[jasonharris22]

I thought I would also post progress of my build.

This is just to help people who may be on the fence getting a machine from China. I probably won'g go in to some of the detail that Asynchronism has in his thread but I will let you know my experience of getting one.

I didn't want to do a lot of research and chose G.Weike based on some other people buying from them, I can't compare them to any other brand.

So far my experience has been very good. I started to talk to Melody on skype chat and then email, her english is excellent and you wouldn't have any issues talking to her about lasers.

I have had quite a few emails that she has answered as I went back and forwards deciding what to get. I was a bit worried about wanting cutting power but requiring good engraving results.

Even after paying for the machine I still worried I had got too much power and talked to Melody about getting a second machine with less power to do the engraving. I am not sure if I was surprised but her advise was not to get another machine but that the one I had ordered would be fine. I am not sure so many people would work more to my favor than their own and I think that is a credit to them, I know of local companies that would just sell me more even if they knew what I had coming would do the work.

I ordered the LC1512 with an 80W tube, spare tube, lift, autofocus, CW5000 chiller, red dot. I thought about the rotary attachment but I really don't have any use for one so I left it out. Also spare lenses and mirrors.


It will be on a boat this saturday and I should have photos of it being packaged today. She also emailed me some construction photos a little while back.

So far, so good!

[gweikelaser]

Glad to hear all of you choose us G.WEIKE laser and make customer satisfied will be our final goal.
Best Wishes

Lucy Lee
G.WEIKE LASER
[email protected]

[Melody-gweike]

Hi, Jason,

It's a pleasure working with you! I tested the acrylic engraving result with your finished machine yesterday. It was Ok! Your machine was equipped with a new W series Reci tube, it seems the engraving result of that tube is still as good as before~!





----
Melody
[email protected] [email protected]
skype: melody.gweike

[Asynchronism]

Congrats! I'm jealous of that new W tube... mine's going to have to have one of those soon. Post some of those build and pre-shipping pics!

The autofocus will be a real asset, and I'm a big fan of that chiller. It's set up to shut the machine down in the event of any issues at all, including low flow (slightly kinking a tube is enough to trigger it)... that'll pay for itself quickly in the tubes you don't crack.

Dave

[IvanLip]

I was thinking to about getting a second machine for engraving, but Melody offer me acceptable solution and I ordered LC1612 with two laser heads with new Reci W serie 150W for cutting and 60W tube for engraving. On the pictures there is only 60W tube instaled, I am waiting for 150W.

[jasonharris22]

Hi Ivan, yours is looking good as well

I would have liked that solution if the laser heads shared the same area. I.e. I want to be able to engrave and then cut without moving the work, thats the only thing that put me off that idea but it looks like an excellent way to get both powers.

[jasonharris22]

Here it is, just about finished. Hopefully I will have packing pics today.

[IvanLip]

Hi Jason, in dual head systems you don't have to move material, first cut with 150w then move the 60W laser head to the same origin and do the engraving. You can cut and engrave on all working area, because you can park laser head, which is not in use , out of the working area. That's what Melody told me.

[jasonharris22]

That makes perfect sense that it should work like that.

For some reason I had read somewere, it could have been for another manufacturer, that the cutting area of each was only have the full table size.

That lead me to think each head did not have access to the others work area.

Glad I am wrong or a very silly design would be the alternative

[wktina]

Just mark this paper and hope you will enjoy this business with our company

Tina from Gweike laser
[email protected]

[jasonharris22]

I don't know if I will be lucky but if I am my laser will get here tomorrow or the day after so I have plenty of time to set it up over easter.

I am just doing a bit of running about so I have some materials to try a couple of things on.

yay!

[jasonharris22]

I am a bit tired now so this is brief.

It arrived and I got it moved in! First impressions make me quite happy. After a few beers I am not game enough to put it all together so that can wait until tomorrow.

Until then I am glad it's off the boat in in the workshop.

[jasonharris22]

So, it's been two days now. Not a lot done on the first day as I set it up. I was a bit lazy and I have not checked alignment on everything, I will do that soon but for now it's working well.

The chiller seems to be doing it's job. I plugged in my 180 litre air compressor as I didnt want to put up with the noise of those little ones all the time. I must remember to turn on the air all the time though! it does make a difference I have found out. One power with no air will not cut through but the same power with air will. Must remember

I have not used the USB key and dont plan to at this stage, I have a spare laptop I have put on the machine for using it. Lasercut seems easy enough to use once a couple of things were learned via google. Too bad that some fonts that I want to engrave do not make their way acroos to it in dxf intact. I have had to remove the text and reinsert it with lasercut to make it work.

