LS3050

[kelly]

Hi,

Well it looks like my funds will be available to buy machine tomorrow, very excited + nervous like Tim was a little while ago!
So has anyone got one of these or have had one to offer a few last pieces of advice?

Is this machine very noisy? It will be located in my summerhouse but I wouldn't be using it at silly hours of the day! And not for hours on end either.

Would this be OK as a starter machine ideally I would love to go bigger but at the moment that's as much as I can pay, I'm thinking if things turn out well I could upgrade in the future.

Any tips of anything I need in ready, Cleaning stuff etc?

I can't afford the chiller unit at the minute so am going with what's supplied, but sorry if this is a stupid question but can you buy de-ionised water in bigger containers than 5ltrs? Never had to buy before so have no idea!

Any advice would be great, thanks in advance.
Kelly.

[PhillyDee]

5L is all ive found, you will be able to buy it larger, but you will need to go to industrial supply companies. Personally, buy the small ones from asda.

[Daven]

I used to be able to buy 25ltr from a local motor factors before we moved - they are heavy though!

[kelly]

Thank you

[Spooky]

If possible Kelly use distilled water, de-ionised is great but can have some unwanted side effects in tubes with aluminium ends

best

Dave

[Dynamode]

Hello Kelly,

I've got a LS3020 which I brought new from HPC Laser. If you are running it with the water pump that comes with it, make sure you put a tank thermometer in the water, it does not take long for the water to get to warm to cool the tube, so be very careful, if you ask me this is a must. You really need a Chiller, it makes a lot of difference to the machine.

Get yourself a packet of Johnsons baby Wipes to clean the bed, (there's nothing like them for removing the dirt). Also, get some duct tape, you will need to tape round the fan in the machine, it helps to keep the fumes down. When you connect the extractor pipe to the fan and put a cable clip over to hold it on, just make sure it does not touch on the flap inside the fan, I done this and it was half open, so it never extracted the fumes properly, an easy mistake if you don't know what you are doing.

I cut 3mm Perspex on 4/5 ma, and 3mm laser ply on 5/6ma, 4mm MDF is 8 ma, it's more dense. So you don't need to turn the heat up to high. HPC Perspex is good quality, it cuts really well, I have not tried there Ply yet.

You will get different results from different types of wood and plastic, if you are not sure, always do a test cut before you start your work, so you don't waste your project. I have etched Slate as well with good results.

One thing I will say, and never forget this. Don't ever go out of the room and leave it running. Make sure it's always in a place not lower than room temp, you will bust the tube if it gets to cold. Keep the bed clean, clear out the small off cuts that fall through the honeycomb bed regularly.

They don't make a lot of noise, I think the most noise you get is from the air pump.

Have fun.

[kelly]

OK bit worried now as the laser will be in my shed! So what does everyone who has theirs in sheds + garages do in the winter to stop the cold from busting the tube?

Kelly

[Tom]

Coolflow antifreeze mixed 4to1

[TimBobTastic]

Hi Kelly

I had my machine installed today, The service engineer (Chris) was a smashing bloke, apparently I was his last installation as he is off to pastures new, however he was efficient and showed us everything we needed to know. The whole set up, installation and training took around 4 hours. We went through a number of my own files and cut / engraved a couple of designs I had ready.

I was, as you know from my earlier post very nervous about parting with my hard earned cash, but HPC have delivered on every prommisthey made and their customer service has exceeded my expectations.

I done a lot of research before deciding on HPC, and if today's experience is a sign of things to come... I made a grat choice.

If you search for T2Kreations on Facebook you will see what we have cut today.
Good luck with your machine.

[Dynamode]

Hello Kelly,

It's me again, I know a lot of people have them in there sheds and garages, but there's no place like home. In the warm, room temperature is always best. I know you chill the tube to keep it cool for best results, but being outside, Frost is your biggest risk.

I'd speak to Chris at HPC for more advice, tubes are a lot of money to replace, you don't want to break it when you have only just got a new machine.

I'm not knocking anyone who works in there shed, but it's no place to be in the winter. You need to be warm, and so does the machine.

Good luck with it all, there a great bit of kit. Just make sure you have everything in place and connected properly before you spark it up. And make sure you have plenty of ventilation in the place you are working in. And don't forget to keep an eye on the water temp if you are using it on long runs without a chiller.

All the best.