Used Laser Engravers

[Allen Jeter]

Hello All,

I have been reading through these forums as part of my research in to laser engravers. It has been very informative and I thank everyone for sharing their knowledge. I am looking at a couple of used laser systems and could use some advice. One of the systems supposedly all works and cosmetically looks to be in good shape. However it has been sitting for a year should this worry me? I can't actually see the laser run because it is in another state. It is an Epilog Legend 32 30 watt. And the price is 5k. Is this a reasonable price? It comes with the vector table and the rotary attachment.

Also there is another system it is a 2000 ULS M25 M Class laser machine 25 watt with a 12 x 24 table. It is a local system and was just recently used in production. Cosmetically it looks to have been used quite heavily. The laser tests at 25 watts. The asking price is 5500 and does not include any accessories but does come with photograv. Price wise they are about the same since this one would not need to be shipped and the other would be about 400 freaight shipped. Any advice? Is buying use even wise?

[Doug Griffith]

For the one that is out of state, why don't you send them a file with both raster and vector for them to run on the machine and send back to you. You could even ask them to take a quick video of their machine running the file.

Air assist is another variable that you should inquire about.

Cheers,
Doug

[Mike Mackenzie]

Allen,

Where are you located? This could be a huge advantage when buying a used system.

[Allen Jeter]

Hi Doug,

I think your advice is sound and I am going to do that before I buy any out of state system.

Mike I am in Colorado.

Regards, Allen

[Scott Shepherd]

Allen, for not much more than $5500, you can get a brand new VersaLaser from ULS. That might not be the asking price, but once you haggle, you'll won't be too far off that $5500 price and it'll come with a warranty.

[Darren Null]

Speaking as one who has bought a second-hand laser sight unseen, I would have to emphasise the importance of having a warranty.

The burning of a test file is a very good idea, but might I add a refinement of getting the vendor to burn it at each corner of the table, as well as one in the middle. This will show up alignment and other issues. I would also suggest that you use acrylic as the test material, as it's less forgiving and will show up banding etc. better than wood.

I bought a laser second hand, with a money-back guarantee if it didn't work on arrival. It did, but stopped working shortly after that. Thanks to the folks at the Creek and at Synrad, it turned out to be a blown capacitor, and I got talked through the replacement. I was VERY lucky because there are a number of other things that can kill a laser unit all of which are very expensive. I blew all I had on the laser and things would have been very dire indeed if I hadn't managed to fix it. It took years off my life, I reckon.

I took the following lessons from my experience:

1) A warranty is a very nice thing to have. Not just the warranty; buying second-hand, you're missing the entire support system. Some manufacturers are better than others, so the support system is of variable value (total waste of time if you're running GCC in Spain, up to very good experiences indeed, reading people's experiences here on the Creek).

2) All hail Synrad! My machine is a GCC, which uses OEM laser units from Synrad. Having bought second-hand, neither GCC nor Synrad were obliged to offer me any help whatsoever. GCC didn't, neither the Spain people nor the head office in Korea. Synrad were incredibly helpful and went above and beyond even what I could have expected if I had been a fully-paid-up big buyer with a warranty. As it was an OEM unit (ie, "we'll sell you a bunch of them at a decent price, but aftercare is your problem, matey"), Synrad were perfectly within their rights to tell me to go away, but were -no hint of exaggeration- amazingly helpful. My next machine -and this goes at least triple if I have to buy second-hand- will have a Synrad unit in it. Quite apart from the support, the unit I have in there is a 2002 vintage and I don't know what happened to it before I got it, but I've given it some stick and it survived my cack-handed soldering and it's still going strong.

3) Things that go wrong with lasers are expensive. If you don't have a warranty, you at least have to have access to enough to replace the laser unit if it stops working (say $1500 for a reconditioned unit, with some margin for haggling/postage/other bits that may have gone wrong). Don't blow all your money on the laser and chance to luck...that's what I've done and it's not a comfortable place to be at times.

As regards the accessories:

A rotary is nice to have, but you can probably live without one. I've done glasses for bars and made some money, but not much. And people round here just won't pay enough for one-offs to make it worth the computer time. I'd buy a rotary before buying a vector table.

Air assist. You need it.

Vector table. Nice, but not essential. I either burn on a sheet of plywood or use bits of marble with magnets stuck to them and it works perfectly well for me (cost me $5 for the magnets and I got the marble free).

[Dave Johnson29]

I either burn on a sheet of plywood or use bits of marble with magnets stuck to them and it works perfectly well for me (cost me $5 for the magnets and I got the marble free).

Darren,

I have to second the comments about Synrad. My laser is also an OEM and is dated 1992 and they were extremely helpful and responsive to my questions.

Anyway on to the quote. I am curious about the marble and magnets. How does that make a vector table? Since you are cutting non-metal components, what do the magnets do?

Inquiring minds need to know.

[Darren Null]

Like this:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=87345
It works OK-ish on wrinkly stuff like the veneer pictured, but is brilliant for stuff that is bowed slightly.

It was a REAL low-budget variation on this:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=85345

[Dave Johnson29]

Like this:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=87345
It works OK-ish on wrinkly stuff like the veneer pictured, but is brilliant for stuff that is bowed slightly.

It was a REAL low-budget variation on this:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=85345

OK, thanks Darren, I get it now. You use magnets on top of the material to hold it against the magnets on the bottom that are glued to the heavier marble. Very cool.

[Darren Null]

That's it, yes. Mostly I just have a couple of magnets on top to pin the sheet in place; but I use more in the middle if the material is bowed...the weight of the marble drags the sheet down and level it.

The more magnets on top, the more chance you have of one being in the way of your cutting line, so less is better. Just where they're needed. And as many underneath as you need to support the material.

[Dave Johnson29]

The more magnets on top, the more chance you have of one being in the way of your cutting line, so less is better. Just where they're needed. And as many underneath as you need to support the material.

OK, thanks.

[Glenn Corser]

You might want to check out www.usedlasers.com. We bought one from there and have been extremely happy. Rob Bosworth is honest and will treat you right. He also warranties his machines and will fix any problems you have quickly.

[Mike Null]

Allan

We have the following members here who may have used lasers for sale:

Louie Alvarez
Roy Brewer
Rob Bosworth
Mike Mckenzie

If I left anybody off the list it was unintentional.

[Aleta Allen]

Allan,

I am in Colorado.

I am in Kansas. If you are looking for a used laser with a big bed I have one I am thinking of selling. It would be sold only after I send the control box back to the manufacture company for repairs. It is still under warranty. Once they give it a clean bill of health, then, it would be available. Let me know if you are interested.

Aleta

[Allen Jeter]

Thanks everyone for the replies very informative. I have been away for a couple of weeks and this is the first I have checked the thread. I still don't have a laser . And am still in the market. You would think with the economy what it is there would be deals to be had but I am still looking. On that note what do people think of the Versa Lasers from Universal the 2.30 and 3.50 they are almost affordable enough for me to buy new. Scott mentioned 5500 and I think he was referring to the Versa. Scott I would buy you a beer if you would haggle on my behalf with my universal rep I can't get him to budge off 10,500.

Cheers, Allen