Looking to buy a laser cutter to help me start my jewelry supply business

[Dan Hintz]

With that budget and wattage range, you have already (inadvertently) answered a major question, Chinese or Western... you'll need to go with a Chinese machine. It's a trade-off... you get a similarly-sized machine for less money, but in return you may have to deal with more frustration is keeping things running, potentially slower processing times (depending upon what you're doing), etc. It's all relatively manageable, but you should be aware of the trade-off.

[Walt Langhans]

I sent you a PM Brandy

[Nathan Shaffer]

Mike,
One of the main selling points that I liked about the ULS is that their laser tubes are interchangable. So the machine that I am getting comes with a 25 Watt Tube. But for about $2000 I can buy a 35 Watt Tube. ULS also has designed their machines so that you do not have to worry about alignment issues. Buying used was the only way I could get a machine and everything that I wanted to get with it.

Respectively,
Nathan

[Brandy Butler]

OK, all of this input is exactly what I need! Thank you everyone for helping me in making a well informed decision. I am definitely looking into unchartered territory for myself. I am glad that I can bounce ideas in this community rather than being solely dependent on a Sales Rep point of view. Most of my pieces will be relatively small, but I do want to have the ability to produce them in volume.

At first I was very interested in Full Spectrum, I really liked their Kickstarter story, website, American company, etc. However, given the reviews that I have seen in this forum, I have definitely reconsidered that option. Walt, I will check your message.

[Joe Hillmann]

Mike,
One of the main selling points that I liked about the ULS is that their laser tubes are interchangable. So the machine that I am getting comes with a 25 Watt Tube. But for about $2000 I can buy a 35 Watt Tube. ULS also has designed their machines so that you do not have to worry about alignment issues. Buying used was the only way I could get a machine and everything that I wanted to get with it.

Respectively,
Nathan

Nathan, Are you sure you are right on your price of up grading your tube? $2000 seems very cheap for a ULS tube. When I had looked into exchanging my 55 watt tube the exchange price was about $1200 but to upgrade to the highest power tube that could fit in my machine (65 or 75 watts, I'm not sure which) was about $14,000. So like I said that $2000 to upgrade your tube seems very cheap unless that is upgrading to a used tube.

Although you are right you can very easily swap out tube cartridges. You just disconnect three wire connections, lift out the cartridge, drop the new one in, re connect the wires and you are ready to run. Although I think the most powerful tube you can put in the M300 is 40 watts.

I do have a M300 35 watt and it is slow, and small, with only a 12x 24 bed.

[Brandy Butler]

Roy bought up another subject that I meant to touch on. What attachments & add on do I absolutely need? I figured that I would need a rotary add on & water pump system. I plan on doing the work in my basement (is this realistic?). What do I do to handle ventilation concerns and trash/mess?

[Joe Hillmann]

I don't have any Chinese CO2's so this is from what I have read here. With the Chinese machines some of them will not fire at under 10% power. On the lower power machines that isn't a problem but on some of the more powerful machines being unable to go below 10% wont allow you to do some delicate engraving. Hopefully someone with a Chinese laser will chime in and let you know if that is an issue you need to consider.

[Joe Hillmann]

Roy bought up another subject that I meant to touch on. What attachments & add on do I absolutely need? I figured that I would need a rotary add on & water pump system. I plan on doing the work in my basement (is this realistic?). What do I do to handle ventilation concerns and trash/mess?

You absolutely need some type of ventilation system. You can vent it outside as is, or run it through a filter and then vent it outside or back inside. It isn't that you should have a ventilation system, you NEED it.

An air compressor is needed if you have air assist.

The rotary is only needed if you plan to do round objects.

You need some type of cooling system that I assume the laser company will include a low end cooler with your laser and you can upgrade it for a price.

Just last week, for the first time, I bought some transfer paper. It makes my final products 1000% better and I would recommend you buy some.

A honey comb table also can make your products turn out much better.

Lens cleaning fluid and lens paper would be good to have on hand, they make for a safe way to clean your lenses without having to worry about scratching the lenses.

You need a computer and some type of drawing program. Most use CorelDraw. In Corel is where you do all your designing. It may be a good idea to get Corel as soon as possible so you can start learning. If money is a concern you could buy an older version of Corel on ebay for a couple hundred dollars. The only problem is if you get a copy on ebay if you get student copy you cant update it in the future if you want to at the upgrade price.

