Hi All,
Brendan from South London.
Thinking of buying a laser-cutter. Love to tinker and build stuff.
An example project
http://cuffelink.com/news/
Not sure if this is the right place in the forum for questions....
Would to play with a cutter before I purchase - trying to arrange a day-off work to head to Halifax. Rory mentioned three schools nearby - but I am not sure if the schools will let me play.
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE SCHOOL
FROGNAL, HAMPSTEAD, LONDON, NW3 6XH
LANGDON SCHOOL
SUSSEX ROAD, LONDON , E6 2PS
GOLDSMITHS UNIVERSITY OF LONDON
DESIGN OFFICE, DEPARTMENT OF DESIGN, 108 LOCKWOOD OFFICE, NEW CROSS, LONDON , SE14 6NW
Got the samples in the post and a leaflet about Fespa - http://www.fespa.com/london/en/the-exhi ... 172&list=1 Will there be a cutter being demo-ed ?
Anyone got a video of how to do the alignment of the mirrors ?
Anyone running LAOS - http://wiki.laoslaser.org/ ?
Regards,
Brendan
Hello from South London
Re: Hello from South London
Hiya Brendan,
Looking at the pic (and very nice it is too) you may need something in the upper end of machinery like YAG or Fiber if your looking to cut metal or engrave circuits. I know Chris does indeed do a lot of higher end stuff so always worth contacting them direct
best wishes and welcome to the fun
Dave
Trust me, a day at HPC will be far more beneficial than going to a client who has a laser, horses mouth an all. Only downside is you can easily come away with too many toysWould to play with a cutter before I purchase - trying to arrange a day-off work to head to Halifax. Rory mentioned three schools nearby - but I am not sure if the schools will let me play.
Ask them normally Chris,Simon and the guys have machines under power at Expo's but I guess it depends on the venue.Will there be a cutter being demo-ed ?
Lots of ways to do it and it often depends on what machine as the methods vary.Anyone got a video of how to do the alignment of the mirrors ?
Not on a Leetro controller they aren't.Anyone running LAOS - http://wiki.laoslaser.org/ ?
Looking at the pic (and very nice it is too) you may need something in the upper end of machinery like YAG or Fiber if your looking to cut metal or engrave circuits. I know Chris does indeed do a lot of higher end stuff so always worth contacting them direct
best wishes and welcome to the fun
Dave
Please note I am not employed by HPC, any advice or recomendations I give are based on my own experience and are not necessarily the same as HPC's. First point of contact on any hardware issues should be with HPC
Dave@OpticalPower.co.uk
Dave@OpticalPower.co.uk
Re: Hello from South London
Hi Dave,
Thanks,
Brendan
Yep, well maybe - need to find a Friday. I guessing if I do go - I am already a customer - it is not if it will be a case of how much.Trust me, a day at HPC
How about - http://wiki.laoslaser.org/projects/laos/wiki/HPC_LS3020 ?Not on a Leetro controller they aren't.
Sorry, mis-leading by me - Not looking to do metal cutting or engrave circuits as yet, just wanted to give an example of projects.Looking at the pic (and very nice it is too) you may need something in the upper end of machinery like YAG or Fiber if your looking to cut metal or engrave circuits. I know Chris does indeed do a lot of higher end stuff so always worth contacting them direct
I am embarrassed to say I have a 3d printer (for plastic) gathering dust because I build it badly and it is a pain to use. My DIY skill are no very good at all. My DIY motivation is ever lower. (Ask my partner for references ) So really just trying to get a feel on what it is like to maintain - how much time spent set-up and configuring and re-aligning versus how much time actually MAKING.Lots of ways to do it and it often depends on what machine as the methods vary.
Thanks,
Brendan
Re: Hello from South London
Hi Brendan,
Welcome
Dave
Welcome
Dave
Using two LS3060's and an ex 3020 user
Please note I am not employed by HPC, any advice or recomendations I give are based on my own experience and are not necessarily the same as HPC's. First point of contact on any hardware issues should be with HPC
Please note I am not employed by HPC, any advice or recomendations I give are based on my own experience and are not necessarily the same as HPC's. First point of contact on any hardware issues should be with HPC
Re: Hello from South London
Hi Brendan,
Jump to the other end with Trotech or Universal and you have great machines that rarely need user intervention if ever.
K40's run 300 quid at worst, a ULS can run £50,000 at median...everything else is somewhere in the middle.
Chinese lasers in general are built to pretty basic standards (hence the reason I'm no big supporter of direct imports) so when buying one there are often things that need to be done to get where you want to be. With a UK based machine some of those things are already done, with an HPC machine ALL of those things are already done.
