Help Needed Please

[NeedyPickle]

Hi ,

I am looking for advice.

I am looking to buy either the LS3060 or the LS6840

I want a machine that will engrave really nicely on glass using Photo Grav but can't afford one of the bigger machines. If I knew for sure that the LS3060 would do the job then I would buy it as it is £2,000 less than the LS6840

There is also a possibility of me getting a second hand LS1290pro for much the same price as the LS3060. The only thing with second hand is that I won't have a warranty with it.

Opinions would be welcome.

Pickle

[Spooky]

Hiya pickle,

A new 6840 would by my recomendation.the 1290 is a big,pretty poweful machine and overkill unless you have use for it.the warranty is well worth the extra cost of buying new.
Dont over estimate the quality of glass engraving using a laser,it isnt that brilliant and you need very good extraction to ensure safety.etching glass is a much cleaner and higher quality method.

What other uses are you looking at for the machine?

Best wishes

Dave

[NeedyPickle]

Thanks for that Spooky,

I am relatively new to this so as yet have not figured out everything I can do with a laser cutter.

I think there is a tremendous amount of potential in laser cutting but am just too scared to take the first step.

I am veering towards the smaller machine basically because of price. My thoughts are that if my little business does take off I can then up-grade and invest in a bigger more powerful machine.

All I really need to know is: will the 3060 do the job?

Alison

[avalonman]

I have the 6840 and the rotary attachment which I use with glass.

This works very well and the machine is constructed very nicely.

I would also reccomend this as your first choice.

[Spooky]

Hi Ali,

In the world of any kind of machine tools always go with the biggest your budget will stretch to. You will usually find the first job you do will be 10mm bigger than the travel on the table

It's better to have more capacity and not need it than to need more capacity and not have it , the 68 series have a full 680mm of travel, nothing worse than losing time on a 600mm bed trying to get your material bang on place before cutting etc.

I'm not familiar with the 60 series (I'm sure somebody will come along soon who is) so I don't know if it uses LaserCUT software or newlydraw , if its newlydraw then the 68 is most certainly the one to go for, lots less headaches with LaserCUT even though ND is a good package the learning curve is a little more precise

As to what you can do with a laser, well all I can say is I'm still finding new projects even after having an HPC machine of one type or another for over 2 years.My metal cutters have now been mothballed for the foreseeable future as the Laserscript machine does everything I need (at a MUCH lower price)

best wishes

Dave

[NeedyPickle]

Hi Avalonman and Spooky,

Thanks for your advice.

I have spent the last six weeks getting quotes, looking at machines and trying to figure out software. My head is now a jumbled mess of information and I may well go into overdrive at some point!!!

What I do know is that within the next week I will be buying either the HPC 6840 or the Mantech JD4060.

I have pretty much come to terms with the fact that the little machine will be outgrown really quickly and doesn't come with any form of training (I need training as I am technically challenged).

I need to make my mind up and stop harassing both companies as at some point they will get fed up with me and stop replying to my continual questioning.

I intend to engrave on glass to start of with.What would you say would be the best software to get for my computer as at the moment I have nothing?????

Thanks again

Alison

[Spooky]

Hi Ali,

ahhhh may be a bit of a problem, do you have any experience with any drawing packages either raster or vecTor types? ie:Photoshop,autocad or similar? if not do you have access to ready drawn projects for cutting or engraving?

best wishes

Dave