Two Years with Rabbit Laser

[Bert Kemp]

Ok I'm hesitant to write this as sometimes I think if you say something good something will go wrong LOL
I've owned my Rabbit 6040 /60 watt for 2 years now. I drove it home from Ohio to AZ in the open back of my pickup.Unloaded it into the house and started using it. Didn't have to realign mirrors as everything seemed good. I'm still on the original tube, tho its is only used about 15 hours a week, and I still have not had to align the mirrors after 2 yrs.It cuts and engraves well so I'm not gonna mess with it.
I've had basically no mechanical trouble and the little I did have Kev helped me fix with a change in settings. Thanks Kev. Corel has been a challenge for me but everyone here helps with that and always gets the problem solved. Thanks everyone. The few times I've had to call Rabbit, Carol or Ray would get the problem solved in one call, Thanks Ray and Carol.This machine is built like a tank .a couple of weeks ago I had a fire. I was engraving a large piece of acrylic and I turn off air when engraving, because the dust from acrylic blows all over the place. I uncheck the cut box and when engrave is done I turn on the air and then do the cut and stand there and watch it.Well I guess I forgot to uncheck the cut box and when the machine stopped I got up to check the engraving and saw that it was all done including the cutting. Well I always do a second pass cutting at less power, and sat down to make the change in the settings and I smelt something and looked up and flames were literally up to the ceiling. I grabbed the extinguisher got the fire out and sat down heart broken as I knew this was major repair and expense. When I got up to look the whole acrylic cover was melted a big hole burnt out of itIMG_20171125_091809826 (Copy).jpgIMG_20171125_091825649 (Copy).jpg

I went to lift the cover but it was to hot to touch. I felt around the machine and the whole thing was hot, so I walked away feeling really low, and just left it alone till the next day. I open the cover and everything is cover in black carbon but I noticed that the head was parked in the lower right corner and didn't look to bad, I looked at the belts and wires and all looked ok. I spent the better part of 2 days cleaning the machine. took the cover out , cleaned all the mirrors lens, and lubed everything. and turned it on hit the datum button and I was shocked but it went home. I used the arrow keys and moved the head all around and that was ok. So I loaded an engraving in hit start and WOW it works. I ordered a new cover and I'm good to go. KNOCK ON WOOD that it stays this way. I realize that the fire might have done some unseen damage that will show up later, like weakened the belts or wires or what have you that might give way later on but still I'm very impressed that it works at all.
So you know if I ever have to buy another Laser it will be a Rabbit from Ray and Carol at Rabbit Laser USA.

[John Lifer]

Good luck with it, I'd bet not much damage if it runs now. I would get a set of belts just in case, and watch for idiosyncrasies with engraving that might show up as wires shorting. I'd do a pretty close check of the wires that might have gotten singed. But sounds like they might be OK....

[Bert Kemp]

I looked things over pretty good and will keep an eye on how everything is

Good luck with it, I'd bet not much damage if it runs now. I would get a set of belts just in case, and watch for idiosyncrasies with engraving that might show up as wires shorting. I'd do a pretty close check of the wires that might have gotten singed. But sounds like they might be OK....

[Bill George]

If it was a dry chemical fire extinguisher that powder is corrosive when in contact with moisture. I would take it outside and open it all up and shop vac first and then blow out with compressed air. If its co2 extinguisher no issues.

[Bert Kemp]

No Issues Bill its all cleaned and lubed and working again

[QUOTE=Bill George;2748230]If it was a dry chemical fire extinguisher that powder is corrosive when in contact with moisture. I would take it outside and open it all up and shop vac first and then blow out with compressed air. If its co2 extinguisher no issues.[/QUO

[Dave Sheldrake]

Double check the underside of the Pad-03 controller Bert but to be honest I'm not surprised it's working fine. I have a couple of the RL1290 lasers (the UK version the LS1290 from HPC Lasers) and one of those has been left out in the rain for 11 weeks , in sub zero temps overnight, pushed around and kicked when it annoys me and it still works as well as the day I got it 9 years ago

[Bert Kemp]

Pad 03 controller . Do you mean my display pad? I'll look at it now.It looks ok, no soot on it, looks clean.

[John Blazy]

Wow - serious fire. Fortunately the fire opened a hole in the cover to vent out, or heat could have damaged more. I think the plastic is Polycarbonate (Lexan or similar) in the lid, not that it matters, but PC is more opaque to UV / IR light than acrylic, not to mention tougher.

My Rabbit is nearly two years old too, and still runs great, even when I load a program with some stray line outside the bed perimeter that I don't notice, and the head doesn't soft limit stop, but heads right toward the ghost point and ratchets the belt teeth something fierce, yet still runs great afterwards.

Love it. Still on original tube too.