We’ve been contacted by someone who bought this about seven years ago and never used it.
He’s offered it to us for free, as long as we can get it to the space – but it’s only in Dulwich.
So…
is this useful for us? Perhaps as a second cutter (maybe non-bookable, assuming that we might soon have a booking system for the Trotec)
do we have space?
does anyone have experience with this machine?
Sounds like a no-brainier to me.
I very very nearly put…
Is 40 watts , way less then the trotec and I’m expecting it to be less precise as well but there is a wide community of users , is usually the laser-to-go for *spaces
London Hackspace used to have a similar one.
No, we already have a far superior machine and the demand on the machine is not so high that people can’t take turns, and I think we should actually review how it is used, I have the feeling the free for non-production/profit use it being abused as do other members.
No, members continually ask for storage and most of the existing resources are limited for space.
Yes, depending on the exact version it has a short life glass tube, requires an external water cooler, does not have air assist, z-axis motor, USB, or software tube power control. It’s pretty much a CNC gantry with a laser tube on the back.
Anyone who wanted to use this would require training in completely different software and procedures that would make the induction more complex.
I did a lot of work with Trotec to get us a really good laser cutter and we have the best laser cutter of any community workshop I’ve ever visited.
This person’s offer is great, and we should accept it so that we can help out another space which is less fortunate than ourselves through either the Open Workshop Network or Hackspace Foundation.
We don’t need two laser cutters, certainly not two that are so vastly different in every possible way.
I can’t see why we would want it.
What is the case in support of getting it?
Tom has raised some valid points for us not taking it.
CNC please.
No space?
Well @unknowndomain, when you put it like that…
I wasn’t expecting this to precipitate such an emotional response…but good to have stuff out there!
Let’s get some more opinions.
For me it’s seems almost inevitable that at some point we’ll need a second cutter – either as a standby for those inevitable down times (of which we’ve had a few, one was 4 months long!), or simply due to the high demand for this piece of equipment. I like the system that some workshops have of a bookable machine and a ‘take your chance/turn up machine’. Anecdotally some members are avoiding turning up to use the cutter at peak times due to not knowing if they’ll get enough time on it. However: a booking system might be the solution here?
On the subject of storage: I don’t think we should be (or are) looking at any of Clean Workshop as storage space, except for short term assembly projects. Perhaps with the exception of printing screens?
CNC? Yes please! I think there was an excellent suggestion to house that in the same frame as the laser material storage unit? I agree we should guard space for this…and start looking for one!
The HPC isn’t intended to replace the Trotec (and yes, we’re incredibly lucky and grateful to have this terrific piece of kit), but it’s well liked in the maker world, seems a lot more user serviceable, and the parts are cheap. We might need to look at swapping out the PCB, which could ease the workflow?..but that’s all jumping the gun if it’s just going to a box getting in the way.
And I don’t know if it comes with a water cooler, but that’s not a complicated setup in itself.
I’ld go as far as saying we have agreed to have a CNC machine. It was on the original plan for messy and space was made for that.
The laser storage was made to be a temporary fix.
Let’s not forget why the storage is there at that it was planned as temporary while the CNC projects where debated.
Speaking of which. @Tariq @Howard and I where having a rather interesting conversation about CNCs last week. It might be time to focus on that!!!
Please feel free to create a new thread or resurrect an existing one for CNC furtherance.
it feels very much Gift Horse / mouth, we must be able to do something with it ?
I’m not to far from Dulwich and can offer to pick it up and store it if that’s the issue and while we debate what to do.
Courty
It seems to be in storage so we have about a fortnight to fully explore the options
Re demand on current machine - if I’ve got a job to do I’ll generally come in middle of the night and not at peak times, because the laser’s often busy at peak times. A second laser would reduce this.
It really wouldn’t this is a 30w laser just capable of doing 3mm Perspex of Ply, maybe 5mm but slowly compared to a 100 watt laser that can theoretically with the right lens cut 12-15mm at a reasonable speed.
We don’t have the space remains the issue and there are other spaces which have no laser and we should be helping them out as we received help in our establishment.
I’m going to chip in my penny’s worth and say I think another laser cutter makes logical sense as there is a massive demand for it. If it becomes a burden (for any reason, including space) I am sure we could find a good home for it.
I honestly don’t feel that space is a major problem. This is because random personal storage doesn’t seem to be what the SLMS is about, so that is a completely separate issue. In my opinion it should not affect new and useful equipment, used by respectful SLMS members. However, there are clearly varying opinions on this and the space issue hasn’t affected me personally one way or another.
It probably would make sense to consider where the laser cutter would fit, and how, just to gauge the practicality of it and to work out if any other spaces/equipment will be significantly affected. Then it would be about negotiating any changes that would have to take place! Particularly with affected members and groups.
Having said this… I wonder if anyone would actually use it if it is “very inferior” to the current one? Also, what about inductions? There aren’t enough happening for the current one. I’m now wondering if these are important questions to answer.
I think if we want a second laser cutter we should hold out for a better one than this.