[Paul Phillips]

Hi Brandy, and welcome to the Creek, lot's of great info and great people as you've already seen. Here's another option for you for a used laser source. http://www.usedlasers.com/content/view/40/43/
Also, nobody has mentioned yet that financing is usually available from the US distributors so you might consider that as an option. In my opinion, since you are new to lasers, I would recommend talking to a US rep who can come to your place of business and set-up the machine for you with all the accessories and train you for at least a few hours how to use the machine, also, they are there to help you with any questions or problems, this is what the higher priced machines come with and for some, it is invaluable. If this sounds good to you, here are some contacts.
http://www.ulsinc.com/
http://www.epiloglaser.com/

Also, as many have said in answering this same question before, starting to learn CorelDraw will be your biggest hurdle, maybe pick-up a copy and start learning it, there are tons of great tutorials online.
Good luck, hope this helps.
Paul

[Martin Boekers]

As for what you need, a computer (maybe Corel Draw or not, some freeware out there, some machine have to use special software
Non- USA machines mainly) I highly recommend Corel. Dan Hintz posted on the sitet a while back instructions on how to create an air filter
cheaply. Do a search here or maybe Dan will post a link You can set up in a basement or garage as many here do, but while most
fumes may not be toxic, neighbors will complain, esp when cutting acrylic. So a filtering system sould be considered. You will
need a honeycomb or vector table for cutting. Rotary, I'd pass on right now. Its a big expense and lest you use it alot right away
I think money would be better spent on other items. If you plan on doing metal you will need a shear about $400. If you get a
water cooled machine you will need a chiller. If you import many here get an extra tube , lens etc as shipping can be expensive
later. See the sticky at the top of the forum about Chinese lasers. Many supply companies require a Tax ID to purchase from them,
some don't, many do. Check on insurance too as a laser is a fire hazard and you want to make sure you are covered.

[Richard Coers]

I suggest you not buy a laser at the start of your business. There are only so many hours in the day, and starting a new business will eat up a ton of those hours. Have someone else cut the first runs of the pieces for you. Lets you sell a fixed cost item. You will then be able to understand what sells, and production volumes needed. Then if you have extra time, shop for the laser then. Cash flow at the start up will be an issue. No need of blowing through $5,000 and then hope you got the right machine, or have trouble getting the Chinese machine to run, and not having anything to sell. You may find that you can get the pieces made for less than it will cost you, unless you don't consider your labor worth anything.

[Dan Hintz]

Dan Hintz posted on the sitet a while back instructions on how to create an air filter cheaply. Do a search here or maybe Dan will post a link

See my blog here... only one post.

[Nathan Shaffer]

[QUOTE=Joe Hillmann;2082897]Nathan, Are you sure you are right on your price of up grading your tube? $2000 seems very cheap for a ULS tube. When I had looked into exchanging my 55 watt tube the exchange price was about $1200 but to upgrade to the highest power tube that could fit in my machine (65 or 75 watts, I'm not sure which) was about $14,000. So like I said that $2000 to upgrade your tube seems very cheap unless that is upgrading to a used tube.

Although you are right you can very easily swap out tube cartridges. You just disconnect three wire connections, lift out the cartridge, drop the new one in, re connect the wires and you are ready to run. Although I think the most powerful tube you can put in the M300 is 40 watts.

I do have a M300 35 watt and it is slow, and small, with only a 12x 24 bed.[/QUOT

I am buying a VLS2.30 at 25watts. The quote was for a reconditioned 30watt tube. I would venture to guess that the more power, more money.


Respectively,
Nathan

[Roy Nielsen]

You absolutely need some type of ventilation system. You can vent it outside as is, or run it through a filter and then vent it outside or back inside. It isn't that you should have a ventilation system, you NEED it.

An air compressor is needed if you have air assist.

The rotary is only needed if you plan to do round objects.

You need some type of cooling system that I assume the laser company will include a low end cooler with your laser and you can upgrade it for a price.

Just last week, for the first time, I bought some transfer paper. It makes my final products 1000% better and I would recommend you buy some.

A honey comb table also can make your products turn out much better.

Lens cleaning fluid and lens paper would be good to have on hand, they make for a safe way to clean your lenses without having to worry about scratching the lenses.

You need a computer and some type of drawing program. Most use CorelDraw. In Corel is where you do all your designing. It may be a good idea to get Corel as soon as possible so you can start learning. If money is a concern you could buy an older version of Corel on ebay for a couple hundred dollars. The only problem is if you get a copy on ebay if you get student copy you cant update it in the future if you want to at the upgrade price.

Brandy,

Joe has great recommendations above.

Some of the U.S. resellers include a lot of the above items in their "professional" models prices, making them much more close in price with the "hobby" lasers that don't include the stuff.

Let me add that some/many/most of the Chinese lasers only integrate well with older versions of Corel Draw. Mine for instance can only work directly with CDR 12 (I bought on eBay). Also, the driver software will only run on Windows XP, maybe 2000, not Vista/7/8. I could use a newer version of CDR, but I'd have to save the file and import it into LaserCut rather than send directly to an interface layer. I believe most or all of the U.S. made lasers use a printer driver interface that doesn't care what software you use.

Roy