Rabbit owners

[David Hirschfield]

Heh, because from what I have read, Rabbit owners face some unique "challanges" shall we say getting and keeping their machines running. I could be way off tho. Just idle speculation on my part...

Do you believe everything you read Eric? My "unique challenge" is deciding what to do with the extra $20 000 I didn't spend on my laser. Unfortunately, I don't seem to have as much "idle" time as you do.

This is a thread genuinely meant for owners of Rabbit machines to help each other. Owners of other machines are welcome to chime in constructively or even start their own thread. I believe there is a little button at the top of the page for that.

[James Jaragosky]

Please gentleman let’s keep it on the civil side. And remember sometimes things in a post may not sound as intended, or as they might have in a face to face conversation.
Please let’s not get the thread closed and ruin a well intended endeavor.
It would seem that not many have joined us here yet, but this could take a few weeks before this thread gets noticed by others. In the mean time thanks for signing in. I will be in touch.
Jim j.

[Eric Fuller]

HI David,

Wow, didn't mean to hit a nerve there! To clarify, I'm not a tool snob, and I'm not bashing chinese lasers or their machinery in general. I don't even own a laser yet, but will be purchasing one in the next month or so. I've been researching the options and will likely buy an 80W Rabbit.
I've read a ton of posts about users who had problems, and fully expect to have to tweak mine when I get it. Fact is the Chinese machines aren't plug and play like an Epilog, but then again I can simply write a check for the Rabbit instead of having to finance the US made one.

Don't shoot! I'm on your side!

[James Jaragosky]

HI David,

I've read a ton of posts about users who had problems, and fully expect to have to tweak mine when I get it. Fact is the Chinese machines aren't plug and play like an Epilog, but then again I can simply write a check for the Rabbit instead of having to finance the US made one.

Don't shoot! I'm on your side!

Eric, i have had my rabbit a little over two months now and it was easy to set up and ran from the first flip of the switch. i really have had no laser hardware problems Except the stock exhaust fan that came with mine is inadequate when Cutting products that produce a lot of smoke, so i got a blower from harbor freight and all is well now. my main issues were never havening operated a laser previously i was sorely lacking in training and support. thats when i found this site, and what a blessing that day was.
my rabbit has run at least 6 days a week 5 hours a day since i got it, and i have no issues with performance. i do dread the day something major goes wrong. that is why i am trying to compile a list of others with similar machines, so we can act as support for each other. whatever machine you decide to choose i wish you luck and if that machine is a rabbit or some other non domestic brand please join this list and we will be glad to have you.
Jim J.

[Eric Fuller]

Thanks James, nice to hear a success story. I wonder what the relative number of people who have problems is...seems like the Chinese likely do a pretty decent volume, but the only threads you read here are cries for help. Seems there could be a silent majority who are trouble free.

[Bob Keyes]

I'm trouble free now for over 2 years. I like it.

[James Jaragosky]

In the past I have had hit and miss success rastering the back of mirrors
Today I took a hint from the thread about engraving glass.
I was only doing a simple rose on a mirror (Ill attach the file)
And decided to use the walnut setting suggested for photograV.
Lol, well I screwed up and forgot to use the walnut setting
And wound up using the default leather setting
I processed it in photograv at 400dpi,
I then rastered it at 87% power and 300 speed
And it turned out perfect I had no real cleanup of the back.
Usually I have to scrub the back with Windex and a soft brass brush to clean the etched lines.
This time, nothing to clean noda. and the cloth with the Windex was virtually clean as well.
I would show a photo but it was a rush job and it is out the door already. But I will try to replicate my successes.
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l2...sebunchENG.jpg

[Dan Hintz]

It is supposed to arrive next week, but my eBay blue light special appears to be a Rabbit HX40A (despite the vendor calling it an ArtCut M40)... at a shipped price of just over $1,300, how could I say no?

I expect to have some minor issues with beating NewlyDraw into submission, but I have several items I intend to work on. Once I get the system working to my satisfaction, I intend to break the machine down and rebuild it on a larger table (already have the new slides picked out). Next will be some air assist tools and a vacuum table. I'm thinking a laser pointer would be nice, so probably some new optics holders.

And I fully intend to dump the dongle, just need to spend some time with the software logic analyzer. If it proves too troublesome, I'll completely replace the drivers and go with Mach3

[Scott Shepherd]

I intend to break the machine down and rebuild it on a larger table (already have the new slides picked out). Next will be some air assist tools and a vacuum table. I'm thinking a laser pointer would be nice, so probably some new optics holders.

