. At that point the power is dramatically reduced, the laser is fired by pushing the up arrow key. The target is covered with a piece of tape to check the burn and it is compared to center on the target. If out of line, the adjustment is generally done by adjusting the mirror. Normally Epilog would call the bottom right "position 2" and should get a good burn because it is closer to where the beam comes out. The least amount of burn would be at the bottom left. If your not getting a good burn on #2, my guess would be that it may be the tube or some other component. I doubt, in my mind, that alignment would be the issue.

[Ross Lowry]

It was a while back when the person checked the alignment, but yes that does sound exactly how he did it.
Maybe it was the bottom left that was getting the weekest? Like I said it was a while back.
Thanks Larry

[Larry Bratton]

It was a while back when the person checked the alignment, but yes that does sound exactly how he did it.
Maybe it was the bottom left that was getting the weekest? Like I said it was a while back.
Thanks Larry
Ross:
If it's the bottom left, it could be alignment. You will not get a good burn in the low power alignment mode. Epilog tech told me that you might have to hold down the key for 15 to 20 seconds on that position (that was after I told him I wasn't getting a good burn). The tech had me to leave the target in there and actually run a file in that corner, when I did, it burned a hole through the target! Now, if the folks that did this alignment didn't recognize that, they may have made an error. Have you talked to Epilog tech support?

[Ross Lowry]

No but he was on the line with someone from Epilog while trying to find the problem.

[Larry Bratton]

No but he was on the line with someone from Epilog while trying to find the problem.
Ross, have you contacted Epilog support personally. Obviously your machine is out of warranty, but I bet they will still help you. It might be worth a shot before you just go down for a new tube. Sometimes you can get a different tech that may diagnose the problem differently than the one that was on the phone with your seller. They have absolutely first class support for their machines.