They are on the whole "Plug and play" (assembly of a few ancilliaries required like plugging in the odd power cable or water pipe,the same as every other laser), lasers do go wrong, it's the nature of the beast but there is very little you cannot manage if you have a skill level comparable to writing an email on a PC.
I use my machines on a daily basis, up to 18 hour days and have been for the last 5 years and the overall run to maintain ratio is in the fractions of a percentage. (hour a month maybe)
This may all seem like an advert for HPC but I'm one of those people that tells it like I see it based on experience of Chris,Simon,Charlotte and all the staff as well as ownership of more than one of their machines I'm now yet again looking at buying from them again (a pretty expensive machine as well).
Your welcome to drop by mine (I'm in Salisbury so a lot closer than Halifax) if you want to see an HPC box in action? (1290 80watt) and judge for yourself what they are like
best wishes
Dave
ps: I also don't now and never have worked for, or been paid by, HPC for any service or commentary or reviews I have written.
How long is a bit of string joking aside, Laser operator skill levels are directly related to price, take the well known K40 series of Chinese lasers.....out of the box, total tosh..not even worth storage space...but modified with a £1,500 input of bits and you can have a semi decent machine. (read: semi decent, IE shiny rubbish)I am embarrassed to say I have a 3d printer (for plastic) gathering dust because I build it badly and it is a pain to use. My DIY skill are no very good at all. My DIY motivation is ever lower. (Ask my partner for references ) So really just trying to get a feel on what it is like to maintain - how much time spent set-up and configuring and re-aligning versus how much time actually MAKING.
Jump to the other end with Trotech or Universal and you have great machines that rarely need user intervention if ever.
K40's run 300 quid at worst, a ULS can run £50,000 at median...everything else is somewhere in the middle.
Chinese lasers in general are built to pretty basic standards (hence the reason I'm no big supporter of direct imports) so when buying one there are often things that need to be done to get where you want to be. With a UK based machine some of those things are already done, with an HPC machine ALL of those things are already done.
They are on the whole "Plug and play" (assembly of a few ancilliaries required like plugging in the odd power cable or water pipe,the same as every other laser), lasers do go wrong, it's the nature of the beast but there is very little you cannot manage if you have a skill level comparable to writing an email on a PC.
I use my machines on a daily basis, up to 18 hour days and have been for the last 5 years and the overall run to maintain ratio is in the fractions of a percentage. (hour a month maybe)
This may all seem like an advert for HPC but I'm one of those people that tells it like I see it based on experience of Chris,Simon,Charlotte and all the staff as well as ownership of more than one of their machines I'm now yet again looking at buying from them again (a pretty expensive machine as well).
Your welcome to drop by mine (I'm in Salisbury so a lot closer than Halifax) if you want to see an HPC box in action? (1290 80watt) and judge for yourself what they are like
Means a card change, I'm no real tinkerer with cards but the standard Leetro controller is very good so I have never wanted to swap it out.To me it would be like buying a Ford just to put a Vauxhall engine in it.How about -******laoslaser.org/projects/laos/wiki/HPC_LS3020 ?
best wishes
Dave
ps: I also don't now and never have worked for, or been paid by, HPC for any service or commentary or reviews I have written.
Please note I am not employed by HPC, any advice or recomendations I give are based on my own experience and are not necessarily the same as HPC's. First point of contact on any hardware issues should be with HPC
Dave@OpticalPower.co.uk
Dave@OpticalPower.co.uk
Re: Hello from South London
Dave,
Very, very informative response. Thanks.
Salisbury is not too far (<2hours) - I may take you up on that offer. (Happy to Private Message / email) me to further this conversation.
Anyway - hell of a warm welcome....
Cheers,
Brendan
Very, very informative response. Thanks.
Ok - just reading up. I now understand your first comment I may have to re-cycle a old machine and see if I can dig out an old windows license.Means a card change, I'm no real tinkerer with cards but the standard Leetro controller is very good so I have never wanted to swap it out.To me it would be like buying a Ford just to put a Vauxhall engine in it.
Salisbury is not too far (<2hours) - I may take you up on that offer. (Happy to Private Message / email) me to further this conversation.
Anyway - hell of a warm welcome....
Cheers,
Brendan
Re: Hello from South London
Hpc is well worth it, the reason i am looking at buying a second (actually third laser owned) laser to complement the one i already have. I considered g.weike, but Halifax is 2 hours away, and the service is excellent.
http://www.tmbelectronics.com - Electronics, tools, hobby tools, power tools, and much more!
An ex LS3020 user now playing with an LS6840PRO (60W) and an LS1290PRO (80W)
An ex LS3020 user now playing with an LS6840PRO (60W) and an LS1290PRO (80W)
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