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Thread: Ebay Fiber Laser

  1. #1

    Ebay Fiber Laser

    This is my first post here, although I've lurked and read quite a bit. I've searched and read threads back to 2014 or so. Having worked backwards through posting dates, I've seen Bill George advising against buying a Chinese fiber laser from Ebay all the way back to when he purchased his 20w fiber from Ray Fine. I say that only to let you know I've done some reading here.

    I have not bought a laser yet.

    I'm not a professional, meaning I don't have a business that I need to keep running. I'm looking at this for a hobby machine.

    Just a little about me if you are interested, skip to the next paragraph if your not. I have been firefighter for over 25 years, the last 7 of which I have been assigned to the Arson division as an investigator (police officer). Years ago, I worked at Texas Instruments in Dallas as an assembly tech, doing both electronic and mechanical assembly and some design. I can muddle through reading circuit diagrams but can't remember how to read resistors without cheating and looking it up. I've soldered quite a number of boards together there and in the years since. In addition to the electronic side, I also worked with the machine shop. In the years since, I have continued my enjoyment of building things. I currently have a basic machine shop at my house, a lathe and mill, with various saws, sanders, grinders and supporting tools and fixtures. I'm still learning the machine work. I worked for a while as a weldor, and currently have a fairly capable TIG welder along with stick and MIG. I also have a wood shop, table saw, band saw, planer, joiner and various and sundry other tools. My father is the woodworker. He has one of the Shark CNC Routers with Vetric software that I have played with just a little.

    All that to say that I'm not afraid of working on pretty much anything either mechanical or electrical. I want a fiber laser purely for hobby work. I work on guns and build suppressors. I need to be able to etch/engrave mild steel, stainless (304, 422, 17-4ph), Titanium, and brass. I have a lot of ideas for fun things to engrave. I'm not gonna lie I might make things to sell with the machine, but if the machine goes down and it takes me a week or a month to get it back up and running I'm ok, maybe not happy but not losing money.

    I have priced Fiber machines. I can't and won't spend the money for one of the US based machines. I've spent a lot of money of tools and machines for my shop, but I can't spend 10k and up on a single machine for fun. That leaves Chinese products. For purely financial reasons a Chinese machine from a US re-seller looks doable. I am trying to find what 'things' needed to be fixed on them from previous buyers. $3200 and free shipping from Ebay versus $4500 plus shipping plus duties, at least to me makes me more willing to fix it myself.

    Is there anywhere to find a list of issues that are common with the Ebay type machines?
    Has anyone here had much experience with one from Ebay, good or bad?
    Is the EZ Cad as hard to use as they say?

    I know the general advice is to stay away from the Ebay machines. I also know that you don't know what you don't know. How insurmountable are the issues with them?

    Thanks,
    Scott Clearman

  2. #2
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    I've had my fiber from Ray Fine for about 18 months now. No issues at all with it. (now my engraving is another story). I bought a 'semi'mopa, goes up to 400kHz in frequency. Paid about $1k, maybe $1500 more than their base machine.
    It will do some plastics probably better than the base model, but don't think in your case it would matter. I'd spend the money and buy the most powerful one I could afford. 30w or even 50w. Would save you time and cut deeper way faster.

    ezCcad is way more complicated than learning corel and RDworks for my CO2 machine by far, but doable. You can get decent results pretty easy.
    Woodworking, Old Tools and Shooting
    Ray Fine RF-1390 Laser Ray Fine 20watt Fiber Laser
    SFX 50 Watt Fiber Laser
    PM2000, Delta BS, Delta sander, Powermatic 50 jointer,
    Powermatic 100-12 planer, Rockwell 15-126 radial drill press
    Rockwell 46-450 lathe, and 2 Walker Turner RA1100 radial saws
    Jet JWS18, bandsaw Carbide Create CNC, RIA 22TCM 1911s and others

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Iowa USA
    Posts
    4,438
    I am trying to find what 'things' needed to be fixed on them from previous buyers. $3200 and free shipping from Ebay versus $4500 plus shipping plus duties, at least to me makes me more willing to fix it myself.

    Is there anywhere to find a list of issues that are common with the Ebay type machines?
    Has anyone here had much experience with one from Ebay, good or bad?
    Is the EZ Cad as hard to use as they say?

    I know the general advice is to stay away from the Ebay machines. I also know that you don't know what you don't know. How insurmountable are the issues with them?

    Thanks,
    Scott Clearman


    Don't under-estimate the complexity of these machines. Its not like you can go down to the hardware store and buy parts. its all special and especially for the fiber. I purchased mine direct from Ray Fine, I do not have any idea of how customer support is because I never needed it. You will need to deal with Customs, DHL and duties / tariffs and etc.

    I will let others fill in the blanks on eBay.
    Retired Guy- Central Iowa.HVAC/R , Cloudray Galvo Fiber , -Windows 10

  4. #4
    since you seem to know that + is hot and most everything else is just nuts and bolts, as long as you understand that you may be servicing your machine yourself, then buy what you want from where you want.
    -----This 30 watt ebay machine in the linky below:
    item2ab90e9a81:rk:1f:0
    -----Is under $3900, ships from California for free, and sold by a 'top rated plus' seller, which may not mean a hill o' beans but most such sellers aren't looking to tarnish their rep selling junk they won't back up...
    As much as I really want a 50w machine, what I REALLY need is simply ANOTHER machine, and I'm giving serious consideration to throwing one of these on the ol' biz card since it's so cheap
    (I'm getting 1000's of small parts that need engraving on the top and on one side, setting up a second machine for simultaneous side engraving is very do-able)...

