Hey All

[Andy Butters]

Hey guys and gals. First post here. I have been researching laser cutters for the last few weeks and have read a lot of info on here.

Have narrowed it down to Epilog, Trotec, ULS.

Am going for a demo of the Rayjet and Speedy 100 in my nearest Trotec showroom tomorrow.

Will let you know how it goes!

Cheers

Andy

[David Somers]

Hey Andy!

Good luck! Hope the research goes well! Can you share with us how you plan to use the machine and some of the ideas you have?

Also, if you plan on posting much you might find it helps to put the machine and size and power you select in your signature line, and perhaps your state and/or country in the location which will appear in the upper right corner of your posts. That helps folks when they try to help you. You can get to those entries in Settings.

Looking forward to hearing back from you!

Dave

[Andy Butters]

Hi David thanks. I am going to be using the unit for mostly engraving and in particular with a rotary device.

Well I had my Trotec Demo today. Suitably impressed with the Speedy 100 and 300. Unfortunately they had sold the demo Rayjet so couldn't demo it which is a pity as it's that one I really wanted to see! I definitely need to buy corel draw as we had a bit of trouble importing my logos from inkscape. I did a logo onto a large slate dinner mat and it looks amazing. I did the same logos onto a pint glass and we struggled a bit getting the logo right dimensions but it looked good and he showed me the difference between straight onto glass, and using wet paper on it. Overall very impressed with the Trotec machines! One thing I am disappoint on is the rotary device for the Rayjet and the Speedy 100 is a bit half-arsed. By that I mean you can't adjust the angle on it for example to do conical pint glasses (i.e most of them that exist). Works good for engraving on perfectly straight things, but on conical things it struggled with focus, and with the fact that the difference between the top and the lower end of the class was a physically smaller diameter so the logo was a bit skewed. Good job I used a logo I know well as it helped me notice things. That said - I can see the "industrial" strength engineering that has gone into the machines and I do appreciate it! The job manager software is very good too I can see how that will prove very useful for doing bulk goods.

[David Somers]

Great to hear Andy!

Is that the only rotary they have for the Trotecs? You might ask if anyone here has some solutions to what you described. What I did on my rotary (Chinese machine with a 3 jaw chuck rotary) is make a base to it that I could angle. My rotary is wayyyyyyy less expensive than the Trotec's though unless I am mistaken, so modifying mine is not a big concern. Modifying a Trotec might make me nervous if I wanted to keep the warrantee intact.

[Kev Williams]

Just because something isn't supposed to do something, doesn't mean it won't

My LS900 rotary is supposed to be screwed down to the table. Phooey on that. I routinely prop the tail end up to 2 or more inches, just because like you say, hardly anything I engrave with it is straight!

I drilled a 3/16" hole on each end of my rotary's base, straight thru my table when I did. I have a couple of 4" machine screws and nuts to hold the rotary down with. I just prop the end up with whatever's handy, usually a roll of tape or a piece of wood. When the level suits me, make sure the rotary assembly is reasonably square to the gantry (eyeball is fine) and tighten the screws.
rotilt1.jpg

my hold-down screws--
rotilt2.jpg

If I COULDN'T tilt the rotary like this, it would be practically useless to me!

You just have to be sure the tailstock will fit under the gantry, and that the lens head won't smack it while working. (Usually the lens is out of play that far away)

[Braden Todd]

Check out epilog too, their rotary has a lift on the end so you can rotate a knob and raise your piece level.

I have 2 now getting to be older Epilogs and would still buy another in a heartbeat!

Good luck!

[Andy Butters]

Hey Peeps.

Thanks for the help. I ended up finding a secondhand Universal VLS 3.50 30 watt. It came with a BOFA filtration system, air assist, vector board, and rotary tool so everything I need to start out.

Currently experimenting with slate and beer glasses. Slate looking great but experimentation/learning needed with the beer glasses for sure!!!

Happy lasering peeps!

[Andy Butters]

I know there's not much interest in little 'ol me, but I finally got to grips with the beer glasses too, seems I was using too much power. Getting MUCH better results with a bit less speed and a lot less power.

Also, have started engraving on granite as well as slate, the granite has a mottled effect built (it's not pure black) in and when engraved you get a reverse mottle effect which initially I was disappointed with compared to the bright white engraving on slate, but I've now come to realise on engraving a few larger granite pieces that it actually looks REALLY good!

Bought some trotec white acrylic with a blue top surface so going to experiment with engraving through the blue to leave a white engravement.

Also experimenting with wood and anodised aluminium this weekend.

Fun! Great learning curve, I relish getting things right you get a nice feeling of satisfaction.

PS can't recommend highly enough getting a second hand laser from the "big three" This ULS is 7 years old and works faultlessly!

Thanks all!

VersaLaser.jpg