First Timer setting up new CO2 laser (60 watt delivered)

On their website it’s changed over the past few days if I buy direct. A few days ago it was going for $1,259, and now it’s at $1,499 which still saves enough money to buy the cooler.

It’s true you can get a CW5000 for that differance versus new price. And if you can buy directly from OMT I would also not be worried about buying a “used” machine from them. I think it’s a nice little machine and a completely different league that the K40 plays in.

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That’s the same animal I have, commonly called a ‘China Blue.’ I paid just under 2K for mine from OMTech laser. It was supposed to arrive by May 31, but it got stuck in that mess of ships off California for a couple of weeks during the Suez canal carnage.

I think it’s roughly (1/4 of 12 is 3) 300mm by (1/4 of 20 is 5) 500mm. Of course it’s not all usable.

You do not need a pump, the chiller has a pump and connections to shut down the Ruida if it detects a fault. It detects lack of coolant flow, high ambient temperatures and tube water temperatures, that are not normally available. You have to add a connection. I replied somewhere in here about the modification, but can’t drive the software well enough for me to find it for you. I used the water protection wires to connect it to the 5200 I have. As far as I can tell, if you’re operating and it freezes you’re SOL for a warning of any kind…:frowning:

I purchased mine from ebay, a US distributor for about $100 less than OMTech.

My cart is higher than most. I wanted to be able to put my chiller under the machine and like a dummy I built it heavy enough to hold my jeep…:frowning: I will measure it for you and post it if you wish. The head has been upgraded in these pictures. Since I started modifying it within of month of getting it, I have learned a bit…

Have any questions, give us a holler.

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… then the picture cheated me ;-), but the two machines also look a lot like each other from a distance. Thanks for the answer.
I am looking for a 400x600 with the highest possible wattage. Unfortunately, the 500x700 / 80Watt OMT machine does not fit in my basement entrance to the workshop. My door frame is only 700 mm, but the 400x600 machine should go, which is why I asked about the height. Unfortunately, OMT will not sell a 400x600 with 80 Watts, I got the answer from them yesterday. So it probably ends up with a 60 Watt CO2 laser tube and if there is not enough power I have to work a little more and buy an 80 Watt power supply and tube later.

Ps. I have noted your lightweight nozzle holder, it looks like the one Russ Sadler has developed.

Willie, sorry if I’ve gotten a little away from your thread, that was not my intention.

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I have an 80W OMT 500 x 700 and if the base is removed and the machine turned on its side it is less than 25" (635mm) wide.
Unless the design is different than mine it should be no trouble to stuff it through a 700mm door.

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It really depends on what you want to do with your laser. When you have a high power tube, the ‘low’ end of it’s power range may be too high to properly control the power for engraving.

Yes, it’s one of Russ’ lightweight heads. Three ‘C’ type tubes with a compound lens, 1.5" and a 2" in separate tubes. I can just pop the tube out and put the other lens in…

Yes they look the same are are pretty much in fact are the same just a little larger in scale. It’s the basic laser design.

Something not many of us have mentioned, is that you have to have a good ventilation system. They stink pretty much most of the time they’re running. For some reason they always smell like somethings burning :slight_smile:

Good luck :slight_smile:

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I was hoping for a discussion about all things OMTECH and the lasers in the same range!

I’m curious as to everyone’s solutions for exhaust! I’m in Colorado, so ventilation is easy to find, I’m just curious to see other’s designs from the forum.

… it sounds very interesting !!!, then I have to think again maybe. Would you be so kind as to give me a link to the specific OMT machine you have, thank you.

Jack, I have 2 smaller machines standing in my workshop and an efficient extraction was the first thing I have established, with acrylic in particular it is a must have. Sometimes there is so much smoke that I’m afraid my old neighbor will call the fire department and it obviously does not smell good. I have p.t. only a powerful fan, outdoors, with Ø100mm flex hose, but has built me a filter system that I will use when the new machine arrives. When this system finally runs I will make a post here in the LightBurn forum about it.

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Great, always helpful to show others ways of doing things…

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It’s been over 2 years since I got it, but it looks just like this one.
https://www.amazon.com/Engraving-Cutting-Machine-Engraver-Interface/dp/B07DVJ8DJP/

The base has 4 bolts that hold it on and it removes at the blue line that I’ve drawn. Once the base is off I just turned mine on it’s side and slid it through the door.

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Thank you very much for your efforts, now I have to make a decision, now that I have otherwise finally accepted the “smaller” machine (400x600), new life emerges in the great “first love”, it is certainly not easy. :confounded:

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I have had mine for four years…the 50 watt OM laser. I have put hundreds and hundreds of hours on it. Finally replaced the tube with another same size tube but the old one was still doing fine just long in the tooth.
Only problem I ever had was the water sensor died and had to get a new one…that’s it.
I have a larger 60 watt OM as well as I needed a larger bed was all.
I do long burns of up to 3 or 4 hours on deep engraving. Here I need a better cooling than a simple 3000 radiator so I built a water chiller from a beer wort chiller and I never get over 70 degrees even after 4 hours.
It’s a good running machine…tubes are cheap enough…wish it had a bigger bed was all….

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I guess your 50 Watt machine has a 30x50cm (12x20 “) bed size, the sizes are always a compromise I think. Although I would like to be able to process larger items, one’s workshop should be able to match it. I have reached the” wise "realization that if I want to be able to work with other than the new laser in my workshop, then a 40x60 cm machine is the right one. I will go for a 60 Watt laser tube and see if it is good enough for cutting 6 mm plywood with proper results.If not, I will upgrade later to 80 Watt.
The fact that I get 100% more work space with the new machine makes me happy, after all :wink:

It’s good to hear that you are happy with your OMT machine and have not had any serious issues. Thanks for your input also regarding the information of your “beer cooler”. :beers:

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I have the 60 as well and as I said the larger bed is nice. You can easily cut 6mm ply as long as it is good Baltic birch. Problem lately is BB quality has tanked and every supplier I have bought from has had middling quality. Specifically voids in the laminate that have been filled with glue. The laser won’t cut through a glue pocket as it just melts and re solidifies. But as long as there are no glue pockets it is a breeze.
Plus you can easily swap an 80 watt tube and power supply into that 60.

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I have the 55w laser from omtech, for the first couple of months it worked great, I was really liking it but since then though I have had nothing but problems with it, none of which have been resolve by their support. VERY DISAPPOINTED with it.

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Could you not state what problems you have with your machine, I think it is just as relevant information as the informatins the satisfied users report.

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I’m sure Bernd is, like me, curious as to what problems you may have had. That’s much more useful to everyone.

Maybe we can help you out?

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I am also interested to know as I have an Omtech machine :thinking:

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