    And while these machines are 'complex', they're not much more than a scan head (nuts & bolts), a laser source (ditto plus a connector or two), and some easily replaceable electronic hardware.
    Last edited by Keith Outten; 12-13-2018 at 9:57 AM.
    ========================================
    ELEVEN - rotary cutter tool machines
    FOUR - CO2 lasers
    THREE- make that FOUR now - fiber lasers
    ONE - vinyl cutter
    CASmate, Corel, Gravostyle


  5. #5
    One of the big unknowns is tariffs and import duties. If one were to go with Ray Fine for example, how much extra should I expect on top of cost and shipping?

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Bill George View Post

    Scott Clearman


    Don't under-estimate the complexity of these machines. Its not like you can go down to the hardware store and buy parts. its all special and especially for the fiber. I purchased mine direct from Ray Fine, I do not have any idea of how customer support is because I never needed it. You will need to deal with Customs, DHL and duties / tariffs and etc.

    I will let others fill in the blanks on eBay.
    One of my thoughts was that buying from a seller here, I would have a bit better chance of getting money back if it didn't work by disputing with CC company or Ebay itself. If it did work out of the box so to speak, or with a few easy fixes so much the better.

    I am a bit afraid of buying from overseas as the ones I have talked to want full payment before delivery. If so, I have very little way to get my money back that I know of.

  7. #7
    Not sure of the absolute correct code, but the ONLY place the word "laser" shows up in the 'machinery' section of the China HS code is section 16, code 8515, and of the multitude of choices in THAT section, none describes a 'laser engraver'... but depending on the choices I 'test drove', I found 'total' tariffs (all duties and taxes) to be anywhere from 26-ish % to over 50%, so I'd figure on at LEAST a 25% bump over sale price...
    ========================================
    ELEVEN - rotary cutter tool machines
    FOUR - CO2 lasers
    THREE- make that FOUR now - fiber lasers
    ONE - vinyl cutter
    CASmate, Corel, Gravostyle


  8. #8
    Join Date
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    If is coded correctly it would be roughly 4% original tariff, (just under that If I remember) PLUS the 25% new tariff. Fiber shipping isn't much, DHL charges like $75 fees.
    Woodworking, Old Tools and Shooting
    Ray Fine RF-1390 Laser Ray Fine 20watt Fiber Laser
    SFX 50 Watt Fiber Laser
    PM2000, Delta BS, Delta sander, Powermatic 50 jointer,
    Powermatic 100-12 planer, Rockwell 15-126 radial drill press
    Rockwell 46-450 lathe, and 2 Walker Turner RA1100 radial saws
    Jet JWS18, bandsaw Carbide Create CNC, RIA 22TCM 1911s and others

  9. #9
    I was going to buy a fiber laser off eBay, I contacted the company with a question about the machine, they told me if I bought it through their website it would be cheaper. They seem to be a specialist sign equipment company based in China. I bought it, paid by PayPal and the machine was up and running in my workshop within ten days, that was about 18 months ago and so far no issues.
    Shenhui SG350 fitted with a 60w tube.
    Aeon Nova 10 100w tube.
    Aeon Mira 5030 30w RF tube.
    20w Fiber Laser.
    50w Fiber Laser.
    Located in the Isle of Man, which isn't in the UK but almost surrounded by it.

  10. #10
    I bought my 50w Raycus from engraving machines plus in florida. It is a Chinese laser sold and supported by a us dealer. You could buy direct and save money but you run the risk of not getting replacement parts and support under warranty. Id say if you know how to import, do it and be ready to probably tinker and replace something if it breaks. Also some people have great luck and some horrible with china, its a gamble.

    Alpha Laser-150w
    yag laser welder
    Laser Star-80w yag laser welder
    Laser Marking Technologies
    Marksman Dominator-50w galvo fiber-raycus
    Miller Snycrowave 350 LX
    C
    erakote applicator
    Clausing-8520 milling machine
    South Bend-Lathe


  11. #11
    Personally, I've had no problem with buying Chinese products or the companies selling the stuff. The only "problem" I've had, is knowing when the whole country shuts down for playtime
    ========================================
    ELEVEN - rotary cutter tool machines
    FOUR - CO2 lasers
    THREE- make that FOUR now - fiber lasers
    ONE - vinyl cutter
    CASmate, Corel, Gravostyle


  12. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    NW Arkansas
    Posts
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    1
    Google Chinese holidays..... They DO have a bunch and the whole country shuts down for all of them.
    Woodworking, Old Tools and Shooting
    Ray Fine RF-1390 Laser Ray Fine 20watt Fiber Laser
    SFX 50 Watt Fiber Laser
    PM2000, Delta BS, Delta sander, Powermatic 50 jointer,
    Powermatic 100-12 planer, Rockwell 15-126 radial drill press
    Rockwell 46-450 lathe, and 2 Walker Turner RA1100 radial saws
    Jet JWS18, bandsaw Carbide Create CNC, RIA 22TCM 1911s and others

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