So does anyone feel the laser manufactors are making a killing selling a product that isnt a high money producer for the poeple that own them?
So does anyone feel the laser manufactors are making a killing selling a product that isnt a high money producer for the poeple that own them?
Kern 150wat HSE 50x52 table.
What's your point?
If you can't make money with the laser, you're doing something wrong... which is the same thing that can be said about any piece of equipment that was purchased specifically for making money. It's not the laser company's job to ensure you make a profit, they only provide the tools.
Hi-Tec Designs, LLC -- Owner (and self-proclaimed LED guru )
Trotec 80W Speedy 300 laser w/everything
CAMaster Stinger CNC (25" x 36" x 5")
USCutter 24" LaserPoint Vinyl Cutter
Jet JWBS-18QT-3 18", 3HP bandsaw
Robust Beauty 25"x52" wood lathe w/everything
Jet BD-920W 9"x20" metal lathe
Delta 18-900L 18" drill press
Flame Polisher (ooooh, FIRE!)
Freeware: InkScape, Paint.NET, DoubleCAD XT
Paidware: Wacom Intuos4 (Large), CorelDRAW X5
i dont own the laser, i work for a company with one. It seems like a side note to the rest of their business but it dosent seem to bring in much. Just wondering if the company was doing something wrong or if the machines just arent in high to demand
Kern 150wat HSE 50x52 table.
Maybe they provide it as a service to clients who purchase other products.
We make the demand by providing a product and a service.
Many businesses don't make it because of marketing skills,
market they are in, economy there are many reseason why businesses fail.
Take a delivery truck for example, most businesses (outside of
the delivery ones , UPS FEDX etc) actually lose money on the
delivery, but it is a service that they provide which sells their
product.
That Kern is a nice laser, I'm sure they have a good idea of its
value to the company if not.....
Martin Boekers
1 - Epilog Radius 25watt laser 1998
1 - Epilog Legend EXT36 75watt laser 2005
1 - Epilog Legend EXT36 75watt laser 2007
1 - Epilog Fusion M2 32 120watt laser with camera 2015
2 - Geo Knight K20S 16x20 Heat Press
Geo Knight K Mug Press,
Ricoh GX-7000 Dye Sub Printer
Zerox Phaser 6360 Laser Printer
numerous other tools and implements
of distruction/distraction!
In my limited experience with small business and small business owners, regardless of whether they have a laser or not, is that they more often than not fail to identify their customers. When you ask someone who their customers should be, they tend to say things like "everyone". If you think "everyone" is your customer or potential customer, then you've missed the boat.
Know your customer, know who they are, what they do, where they spend money, what their hobbies are, etc. and you'll be better off than your competition that thinks "everyone" is their customer and does none of that.
I can tell you the names of some of the "potential" customers I'd like to have. I know them by name.
Just my opinion.
Lasers : Trotec Speedy 300 75W, Trotec Speedy 300 80W, Galvo Fiber Laser 20W
Printers : Mimaki UJF-6042 UV Flatbed Printer , HP Designjet L26500 61" Wide Format Latex Printer, Summa S140-T 48" Vinyl Plotter
Router : ShopBot 48" x 96" CNC Router Rotary Engravers : (2) Xenetech XOT 16 x 25 Rotary Engravers
Real name Steve but that name was taken on the forum. Used Middle name. Call me Steve or Scott, doesn't matter.
I don't think that the manufactures are making a "killing" : a good living perhaps, but not more than that.
The fierce competition between ULS and Epilog, coupled with the threat from Chinese cheapy-cheap jobs means that no-one in that business can make "excessive" profits.
The way the lasers are sold might seem a bit questionable - "make some trinkets with our laser and you're on your way to being rich", but is it any worse than, say, education - "get our media degree and you can be a top TV executive" - I don't think so.
Right on Steve/Scott!
Epilog Mini 18/25w & 35w, Mac and Vaio, Corel x3, typical art toys, airbrush... I'm a Laserhead, my husband is a Neanderthal - go figure
Red Coin Mah Jong
"I love the smell of sawdust in the morning".
