Purchasing decision

[Stan Georgiev]

Hi all,

i am runing wide format printing business but for long time I wanted to have laser cutter mainly to cut acrylic letters and so on. I want also to engrave if needed on acrylic/plastic and wood.

I know that PVC is no go so this is clear.

I am looking at Chinese laser 36x23" bed with 5200 cooler, Ruida 6442 controller and Reci 130W tube.

I dont expect miracles from this machine but want to be able to do both cutting and engraving.

Question is can I expect acceptable quality on engraving with this configuration.

Thanks

[Michael Henriksen]

You are better off with a smaller wattage tube for engraving. Spot size and strike point on a 130W tube might not give a good result. 80W seems to be a good compromise between cutting and engraving ability. Some machines can be delivered with 2 tubes, one for cutting and one for engraving.

[Kev Williams]

concur on the 80 watt, and spend the savings on a bigger machine, a 1390 doesn't cost that much more and you'll quickly appreciate the extra room...

As to the 2 tubes, my machine (Triumph 1390 / 80w RECI) is equipped to run 2 tubes. IF I were to run 2 tubes, it would be set up for running 2 identical jobs at the same time--

[Wojciech Szul]

Engraving quality with 130W tube can be debatable. Some customers and applications can accept it, other - not. One from my mates use 150 or 160W new RECI on one from his machines and he stated it is better than 70-80W EFR tube which he has in his other laser. He was using it to engrave acrylic. He has as well K40 (40W) and he told this one was best for precise, small engravings. But generally - to delicate engraving on small objects small spots from low-power machine is better. If you use laser to do big engravings and details are NOT important - you can try bigger machine. Keep in mind - some materials are working better with lower power ans slower beam movement. For example wood goes dark better on lower-power, slow work instead of high-power & fast. All depends on your particular needs and setup - including material, lenses, air assist, selected speed. There is no simple answer.

[John Lifer]

I've an 80 EFR and I run two color modified acrylics at about 1/3rd power to engrave and just a couple of mA more to cut at decent rate on 1/8" thickness. I found a sweet spot for both and don't alter it. I would very well doubt the 130w would engrave decently on the acrylics. Yes on plain cast, it really doesn't matter how deep you engrave on those. But if you want to run two part and only cut through the 5 or 7 thou top layer, you won't with a high power laser. Won't fire at low enough amperage.

[Stan Georgiev]

Thanks everyone for heads up. I looked at what is available in 80w but can't find anything bigger than 700x500mm table. In other hand There is 100w with 1000x600mm table for a little less than 130w I originally asked for.

Do you think that 100w will be good?

i don't want to spend more than $4700-$5000 since at the moment I don't have any ppans to use it for business /I am paying with personal funds fir it, not company's/

that said it may stay as a toy at the shop or may find a way to make it work for my business

I also was thinking of purchasing 130W and if too much of a power to downgrade the tube and the PS to 80 /abot $1000 more or less/ but I can recover aome of them by selling the original set but if 100W is good solution I will stay with it.


Edit: it is listed as 90-100W and has reci w2 tube

[Kev Williams]

Triumph offers many sizes in 80/100/130/150/300 watts-- http://www.triumphlaser.com/laser-cutting-machine/
(I've owned an 80w 1390 C02 for over 5 years and a 30w fiber for 2-1/2 years)

Shenhui offers a 1200x900 in 60/80/100/130/150/180 watts-- http://www.lcshenhuilaser.com/1290-l...-pd094104.html

Rayfine offers a 1300x900 in 75/80/100/130/150 watts-- http://www.rayfinetech.com/RF-1390-1...pd6939480.html

[Michael Henriksen]

Are you planning to buy off Ebay? I would advise against it. Better to buy direct from the manufacturer/assembler. They will fit any size tube you ask for.

[Jerome Stanek]

I bought a 130 watt off Ebay from Goldraydigital and I am very happy with it. I see they have some 100 watt units in close to the size you want. I bought my laser on a Friday and picked it up from Fedex on Tuesday they shipped it out as soon as it was ordered and over a weekend.