Initial Laguna IQ HHC Review

[Mike Heidrick]

Why do you think adding a HSD to this machine is a good idea?

[Dan Hintz]

I'm reading the thread, Ernie, just haven't had anything useful to reply with... keep us up to date.

[Ernie Martinez]

Well I'm not quite sure adding one is a "GOOD" idea, it's just an idea. I don't like the water cooling. The machines weak points are, the spindle, controller, and the electronics. The frame is very well built, and the moving bits like the gantry, ball screws and rails are more than sufficient for a machine of this size. If one were to replace the weak points then this would be a fantastic little machine, but at what cost. Is it throwing good money after bad? Well thats another debate, but since I already own it, and I'm growing frustrated with the controller, then it may be worth my while to convert to WinCNC, for another $1300 or so.

An update to my latest problem. The controller seems to be fine, turns out that the stepper motors couldn't handle the feed rate I was giving it (150 IPM, .250 end mill, .125" pass depth, 18000 RPM, Red Oak). Even though The chip load charts I was using said that this was the feed rate to use, the steppers were losing pulses. Which brings up another upgrade, higher torque servo motors. Once I backed down to 75 IPM, I had no further problems.

For anyone with this funky controller, Feed Rate can be set in one of two ways:

From the GCode if enabled in the controller
From the Controller itself if GCode Feedrate is disabled. The proc speed is the feed rate in mm/min

[Shane Sura]

Ernie,
Those initial feed rates seem a bit aggressive as you found. I highly recommend you start slowly...in fact I run most jobs starting around 50 ipm and then I will bump it up as I watch it. I am never really in a hurry because any time I may make up I will lost that savings with any mistake that has to be fixed. You may also want to change your pass rates as well it all depends on the cut your looking to do.

[Andrew Colwell]

Ernie,
Thanks for posting about your experience. I am very interested in CNC and had been looking at the Laguna IQ for a while now. You potentially saved me a lot of trouble. Thank you! Good luck going forward. I hope it works out better for you in the long run...

-Andrew

[Jim Underwood]

Good grief what a headache. Thanks for sharing your experience Ernie. I think I'd cut my losses and give it back to Laguna if possible. Enough is enough.

[Charles Newberry]

Well now I really feel like a schmuck! Now that I know whats inside the machine with respect to the electronics, I realize that all the Chinese machines are identical..

Ernie, it would be nice if you could post a picture or two of the electronics you received. Not the HHC but the stepper driver boards, B.O.B etc.
There are several configurations out there and I'm trying pinpoint who uses what.

Yet another project to pursue.

[Charles Newberry]

I met the the Laguna IQ HHC face to face at the Atlanta IWF show in August, and by November, I could find no compelling reason to buy it.
Mostly for the reasons you stated, as I got the same run around by the staff at the "factory" in California.
I as able to find enough information about the HHC to be somewhat comfortable with that approach, BUT, you know what I mean.
The Router Bob videos are pretty good, almost had me convinced.

I have posted some other information on the thread "Advise about buying a CNC router.

[james mcgrew]

Good grief what a headache. Thanks for sharing your experience Ernie. I think I'd cut my losses and give it back to Laguna if possible. Enough is enough.

Jim are you coming over this april ? PS, the US is on a serious Upswing the Chinese are hacking us as a thank you for all the money we send, please consider this in all purchases,,

[Orville Boger]

Ernie, I have a Luguna CNC and I am having to learn about .crv to mmg. can you share that video with me?

Well to be quite honest, I was up and running immediately, My initial problems with the control box was annoying, but didn't really set me back, I was making dust right away. This issue with Z, may be a bad HHC or motor driver, but they're tough to troubleshoot because it's intermittent, but that could happen to ANY machine. When you're dealing with electronics, this is a fact of life. If I do decide to convert over to WinCNC then the conversation is over. Mechanically the machine is fine, not much to one of these, heavy frame, rails and lead screws. If this machine had a $1000 lower price point then I would recommend it. Right now my main gripe is thats it's too expensive for what you get, lack of documentation, and less than truthful sales tactics. On a positive note, I received an email from Router Bob last night in response to an email I sent in preparation to todays training session. All I was expecting was that we cover my issues during our time on the phone. Instead I got a 30 minute video where Bob went over my .crv file and re-constructed my project. This is BEFORE we even start our training session. Now that I like!

[Bruce Page]

Ernie, I have a Luguna CNC and I am having to learn about .crv to mmg. can you share that video with me?

Orville, the last time Ernie was on the forum was in 2014. You might try going to his profile page and using the "Send Email" option to contact him.

[Orville Boger]

I have a Laguna Swift 4 x 8 table 3 horse router. my hhc back light comes on but nothing else happens it just started doing this any solutions?

[Bruce Page]

I have a Laguna Swift 4 x 8 table 3 horse router. my hhc back light comes on but nothing else happens it just started doing this any solutions?

Forgive my ignorance but what is an hhc back light?

Have you contacted Laguna?