[bratan]

About to get one from eBay, but can't find any reviews about this machine. It's Shenhui Lasers SH-G350D 50W cutter engraver. Includes rotary engraver (which I don't really care) and red dot laser pointer too. Price is really good too ($2130 from USA). I was going to go with Redsail M500, but Shenhui one is actually cheaper since I don't have to pay import/broker fees...
So if anyone has it, I'd like to hear your opinion

[scatman]

I have one. I am pleased with it. I have compared it to my friend's Redsail 700 and it is very comparable, except of course, for the smaller bed size. I do recommend getting a chiller for it though so you keep it plenty cool during longer cut jobs. I use a small aquarium chiller.

[bratan]

I have one. I am pleased with it. I have compared it to my friend's Redsail 700 and it is very comparable, except of course, for the smaller bed size. I do recommend getting a chiller for it though so you keep it plenty cool during longer cut jobs. I use a small aquarium chiller.

Awesome! Thanks a lot! I'm curious is it possible to fit pieces bigger that cut area in it?
Also what kind of aquarium chiller do you use?

[scatman]

I can fit a piece about 24 inches wide in. I can give you exact measurements if you need them tonight when I get home. Pm me if you need that.

[Kopkid]

Hi I have just bought one but can only engrave ? When I try cutting it wo nt go right through the wood . Do I have to use auto ad for cutting or the rd works ?

[scatman]

What type and thickness is the wood you are trying to cut? Also, what speed and power?

[Kopkid]

I am trying to cut 3mm Mdf or 3mm Ash but no joy ! I have tried every setting possible from speed 2 power 100 to speed 100 power 2, do you use the software supplied ? I noticed there was an Autocad but can't get it to install.

Thank you

[scatman]

I use CorelDraw X5 with Lasermate 5 or Laserworks 6. The Corel software uses a plug-in to bring the image into the Lasermate / Laserworks where the actual engraving / cutting is done. I used the rdcam download from ruida to get the Laserworks 6 program. http://en.rd-acs.com/down.aspx

[julianashcroft]

My 350 will cut 3.6mm plywood at 90% power and between 5-8mms. I don't think that's fast enough and am looking at upgrading to a 60w tube and power supply. I have sent a test piece of the plywood to a local reseller (HPC) and they have managed 22mms.

[scatman]

I find that keeping the optics clean makes a huge difference in cutting ability. Also, focus is pretty critical. With freshly cleaned optics I am cutting at 20mm/s and 75% power, but that is for 3mm Baltic birch plywood.

[bratan]

Let me know if you succeed at 60w upgrade! I asked seller but they didn't have that option
BTW my laser is still in transit...

[cruch]

This is one of the cutters that I have been looking at. Thanks for the info.
I have found out it will be one of theese machines
1. Thunderlaser Mini 60
2. SH-G350
3. Gweikes Storm 500 or 600

[Nolan Yang]

Hello all friends, this is Nolan from Thunderlaser. about the laser tube, it is co2 glass sealed laser tube, its power will decline as time goes by, if the laser tube has high quality, its power will decline slowly. however, if you get a bad laser tube, maybe you can't do anything to continue your job. in order to get a good laser, we have quality control process:
1. Starting current test: switch the potentiometer and check if the tube is completely started or not when the current reach 6mA. If not then tube is not good enough for high quality engraving.

2. Laser power test: use laser power meter to test if all tubes can reach the power as advertised. For example: for an 80 watt laser tube, its power must be more than 80 watt.

3. Laser beam quality test: put an acrylic sheet 175cm-135cm away from the laser beam emission mouth to test the laser beam TEM mode.

4. Laser stability test: keep the tubes lasering at max power for 6hours, and then test the power again. Power attenuation should be less than 5% and the power must be the same or more than the advertised power.

5. Laser tube aging test: put the tubes that passed all tests in a special aging shelf for 1 month, 1 month later, test the power again. Only the qualified tubes are allowed for sales.

We will kick out the tubes and return them to the manufacturer if they cannot pass any of the above process.

Hope everyone in this forum can get a good machine and laser tube from their supplier.
Product Features - Thunderlaser

[bratan]

Mine just arrived! Looks awesome, laser tube already hooked up, looks like it was tested too.
I have a question. Bed has some kind of white film on it. Should I remove it? It also looks like while they were testing it they cut a small square in the film too...
Also do I need a honeycomb table? Doesn't look like machine came with one...
And finally is there any way to switch menu to English? It's in Chinese...