Robert Duval in "Apileachips Now". - almost.
Laserpro Spirit 60W laser, Corel X3
Missionfurnishings, Mitchell Andrus Studios, NC
Mine actually paid for itself the first year in profits, but I didn't buy it to start a business, but to add another service to my existing business. I think a lot of people may fall for advertising that suggests they can make a living doing personalization and making gift items, however it's been production work, mostly wholesale that did it for me. As Dan said, it's a piece of equipment (not a money machine). Laser dealers are not any different than other equipment sellers when they talk about how much money you can make with their equipment. I have heard the same from
many other kinds of equipment dealers.
Sammamish, WA
Epilog Legend 24TT 45W, had a sign business for 17 years, now just doing laser work on the side.
"One only needs two tools in life: WD-40 to make things go, and duct tape to make them stop." G. Weilacher
"The handyman's secret weapon - Duct Tape" R. Green
Slightly offtopic: many years ago (1995-1997) Gerber have Gerber Edge advertising with hoop-net (scoop-net, skip) full of $ packs. I just change English text in this ad to local language, print it in professional magazines and untill 2000 I have calls like "I want buy equipment, which bring packs of $ when working"
Well like i said, im just an employee. I cant make the decison what is made, but ive been working with it for 4 years or so now and i havent seen much profit come off of it. There isnt much marketing directed too it and the rest of the shop is a job shop machine shop and i havent really seen it pushed to be used along with other equipment in the shop. I think it has loads of potential but i dont know what im doing when it comes to marketing so i cant tell the boss how to do things. What do you mean by know your customer, do u choose what you want to make first then find the customer? Please explain more
Kern 150wat HSE 50x52 table.
If you don't try to make money with the laser, you won't make money with the laser. I am also "Just and Employee" at my company, but I give input. Our owner wants us to find new and exciting things to offer. Since starting here in 2006 we have added a lot of successful and not so successful products based on my and other input. We are an awards company and we now operate 4 machines, 2 of them are running all day Mon-Fri.
I have worked for QuickTrophy LLC since 2006.
Trotec Speedy 360, 3 Universal PLS 360's, 1 M-360, and VLS 230
We also do color work using a Mimaki UJF-3042Fx and Sublimation Equipment
damn, thats nice. We are a machine shop, and if there is nothing to run on laser im welding or foarming parts so i dont really get much free time with the laser. I have suggested some ideas but i guess they never took cause we never tried them
Kern 150wat HSE 50x52 table.
I don't choose what I want to make, I look for people that make or need products we are capable of producing. An easy example would be electrical panel tags. Who uses them? Commercial electrical companies. Find out who they are, who's in charge of purchasing them, and go from there.
You're in a machine shop, you should have tons of use for it. Market small plastic parts, cut to shape. Small gears, prototype parts, etc. I cut 1000's and 1000's of small parts a month. If I had a laser when I was working in machine shops, I would have been a happy camper.
You are most likely already doing business for people that could use the service. If you make any parts that go on machinery, then it most likely has all sorts of engraved tags all over it. Just ask your customers to visit their places for a tour, while on the tour, you'll see many things. Ask them on the spot - "who makes those for you?". Then let them know you can make them.
You already have clients many of us would love to have. If they don't know what you can do, they won't order any. Most times purchasing agents think plastic tags and fabricated metal parts wouldn't be coming from the same source. If you educate them, they most often will be happy to give you a chance.
Lasers : Trotec Speedy 300 75W, Trotec Speedy 300 80W, Galvo Fiber Laser 20W
Printers : Mimaki UJF-6042 UV Flatbed Printer , HP Designjet L26500 61" Wide Format Latex Printer, Summa S140-T 48" Vinyl Plotter
Router : ShopBot 48" x 96" CNC Router Rotary Engravers : (2) Xenetech XOT 16 x 25 Rotary Engravers
Real name Steve but that name was taken on the forum. Used Middle name. Call me Steve or Scott, doesn't matter.