Xenetech tri star / dormant engraver

[Jonathan D. Goldstein]

I have an opportunity to purchase a long dormant (7 or more years) xenetech tri star engraver. Owner purchased it many years ago hoping to go into business and never did. Since the tri star is a discontinued item I was hoping to hear from people who owned it. How well did it work, especially the cylindrical attachment since Xenetech can no longer get parts for the cylindrical piece. Also, does anyone have any experiences with an engraver which wasn't used for more than 5 years? Are there problems with engravers if they stay dormant for so long?

[Dee Gallo]

I would not buy anything like that unless they turned it on and tested both raster and vector in front of me. Even so, I think I'd bring a tech along for inspection. But that's just me, maybe you are more mechanically inclined enough to judge electrical, motor, bulb, circuit boards, etc.

cheers, dee

[Mark Winlund]

Xenetech is also not supporting my three machines. The company has really gone down hill in the last few years. Do a search on "Xenetech" in the forums, and you will see some eye openers.

Some may not be aware of this, but the company's founder died some years ago, and the support for both equipment and software took a nose dive. Stay away.

Mark

[Daryl Gregg]

The only cheap way to buy it is if it comes with the computer that the software is installed on. Xenetech will support it at a cost. If my memory serves, somewhere around $1000 just to switch the machine to your name in their machine, then since it is out of warranty, pay for the tech support as you go or up front for a year. I bought a 912 a few years ago on ebay & had to resell it after I found this out.

[Jonathan D. Goldstein]

I already own a 9*12, GE and use a dahlgren 12*24 table. I'm looking to replace the 9*12 with a non viper product since there are issues with viper when you have internet security software on your computer. I'm most concerned with the dormancy and how it would affect the machine

[Jonathan D. Goldstein]

I have 3 machines also. I'm looking for feedback on their tri star which I was interested in to replace my aging 9*12. Concerned that the machine I'm looking at was dormant for so long.

[Roy Brewer]

Also, does anyone have any experiences with an engraver which wasn't used for more than 5 years?

Johnathan,

If it were a laser it would be a bodanker. But I've never known dormancy to be a problem with any mechanical engraver, and specifically a Xenetech. I would be concerned, however, that the owner has discarded the APU card that went in his win98(likely) box. Quite often when an owner ceases using an older style engraver they have long since forgotten that a vital part of the (legacy) Xenetech system is that APU(Auxiliary Processing Unit). The Tri Star is still serviceable except for the cylindrical attachment.

[Dan Hintz]

What the he!! is a "bodanker"?

[Dee Gallo]

What the he!! is a "bodanker"?

Thanks for asking that, Dan, I thought I was the only one out of the loop....

dee

[Roy Brewer]

What the he!! is a "bodanker"?

"Boat anchor" with a bit of Texas swagger.

[Mark Winlund]

Johnathan,

If it were a laser it would be a bodanker. But I've never known dormancy to be a problem with any mechanical engraver, and specifically a Xenetech. I would be concerned, however, that the owner has discarded the APU card that went in his win98(likely) box. Quite often when an owner ceases using an older style engraver they have long since forgotten that a vital part of the (legacy) Xenetech system is that APU(Auxiliary Processing Unit). The Tri Star is still serviceable except for the cylindrical attachment.

If anyone has a PCI board for the Xenetech, I would pay $400 for it (as long as it works!)

Mark