[cruch]

looking forward to read your feedback regarding this machine

[bratan]

So far I took off all the doors (except one covering laser tube) in order to be able to carry it into basement (it's about 230lb).
Doors are easy to take off, they have "pull-to-the-side-pivot" type of lock (see attached pic).
Top door is biggest but wasn't too hard to remove, just need to unscrew gas-lift cylinders with a 13mm wrench. Back door was most challenging as it has fan and water/air inlets. Water/air hoses were easy to take off (some water leaked out in the process, looks like it was watered (for testing?) at some point).
I had to cut zip-ties holding fan/water sensor wires to the door, and unwrap spiral-wrap to free up fan cable. BTW, fan cable is super thin, probably 28AWG, have to be careful with it..
After me a my wife got it downstairs (without dropping!) I put everything back together and powered machine (without water or laser tube).
One USB port was falling inside, looks like screw stripped thread in the plastic. No big deal, I fix it. Also one of the latches got unscrewed and wasn't holding door, but I found screw inside and fixed it.
Fluorescent lamp fell off from bracket during shipment, but fortunately it didn't shatter and actually works.
Everything moves, and homing works, although I have no idea what menu says as it's completely in Chinese.
Anyone knows if there's a way to change language?
I'll try to hook up included water pump and test laser tube. Machine didn't come with those "test paper" pieces to test laser alignment (it was shown in instruction video), can I substitute to post-its or something like that?
And again, question, do I need honeycomb table to use this thing?

[bratan]

Seller got back to me. Here's how you change menu to English:
1. Press Z/U button
2. Scroll to 10th menu item, and press ENTER Attachment 268534
3. Select 3rd option and press ENTER Attachment 268536

[bratan]

Another update:
I setup water system, using bucket and regular tap water. Instructions are not clear, but you have to place pump underwater actually.
Got laser to fire/pulse on piece of sticky note attached to first mirror assembly. Bad idea. Sticky note caught a little flame I then watched this video, and followed it using painter's tape. Just make a square several layers deep, and fire laser into it. It creates accurate burn mark, not much smoking, no flame.
I noticed #1 mirror was very dusty/dirty so I took whole mirror assembly off. In the process discovered that one of the screws was not even attached (nut fell off). No biggie, I found nut inside the machine.
Mirror looks strange, it doesn't appear to be perfectly reflective, there's a "grain" on it, but I have no idea if that's normal or not. I cleaned it lightly with cotton swab and Eclipse sensor cleaning liquid. It was a little difficult to attach back, as holes for the screws are slightly not in correct place (had to file one down).
Decided not to touch rest of the mirrors, just went over them with air blower bulb.
Aligned rest of the mirrors using adjustment screws. They don't say which screws you need to move, it's those that do not have springs. They are secured with a nut, so you have to unscrew them a little to free up nut, and then start adjusting. Keep pulsing laser between adjustment until it's more or less in the center. Very important, do not forget to move mirror #2 all the way back and then forward. Beam changes direction over distance when not aligned.
I only had to adjust mirror #1, second one was perfect. Also small red laser had to be adjusted too, but you can only move it up or down, so it points a little to the right from actual focus point...

[ELaser]

Mirror looks strange, it doesn't appear to be perfectly reflective, there's a "grain" on it, but I have no idea if that's normal or not. I cleaned it lightly with cotton swab and Eclipse sensor cleaning liquid. It was a little difficult to attach back, as holes for the screws are slightly not in correct place (had to file one down).
Decided not to touch rest of the mirrors, just went over them with air blower bulb.

Mirrors and lenses should all be optically clear*** and perfect.

open an old hard disk and look at the platters, that's what a perfectly flat mirror should look like

*** does not necessarily mean glass clear, ZnSe looks like amber, but it is still "optically clear"

[bratan]

Mirrors and lenses should all be optically clear*** and perfect.

open an old hard disk and look at the platters, that's what a perfectly flat mirror should look like

*** does not necessarily mean glass clear, ZnSe looks like amber, but it is still "optically clear"

Oh no, that's not good How are mirrors held inside? Are they glued ?