Replacement Lenses?

[Craig Matheny]

If you have 2 identical machines and one eats lenses and the other doesn't I would look at the machine setup, there must be a difference between them

Already have complete tear down after the last one got ate that is why I am leaning on bad batch lenses

[Bert Kemp]

what does 11 v1 say

Already have complete tear down after the last one got ate that is why I am leaning on bad batch lenses

[Kev Williams]

I've had 2 lenses crack like that, and 2 more I have with spots--

In my case it wasn't the lenses, or the machine- it's what I was cutting. Every so often a bit of sap, or plastic, or rock chip, or glass shard, or whatever, will 'ricochet' and hit the lens. Hard pieces can scratch or chip the lens, the organic stuff will stick to the lens, at which point the beam will either vaporize it quickly, or fuse it to the lens. If it fuses, the beam can get it hot enough to heat-stress the lens and crack it. Sometimes it will eventually roast what's stuck, and you'll find a spot on the lens.

I watched this happen on my Triumph one day, when deep cutting some wood for a customer. While watching the machine run, I noticed white light shining onto the wood for a few seconds. When the machine finished, I removed the lens housing and noticed the lens was broken. When I removed the lens from the tube it was in 3 pieces, and at the center of the lens where the crack started was a tiny dot of coked(?) charcoal, the source of my white light, and the heat that busted the lens. My spotted lenses had charcoal guck on them too, but they've never cracked.

My LS900, about 6 months after I bought it I was getting goofy looking lettering at certain Y coordinates. My rep had a service guy come out and figure out why- turned out he Y axix stepper belt had a tear in it, which started from a hot spark ricochet that hit the edge of the belt and slightly melted it, and it started to tear afterwards at some point...

Anyway, hot sparks do fly in these machines sometimes, and sometimes they take out lenses and belts!

[Craig Matheny]

HAve not contacted them letting Epilog deal with it as that is who I bought the lens from if no answer in a week then I will take it into my hands and contact them.

[Keith Winter]

I am on my third lens from these guys in my 60 watt the company Epilog uses and within 4-5 months of cutting the lens gets light in the middle like the finish has dissipated and cuts like crap. Now before we go with the exhaust and lens cleaning I have 2 lasers same exact hookup so it points to the manufacture. Epilog warranted the first one. Lens on the left new lens on the right second replacement lens. So 2 lens in a row same machine within 8 months time. I have ran these machines together for 4 years cutting wood 8-10 hours a day 6 days a week and in the last 8 months lens issues from this company not sure if they had a bad batch but look for yourself.

To me it looks like something desolved the coating on the lens on the right. However 5 months of heavy cutting isn't terrible for lifespan. Ideally you'd like to see a couple years or more, but if you're cleaning a lot and uses cheap cleaning paper or cheap cleaning solution, or bad technique you're going to go through more lenses than say perfect technique with the best cleaning supplies.

What are you using cleaning supplies wise? Also what is your exact technique? You should use a new piece of tissue paper every wipe and never rub aggressively, or use the same piece of tissue for more than one stroke.

[Raphael Weil]

To me it looks like something desolved the coating on the lens on the right. However 5 months of heavy cutting isn't terrible for lifespan. Ideally you'd like to see a couple years or more, but if you're cleaning a lot and uses cheap cleaning paper or cheap cleaning solution, or bad technique you're going to go through more lenses than say perfect technique with the best cleaning supplies.

What are you using cleaning supplies wise? Also what is your exact technique? You should use a new piece of tissue paper every wipe and never rub aggressively, or use the same piece of tissue for more than one stroke.

Out of curiosity what's considered cheap paper and cheap solution? Trotec sent me the big pink bottle after initially sending me the really cheap little white bottle. I also have their sheets that come in the orange package with the laser. If that stuff is bad I'll certainly buy something else.

[Craig Matheny]

Keith I have 2 lasers only this one has had the bad lens the other unit is at least 1 year + old so technique is not the issue. Lens cleaner is the optical cleaner from Epilog this is why I jumped in this post to see if others have had the issue.

[Gary Hair]

Out of curiosity what's considered cheap paper and cheap solution?

That's a good question. I'd say getting it from a reliable source, not ebay, would be a start. Trotec, for example, should be a reliable source.

Trotec sent me the big pink bottle after initially sending me the really cheap little white bottle. I also have their sheets that come in the orange package with the laser. If that stuff is bad I'll certainly buy something else.

My bet is that Trotec isn't going to send you cheap stuff. I'd continue using it.

If you are cleaning lenses twice a day then you are probably cleaning them 30 times more than most users, solely due to your usage, and they will have a much shorter lifespan than someone else might get out of theirs. If you are a little too aggressive with your cleaning then I would think you could shorten the lifespan as well, maybe by a lot.

