Hi all. I've been reading the forums a while but this is my first post.
I'm curious what Epilog, Trotec or other product configurations people are using to reliably cut quarter inch material (acrylic and veneered plywood). The threads I've read when they compare Epilog and Trotec have focused on raster speed rather than endurance doing vector cutting.
I've been using a 50W Epilog Helix with a 2" lens which has performed well with 1/8" material but cutting 1/4" seems to be at the edge of the machine's performance envelope. Settings for success are varying based on how long the machine's been running that day, and whether it's in the cool of the evening or the heat of the afternoon sun.
To get more consistent results I'm unsure whether changing to a 4" lens, or a different machine is appropriate if I want to get through the material in one pass each time I have a job to cut. I'm interested in hearing what other's would spec (1) if they cut 1/4" occasionally - say a few hours per week or (2) all the time, say 8 hrs/day.
Thanks!
-Richard