Done with Atomstack

Community Laser Talk
1

Next time I purchase a laser engraver it will NOT be Atomstack. Getting parts is impossible. Any recommendations on a better brand?

2

I recommend you do a search for each brand considered and search the Forum for postings. Also Google “[brandname] laser complaints”. You can then see which give you the most, or least hassle. I did this before I bought my first one. I was using a CNC 3018 Pro machine with the laser option at the time.

My research produced four items important to me:

  1. Which brand required the least setup to get it going?
  2. Which had a reasonable amount of manufacturer support, considering it was from China.
  3. Did the machine have a following, like on YouTube, Facebook, and/or some sort of WIKI?
  4. Can I buy it on Amazon?

I DID NOT buy into the advertising hype that is out there. The Sculpfun machines rose to the top of my list. I am not saying it is the “best” machine, but it was the best for me. I now have 3 different models and I am not feeling the urge to upgrade.

You have to decide which is best for you. We cannot do that for you. No matter which machine you purchase, expect parts to shake loose in shipping. I used to QC urethane processing machines before starting them up in the field. And I still found loose bolts I had torqued.

2 Likes
3

Thank you. Excellent advice.

4

I want to add that support and replacement parts are the difficult topics for most diode lasers. It’s just what you pay for. If people only want to pay $300 for such a device, it’s nearly certain that you don’t get great support and fast supply chains until your doorstep. If that matters most, select a regional / local manufaturer (which will get you in the $5k - $10k range, I guess). Then you will have great support etc.
If cost matters most, you most probably buy from China which makes supply chains and stuff much more difficult. You get what you pay for, so you can have issues with any of those “cheap” diode laser brands.

1 Like
5

My first laser was a little Neje Master II, my second a Sculpfun S9 (a very good 5.5W machine), then I upgraded the diode head in the S9 with a 10W Atomstack module. It didn’t get much use but then one of the two diodes in it failed. I was not impressed and will not buy Atomstack stuff again. I have recently upgraded again to a Sculpfun SF-A9 40W machine and I’m very happy with it. A 40W machine is mainly used for cutting, I replaced the 10W Atomstack module in the S9 with the original Sculpfun 5.5W module and it’s still working perfectly and is ideal for engraving. Different machines offer varied features you might want so you need to shop around, but do your research on reliability. I bought mine direct from China via Aliexpress and got it for half the price asked on Amazon. YMMV..

1 Like