I have a quick vid and one picture. I tried some acrylic, this was my first attempt and not very good. I placed it on another piece of acrylic and had far too much power, it cut through both pieces and I could see vapour sliding in between. That stuck them together so you can see the goo around the edges and some fracturing as I tried to pull them apart. Not the fault of the laser, in fact it did a pretty good job I think. The picture doesnt do justice to what is good about it. The acrylic is old and not in tip top shape either. I am almost hesitant to show it incase it reflects badly on the laser. It's all the operator learning

The kids wanted something so we did the spidersaurus that I am sure a lot of you have done.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHAaGAT47lc]newlaser.MOV - YouTube[/ame]

More playing around tomorrow.

[jasonharris22]

I am posting a few more pictures of the machine for anyone interested. I have read about the machines coming from different factories and at different sizes and qualities. It seems like other equipment that I own which is chinese there is a difference between the cheap machines and the more expensive machines.

I don't own any 'cheap' machines, my lathe is around the $13kusd mark, similar with the mill etc. All of these I have been happy with and I can see the difference in quality between them and the entry level stuff that makes a lot of machines attractive pricewise to people.

So, I did not know exactly what to expect from the laser. I am still very happy, the fit and finish is better than I expected from other peoples experiences, a lot admittedly have bought 40W desktop machines. There are a few things I notice that are much better than other peoples experiences, e.g. the wiring is very tiday, cable ties, sleeves, different colours etc.

It was easy to trace back and see the machine was in fact properly grounded and using the ground from the wall. Ground is optional in the states but as we run over double the voltage it is not optional and most houses will have a good ground connection. No loose parts, it only required a minor tweak to a couple of mirrors. I have to set up the autofocus. As it came it could not be used, I need to adjust the height but not such a big deal.

Mine came with a end cap to go over the laser where the wire connected. I have seen a few thread about insulating with silicon etc, this seems to be an easy effective way to do it.

It was clean but was covered in the thin film of oil which I needed to remove.

Mechanically I think it is excellent, I could fool anyone in to thinking it was made in any other part of the world.

I am having a little trouble with the software, nothing major. It's easy enough to use but I want to track down a couple of features.

Specifically, how to adjust the width of the cut. I don't want to resize DXF drawings to cater for the width of the cut. Surely there is a setting somewhere to compensate so that when I cut something 3mm wide I dont have to tell it to cut 3.08mm wide to actually get 3mm?

I have read that it has been possible to do 3d engraving using a process including lasercut 5.3 but I cant track down anything. I would like to try it for the roof of a model.

Any tips to that would be appreciated!

Thanks,
Jason

[Asynchronism]

Specifically, how to adjust the width of the cut. I don't want to resize DXF drawings to cater for the width of the cut. Surely there is a setting somewhere to compensate so that when I cut something 3mm wide I dont have to tell it to cut 3.08mm wide to actually get 3mm?

\

Sadly, you're out of luck on that one... even with high-end US machines have the same problem. They just cut down the middle of the line. For critical parts, I use an offset in my drawing software, and then do a little trial and error fine tuning.

[smoe]

Hi Jason,

the offset contour function is included in Lasercut.
Just click the corresponding button and set the desired value.
The new contour will be placed on a new layer.

Stephan

[jasonharris22]

Thanks Dave and Stephan.

Thats too bad really. I have the offset function in the software I use before exporting to lasercut so thats what I will do if I have to.

Now I am missing having gcode or some way to tell the laser to move a certain distance so I can calibrate the number of pulses per cm(mm?)

I am loosing about .1mm per 20mm so I should be able to calc a new value based on the old value.

[smoe]

Jason,

length calibration for your machine is also possible with lasercut.
Go to Menu:Options:Worktable. You can set the pulse count per distance there.
Our machine too required a little tweaking...
You´ll need to save and then download the new configuration to the machine after you´ve made adjustments.
Better don´t mess around with the other settings as long as you're not absolutely sure what you're doing.

You can set a fixed distance for moving the head by pushing the jog buttons on the machine. Go through the menu there to see what it offers.

And, most important: study the manual, study the manual, study the manual..

[Melody-gweike]

Hi, Jason,

Glad to see you have set up your machines.

About your problems, it is a common problem to all Chinese laser. Because light spot has its size, so that you can only make your drawing a little larger.

Because in Chinese laser software lasercut 5.3, we have not cut inside or cut outside choice.

And we have already addjust the laser spot very tiny.

Any other question, you can write to me.

Melody
Sales Manager of G.Weike Laser
[email protected], [email protected]
skype: melody.gweike

[jasonharris22]

Thanks guys, after a bit of cutting and changing settings I have it done! any more and I will just be chasing my tail.

Between getting the right number of pulses / distance and offsetting for the size of the dot I have got it going pretty well now. Happy to start cutting pieces for real now