Here is a great resource for the proper technique.
http://www.iiviinfrared.com/resource..._cleaning.html

[Kev Williams]

FWIW, I've cleaned my lenses for years using Windex, Fantastic, DNA, my breath--and a Q-tip. I have NEVER scratched a GOOD lens ( like those that came with the ULS and my LS900, both of which are originals, 19 and 12 years old) by cleaning them this way. The scratches that have happened was due something already on the lens that scratched it during the cleaning. I've posted pics of my ULS lens, the coating is in horrendous shape, which happened within 15 seconds one day when attempting to etch a piece of polished black onyx. The onxy literally exploded like fireworks while lasering, and and the flying pieces pretty much sandblasted the lens. Yet, at 19 years old this lens will still produce flawless .050" tall characters on any material. As for the cheap $20 ebay lenses, they tend to scratch pretty easily, but I've found if I'm just a little more careful (I don't baby stuff) they clean up nicely. Don't use used Q-tips is good advice I learned the hard way

I have to laugh at the GCC instructions on how to clean the mirrors, by pulling a wetted lens paper across the mirror and letting it air dry. Phhfff. My mirrors would never get clean that way. They get the same attention my lenses do, usually just a dry wipe with a Q-tip unless they're scuzzy, and that's rare. I've only had to replace one mirror ever, and the only reason I replaced that one (the one above the lens on my LS900) was because I'd scratched it while experimenting with it to see if the other side worked (it didn't)...and the replacement was free

[Raphael Weil]

That's a good question. I'd say getting it from a reliable source, not ebay, would be a start. Trotec, for example, should be a reliable source.



My bet is that Trotec isn't going to send you cheap stuff. I'd continue using it.

If you are cleaning lenses twice a day then you are probably cleaning them 30 times more than most users, solely due to your usage, and they will have a much shorter lifespan than someone else might get out of theirs. If you are a little too aggressive with your cleaning then I would think you could shorten the lifespan as well, maybe by a lot.

Here is a great resource for the proper technique.
http://www.iiviinfrared.com/resource..._cleaning.html

Trotec support told me to do them daily. Bad advice? Same with mirrors.

FWIW, I've cleaned my lenses for years using Windex, Fantastic, DNA, my breath--and a Q-tip. I have NEVER scratched a GOOD lens ( like those that came with the ULS and my LS900, both of which are originals, 19 and 12 years old) by cleaning them this way. The scratches that have happened was due something already on the lens that scratched it during the cleaning. I've posted pics of my ULS lens, the coating is in horrendous shape, which happened within 15 seconds one day when attempting to etch a piece of polished black onyx. The onxy literally exploded like fireworks while lasering, and and the flying pieces pretty much sandblasted the lens. Yet, at 19 years old this lens will still produce flawless .050" tall characters on any material. As for the cheap $20 ebay lenses, they tend to scratch pretty easily, but I've found if I'm just a little more careful (I don't baby stuff) they clean up nicely. Don't use used Q-tips is good advice I learned the hard way

I have to laugh at the GCC instructions on how to clean the mirrors, by pulling a wetted lens paper across the mirror and letting it air dry. Phhfff. My mirrors would never get clean that way. They get the same attention my lenses do, usually just a dry wipe with a Q-tip unless they're scuzzy, and that's rare. I've only had to replace one mirror ever, and the only reason I replaced that one (the one above the lens on my LS900) was because I'd scratched it while experimenting with it to see if the other side worked (it didn't)...and the replacement was free

Like a mix of all those things, or you mean you've used all of them at one point successfully? I'm totally up for using Windex and a q-tip. Sounds ideal! Anyone else do that?

[Kev Williams]

I just use whatever's within arm's reach

If I could actually discern any significant (or even insignificant) degradation of engraving or cutting "quality" due to a couple of scratches on a lens, maybe I'd be a little more careful

to wit:

Here's a piece of black anodized I just engraved---
lenstest1.jpg


and these are the two lenses I used:
lenstest2.jpg

So who can guess which lens engraved which line?

[Gary Hair]

Trotec support told me to do them daily. Bad advice? Same with mirrors.

In my opinion that is horrible advice! The only reason to clean the optics is when they need it, not some set schedule. I can go for a week or two without cleaning the lens and even longer for mirrors. However, if I'm lasering lots of acrylic or wood then I may clean them every couple of hours - again - as needed.

I'm totally up for using Windex and a q-tip. Sounds ideal! Anyone else do that?

NO! NO!, NO!, NO!, NO! Please don't do that! I don't care what Kev's results are, that WILL damage your optics. It costs so little to get the proper supplies and takes so little time to do it correctly that it's foolish to do it any other way.

[Raphael Weil]

Thanks for the great advice. And I suppose since all I do right now is really sappy hardwood, then the daily schedule makes sense for me.

[Gary Hair]

"As needed" - if you set yourself on a daily schedule then you'll come to a time when you have an extra sappy piece of wood and should have cleaned the lens a couple of hours early but didn't because it wasn't time yet, and you'll have an urgent need for a new lens...

[Keith Winter]

That's a good question. I'd say getting it from a reliable source, not ebay, would be a start. Trotec, for example, should be a reliable source.



My bet is that Trotec isn't going to send you cheap stuff. I'd continue using it.

If you are cleaning lenses twice a day then you are probably cleaning them 30 times more than most users, solely due to your usage, and they will have a much shorter lifespan than someone else might get out of theirs. If you are a little too aggressive with your cleaning then I would think you could shorten the lifespan as well, maybe by a lot.

Here is a great resource for the proper technique.
http://www.iiviinfrared.com/resource..._cleaning.html

Great advice Gary!

I'd also add that I was told the coating is there to protect your machine and laser tube. If you have a few light scratches on the coating you are ok but if portions of the coating are rubbed through, or heavy scratches, then toss the lens.