anyone on 101 running a laser?

[petepaz]

we just got a coherent metabeam laser. just wondering if anyone on here has a laser? didn't see a laser section in the forum. don't need any help...YET but i am sure there will be questions and issues along the way.

 

[Gene@mpls]

Hi Pete- that looks like a serious piece of machinery. I have a Chicom Co2 130w 3x4ft laser I am setting up. What software do you use?

 

[petepaz]

it's pretty cool so far Gene. ours runs off compressed air, we have a whole filter system set up for it. the software is laserlink. just starting to get familiar with it, really don't know a whole lot yet. figured i see who else had a laser in case we need some advise. we are cutting 5/8 plywood for our die boards, acrylic, aluminum, polycarbonate and a fiberboard right now but we have plenty of jobs we can use it for. what are you doing with yours?

 

[DerbyCitySignGuy]

we just got a coherent metabeam laser. just wondering if anyone on here has a laser? didn't see a laser section in the forum. don't need any help...YET but i am sure there will be questions and issues along the way.

We're running an older Universal, but it still gets the work done! Sometimes I wish we had a larger processing area on it, but we still use it all day, every day, so I guess I can't complain.

 

[JW]

We just got rid of our Coherent Metabeam after only 3 years. We had too many issues with customer support or lack there of and we had constant problems making consistent cuts throughout the day, especially when trying to cut aluminum. Acrylic, woods and stainless steal usually didn't give us much trouble though. We just purchased a new Kern system and so far to date no issues.... Hopefully you will have better luck with that machine than we did.

 

[bjt140]

Congrats on the laser! What wattage did you end up with?

I am running 2 Epilog lasers and a Kern as well. I joined this site to learn more about uv flatbed printers in hopes of adding one in the near future.

Pending the size of your laser we may have the same tube, I saw on their site they are using the diamond series which is what my Kern has.

Congrats again!

 

[Gene@mpls]

Kern is made in my old home town of Wadena, Mn. He is a very smart man- and seems to be doing very well.

 

[SignProPlus-Alex]

I am using 16 years old epilog with 100w tube. It will still cut 1/2 acrylic in one pass. software and driver is old and does not have as much control as new laser but it works for me. Mostly I do laser engraving on rowmark, wood, acrylic.

 

[arrrrr88]

we just got a coherent metabeam laser. just wondering if anyone on here has a laser? didn't see a laser section in the forum. don't need any help...YET but i am sure there will be questions and issues along the way.

hi, petepaz.

Not a pro or anything, but I've been using a 400w metabeam since ~2013. I've never tried cutting any aluminum (I was told that its rough on the optics) but have been working with steel, wood, and various plastics.

I'd be happy to try and help whenever possible.

 

[Fred Weiss]

didn't see a laser section in the forum.

The CNC Routing forum in intended to also include laser cutters, plasma, water jets etc.

 

[Signs101Admin]

I have a thunder laser.

 

[Naskhan]

We've got a stable of lasers at our facility.

big one is 3kW fiber by Ipg. Also have a 100w co2 Rofin based and a 3 axis galvo (100w) scanlab/ipg based. All of them equipped with camera recognition.

 

[MGB_LE]

I am using 16 years old epilog with 100w tube. It will still cut 1/2 acrylic in one pass. software and driver is old and does not have as much control as new laser but it works for me. Mostly I do laser engraving on rowmark, wood, acrylic.

Any shopping tips you could share? I'd like to be able to cut 1/2" acrylic in one pass. You've also shown that the same laser will engrave a business card quite well.

 

[Abraxas Aguilera]

we just got a coherent metabeam laser. just wondering if anyone on here has a laser? didn't see a laser section in the forum. don't need any help...YET but i am sure there will be questions and issues along the way.

We're running an Epilog Legend 36 EXT Model 9000 - 36" x 24"

 

[Stefanie]

We just picked up a used laser the electrician was here yesterday finishing the plugs breaker and such. Glad to see this thread no doubt there will be questions and panic at some point in the near future.

 

[Gene@mpls]

What did you buy Stefanie? It kind of breaks down as Chinese built machines with CO2 glass tubes and the US/Canadian built with metal tubes like Epilog and Kern.

 

[johnnysigns]

We've run a 3655 format Boss laser system here on and off for the last 4yrs. I feel like it paid for itself within 9-10 months of it being in use.