Laser Engraver or other marking machine for Dummy's?

[Bill George]

A unusual request from someone who should know better. I have a customer who I just fired... I hope anyway. I have done little special jobs perhaps 2 or 3x per year usually less than $50 per job. I wanted to help her start up business.
I told her two years ago to buy her own machine. Frankly she is not techy nor is anyone in the family business.

So is there a simple plug and play laser model like Epilog or ULS sells that she can purchase and get factory support on?

Or some sort of mechanical machine that can trace letters and use something like a Dremel tool motor to engrave on metal tags? Many years ago I used something like that to make tags for electrical panels. So after some searching I found a Vision 12x12 engraver, and there is one on eBay for $4500 or so, but are they any good? Frankly I think she would be better off with a small laser.

[John Lifer]

There are a lot of folks that are on the epi fb site that seem to be in same position. They struggle. With anything of consequence. Does she know or can use coreldraw? There tends to be a good many issues with encoders, and random firing or not firing and random skips on these machines. Don't know if she could handle it without getting over her head and frustrated. I KNOW my wife could not....
Better for her to find someone else to run her jobs. Or is there a makerspace any where close?

[Bill George]

There are a lot of folks that are on the epi fb site that seem to be in same position. They struggle. With anything of consequence. Does she know or can use coreldraw? There tends to be a good many issues with encoders, and random firing or not firing and random skips on these machines. Don't know if she could handle it without getting over her head and frustrated. I KNOW my wife could not....
Better for her to find someone else to run her jobs. Or is there a makerspace any where close?

She has wonderful design skills and talent, not sure about Corel Draw I do know she uses some sort of graphics program. Think of her as your wife or mine.... . Frankly I do not know if she is making money or not.... she has cut her prices to the bone to get wholesale and retail customers. I decided to cut my loss now and get out. I can do a job for John Deere or another customer and make money. I can't do it here.