And I fully intend to dump the dongle, just need to spend some time with the software logic analyzer. If it proves too troublesome, I'll completely replace the drivers and go with Mach3

Of course then it won't be a Rabbit, it'll be a Jackalope (if you don't know what a Jackalope is, google it and look at the "Images" tab at the top of google).

[Levi Chanowitz]

I have a Rabbit HX6090SE 60W and other than replacing the pump, which never worked and the power supply which blew when I was cutting 3/" acrylic, and small piece that goes into the computer peverything is fine. It took a few months to set up, mostly because I dont speak Chinese, and we needed to figure out what was wrong.

Once in a while we have a software glitch.

I wish I would figure out a way to use it to full capacity.

Did anyone replace their tube yet?

[James Jaragosky]

It is supposed to arrive next week, but my eBay blue light special appears to be a Rabbit HX40A (despite the vendor calling it an ArtCut M40)... at a shipped price of just over $1,300, how could I say no?

I expect to have some minor issues with beating NewlyDraw into submission,

we wish you luck with your setup. $1300 is very cheap I now feel like a fool. Mine was $1850 before the shipping and extra tube and lenses.
About newelydraw. not much to beat into submission there, it is little more than a print driver. You will need to do all your file manipulation with some other program like Corel. and then send it to newelydraw. beating Corel into submission has been my challenge, i have used adobe cs in the past and i am havening a hard time figuring out corel's layering and matting system, just seems to have a few more steps that necessary.
but adobe was a animal to learn in the beginning for me as well.
Welcome to the dark side lol.
jim j.

[Dan Hintz]

Fast as fast can be, you'll never catch meeeee!

[Dan Hintz]

James,

I got pretty lucky on the price, I'll gladly admit. The guy who was selling them has been placing auctions at quite regular intervals of 2 days apart, always ending somewhere between 6-8 p.m. EST when many are home from work. Final price was usually in the $1,300 range (+$150 for shipping). This particular auction happened to be shortly after New Year's and ended in the middle of the workday. I placed a bid during the last few moments of the auction and pulled it out for $1,160 (give or take). Right place at the right time. I intend to use it as shipped for a little while, but my intent form the beginning was to get a base to work with... determine how the pieces fit together on a real machine and then make improvements.

Are you limited to what version of Corel you use, as I've seen in other posts?

Were it possible, I thought many would have dumped NewlyDraw and gone with Mach3 as the driver... since I have yet to see a person do that, I'm assuming there is some NewlyDraw-specific protocol on the Chinese motor control boards that has not yet been copied. I'll verify once the machine comes in and I have time to play (next century?), but I would like to make my upgrades in small increments due to time concerns. As it stands, it appears I'll have to go with complete replacement driver hardware if I want to swap over to using Mach3.

In my younger days I would have grabbed some beef jerky, a huge jar of Jelly Bellys, and spent the next 3 months sleeping only 20 hrs/week writing a complete GUI from scratch to control the thing. In my more advanced years, however, I can't swing that while working 50-60 hour work weeks, home improvement projects (such as a new workshop!), running the home business, and still finding time for the family. I love the challenge, but I still need my sleep.

I've even considered a low-cost replacement to PhotoGrav (most of my job background and education is in image processing), as the algorithms used are dead simple to recreate. With some suggestions from fellow cutters as to what speed, power, etc. are required for certain materials, I could easily recreate the app (and put a 10x better interface to it ). But that's a discussion for another thread and another day.

[Jim Galbraith]

Hi Guys,

I'm new to Sawmill. I've got a Rabbit HX1290SE 80 watt. At this time I've just got the laser up and running, and the LaserCut 50 software up and running individually but am trying to figure how to make the computer talk to the machine. (can't run files)

I've been looking at your posts and believe there's a lot of knowledge here to be shared! Hopefully when I'm up and running I can share as well in order to help out.

Jim Galbraith

[James Jaragosky]

Hi Guys,

I'm new to Sawmill. I've got a Rabbit HX1290SE 80 watt. At this time I've just got the laser up and running, and the LaserCut 50 software up and running individually but am trying to figure how to make the computer talk to the machine. (can't run files)

I've been looking at your posts and believe there's a lot of knowledge here to be shared! Hopefully when I'm up and running I can share as well in order to help out.

Jim Galbraith

Welcome and congratulations on your new laser.
I am sorry i do not have any experience with your software, so my help will be limited.
did you add your laser as a option as a printer under the control panel? some software requires this to be done.
anyway someone here should have a answer for you, that is the great thing about the creek.
jim j