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Thread: Experience: Cheap eBay focal lens from China

  1. #1

    Experience: Cheap eBay focal lens from China

    Just thought I'd share my experience about a cheap focal lens I ordered from China via eBay. I decided to try the eBay lens out because it cost about 85% less than from a local dealer and I was not in a hurry to get a new focal lens.

    I placed the order for a "New HQ ZnSe Focal Lens for CO2 Laser Cutting Engraving Diam 18mm FL 50.8mm" on 4. september. I decided to go with the lens that said "Origin USA" and pay a bit of extra (bout 50$) compared to the one that didn't say the origin so precicely. The seller was called win-win-mechatronic. They sent a message the very next day that the item had been shipped. I received the lens yesterday, October 1. so the shipping took almost a month. Was getting a bit worried, but thankfully everything went ok with the delivery.

    The lens was wrapped in a protective tissue and placed insice a cushioned plastic case. The case was then enclosed in a bubble wrap envelope.

    The original lens on the Epilog machine is 1 mm larger in diameter than the one I ordered, and this was because they only sold 19.5mm (instead of 19mm) lenses and I was not sure if the tiny bit larger lens would fit in the case, so I ordered a smaller one instead. The 18mm fits in nicely, although you have to carefully align it to the center of the chase before tightening the screws. I'm thinking of placing something around the lens (or the lens chase) to keep it in the middle more easily.

    Then to the cutting results:

    I had noticed a bit of a power loss since my old settings weren't quite making it through the materials I had cut before with ease. This was probably because my focal lens had lost the surface coating and had a few scratches because of inappropriate cleaning techniques (my mistake I won't be doing again). When I placed the cheap focal lens on, my old settings started to cut through again. I've only done a few cut tests, but so far it seems that the cheap eBay lens gives as good of a cutting result, as the machine used to have with a non scratched original lens.

    Hopefully this experience is of use for someone!
    Henri Sallinen
    Cardboard designer with a Epilog Helix 24 60w + Gunnar Matboard Cutter + Heidelberg Windmill letterpress

  2. #2
    Thank you Henri. Good information.
    Mike Null

    St. Louis Laser, Inc.

    Trotec Speedy 300, 80 watt
    Gravograph IS400
    Woodworking shop CLTT and Laser Sublimation
    Dye Sublimation
    CorelDraw X5, X7

  3. #3
    Chinese 19.5mm is in fact 19.05mm Henri (ergo 3/4") probably a missprint as winwin's English isn't great.

    cheers

    Dave
    You did what !

  4. #4
    Been testing out a lot of different engravings along the day including stamp rubber, metal + cermark, matboard and everything seems to work just fine if not better. So no problems with the new cheap lens so far.
    Henri Sallinen
    Cardboard designer with a Epilog Helix 24 60w + Gunnar Matboard Cutter + Heidelberg Windmill letterpress

  5. #5
    Thanks for the tip Dave!

    I had similar thoughts when ordering the lens but since I wanted to be sure that the first test lens would fit, I went with the smaller diameter.

    I'll have to order another lens in the future with a longer focal lenght and try the 19.5mm (or 19.05mm) diameter.
    Henri Sallinen
    Cardboard designer with a Epilog Helix 24 60w + Gunnar Matboard Cutter + Heidelberg Windmill letterpress

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Iowa USA
    Posts
    4,441
    You don't have to order from China, LightObject carries in stock and they are based in California. I have ordered from them in the past and find they ship fast and products are good.
    Retired Guy- Central Iowa.HVAC/R , Cloudray Galvo Fiber , -Windows 10

  7. #7
    Bill: That might be true if you live in the States

    I've found out that when I try to order from US, the postage fees are almost as much as the products itself!
    Henri Sallinen
    Cardboard designer with a Epilog Helix 24 60w + Gunnar Matboard Cutter + Heidelberg Windmill letterpress

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    North Yorkshire, UK
    Posts
    465
    Quote Originally Posted by Henri Sallinen View Post
    Bill: That might be true if you live in the States

    I've found out that when I try to order from US, the postage fees are almost as much as the products itself!
    Same problem from the UK
    60w EFI 6090 & 100w Z4 Reci 6090 G Weike Lasers, 4 X 4 CNC Router
    CLTT using Oki C822dn & Adkins Press
    Glass Sandblasting, Woodwork Shop, etc...
    V Carve Pro v8 & Photo V Carve, Lasercut 5.3, Corel Draw 2017 on Windows 7 and iMac (via Parallels), etc

  9. #9
    I have the same lens, which I bought from Hong Kong. It arrived in around two weeks (I was expecting it to take longer). Haven't tried it yet as I just got it as a spare. Cost was £13.53 including delivery.

  10. #10
    Thanks for the review! Some of their OEM stuff can be expensive! Glad to see there are alternatives out there.

  11. #11
    Thanks Henri,

    I am in the the middle of a tune up on an Epilog Mini 24. I just ordered the 19.05mm lens from China. Hope it works as good for us but glad to know it's successful for you. I am replacing the lens, mirror, x drive belt, and ribbon cable that attaches to the encoder. Expecting to spend about $150 to replace these parts. Getting the drive belt, mirror, and ribbon cable from Epilog. If the Chinese lens performs well I will order a 4" version from there as well. Can't beat $29 plus free shipping for a 2" lens! Could replace it 6 or 7 times for the price of one from Epilog.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Vermont
    Posts
    1,484
    I'm about to find out..
    I ordered a 2" lens, a 1.5" lens and 3 mirrors.
    Came to about $138 including shipping and
    got here in about 10 days. (marked 'shipped' within
    2 hours, but took 4 days to actually get to a post
    office in China) got to the US 3 days later.

    I just cut a new acrylic lens holder to test one out, but is
    there something special about glue? Something I should
    avoid? Anything I should use that I don't have? Don't
    want to ruin anything before I even get started..

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    naples florida
    Posts
    278
    hi there
    just my two cent on lens, I use GaAs lens for $34 including shipping from china and they are super excellent much more cutting power then the best ZnSe lenses and much more scratch resistance.
    greetings
    waltfl

  14. #14
    about focus lens

    most of china focus lens Diameter is 20mm America focus lens Diameter is:19.05mm

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Vermont
    Posts
    1,484
    the ones I just got from winwin are both 19.05mm
    Avatar courtesy of the awesome Frank Corker
    30w Mercury and workbench so full of misc. tools that
    I can't find any of them. So I have to buy them again.

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