Originally Posted by
Kevin Gregerson
...Second piece, the compressor is really only needed as a way to keep the optics clean on epilogue machines and even then it's really only for when you are working with materials that put out a fair bit of smoke. If you are doing a ton of cuts on smoky materials like wood sure. But if you are using it for only anodized aluminium, no machine needs a compressor attached to it. I say wait till you go through a lens or mirror then look at air assist. The price of air assist compressor is usually equal to 5 or ten lenses. So unless you are planning on going through a set of optics annually or more. It's not exactly going to pay for itself especially when you can pretty much add it to your shop compressed air along with a dryer and oil separator for less.
Air assist is not only there to keep the optics clean. It prevents flare up and helps remove incinerated material from the kerf. I would not cut wood or acrylic without it.
I design, engineer and program all sorts of things.
Oh, and I use Adobe Illustrator with an Epilog Mini.