Epilog Legend EX tickle adjustment

[Michael Hunter]

Anyone know how to adjust the tickle on the Legend EX series machines?

The vertical edges of my engravings are becoming fuzzy and it appears that the first dot in a group is firing at less than half the power of the subsequent ones. This happens even when engraving fine text where the verticals are pretty close together.

To get round it at the moment, I'm using higher and higher dpi, but I'm already on 1200 for some things, so I'm running out of headroom.

It is almost certainly that the tube is on its way out (the machine is 7.5 years old), but perhaps I could prolong it if I could play with the tickle.

I did ask my Epilog dealer a while ago about the adjustment but they just talked round it. When pressed they say that the man who new all about "those old machines" had left the company. Not the level of helpfulness that I had become used to.

BTW, vectoring is still working fine at all frequencies.

Thanks

[Mike Null]

Michael

Are you by chance engraving at the very left edge of your table. If so move the piece out to the right by a half inch or so.

[Michael Hunter]

No - happens all over (22" wide switch panels).

I have never experienced this "won't engrave on the left" thing on my machine.

[Joe Pelonio]

When you do a grid, like on graph paper, the horizontals are fine and the verticals are fuzzy or light?

If so, you probably are experiencing a power issue, slowing it down may help but also try wider vertical lines.
If you have the verticals at one point, try 1.5 on the verticals and see if that helps.

[Michael Hunter]

Yes - it is only the verticals that are fuzzy.
The line width does not make a difference - thin or wide they have fuzzy edges.

[Joe Pelonio]

Is it all of the verticals or just the first and last? If the latter, you could try and additional line left and right of them
outside of where it will be cut out, so that the stop and reverse condition is eliminated from the problem. Rather than the dealer, try calling Epilog Technical Support directly.

[Michael Hunter]

All of them unfortunately.

I have put in another call to my dealer and if that does not work I will email Epilog direct.

It did occur to me that it is a long time since I had the back panel off the machine.
I will give it a cleanout and check all the electrical connections are secure, though I don't hold out much hope of that solving the problem.


Several hours later -
Opened up the back of the machine. Surprisingly little dust and muck inside, just a small spiderweb. No loose connections. No difference when I tried it.

[Michael Hunter]

Called my dealer today (well, ex-dealer really, since they now sell Trotec).
Very helpful with lots of suggestions to help improve the output quality, but could not tell me how to adjust the tickle.

I have now emailed Epilog direct.

[Chris J Drew]

Hi Michael!
When you find out, please let me know if tickle adjustment is indeed possible on the on the Legend EX.
Chris.

[Michael Hunter]

Finally getting some answers from people who know the EX series and it seems that there is NO adjustment possible for us users.

(I'm sure that there must be an adjustment - probably tucked away in the RF box - but I'm not prepared to delve that far whilst the machine is still working at all).


Epilog want nearly £4000 for an exchange tube (with a big fat deposit on top).
The UK laser people want around £2000, but I loose the tube for 3 or 4 weeks (lonnnng shutdown for the summer - would sound good if I didn't need to work).
The UK people also take the RF box and check that out which is a bonus.

Wonder which one I will choose?
I'm also considering putting the "saved" money towards a small Chinese laser so I have a backup during the refurb and for the future.