I just got an OMtech 130 55x35 refurb. It was a bit of a bear to get in alignment but that was more due to rough treatment from the shippers than anything from OMtech. Now that I have it in it has been fantastic.
I’d love to say you would get something different from a “better” seller but it took just as long and just as much effort to get the 80k$ universal laser setup that I bought for a makerspace a few years ago as it took to get my 6k$ laser setup so I am quite pleased.
I have an OMTech 50 watt with the roller rotary. Bought off Amazon 3= Months ago. Biggest problem was the shipping and shipping damage which didn’t do any more than cosmetic damage. The hardest part was getting the mirrors aligned. I thought the machine was tweaked. It was not, you just need to follow this dudes path to align.
Well worth the price of the reverse laser to set up and follow this process. Takes much less time, much less firing of laser, and goes backwards compared to others.
I never could get ethernet to connect but part of that was that the wifi had to be stopped to do that and all sorts of changes in computer I did not want to do. Though I didn’t need to, I bought a chiller as this is a business and cannot have down time. I have not had any problems with the machine. Most issues I get are actually Lightburn related. Hope this helps. I also got some different focal length lenses.
What chiller did you end up getting? Do you mind me asking what you normally process? Once I get a CO2 I intend to keep the Diode engraver for making nice clean engraves and use the CO2 for mostly cutting and deep engraving.
The 5200 OMTech. Glad I did as it got here just before that horrid heat wave. Is dual so if I get another laser I don’t need another chiller. Just starting our business but it is looking like it will be lots of glass. (I like glass, no smoke, keeps mirrors clean) Do not underestimate how clear a CO2 can be, I get some very clear lines. It is all in focus which can be manipulated if you choose. Oh ya, the rotary that came with it is useless. Works fine, just not any sort of a good grip so it slips.
Looks like this is must from quite a few, so this is great advice! I’ll have to budget a few extra $$ but sounds worth it. No sense in buying cheap just to upgrade later.
The 5202 is the dual supply one. I have it also. My first one didn’t work, so I used the 2nd tap to run a copper coil into my beer cooler in an ice water bath for a cheap heat exchanger. Keep the cooling distilled water isolated. Didn’t plan on it but it work out better than expected.
They sell a low cost version that is basically a radiator and fan. In my climate, it would heat the tube 
How do you finish the glass of to get rid of all the tiny fragments?
I can’t say how JBM does it, but I just wash the glass in warm soapy water.
I use LaserBond 100 and you don’t have it if you use it right. If I do it without I use a stainless steel brush before wash as I have had teeny shards get in fingers and that is no fun
That’s the answer I was looking for, the ‘infamous stainless steel brush’ trick… 
I’ve used the Laser bond 100 also, but on tile, haven’t gotten the deep blacks I’d like. How is it working for you? The stuff costs like gold, I cringe when I wash it off and see it going down the drain…
Oh ya it is spendy. Everything I have tried it on takes learning. For example lab glass, like pyrex and stuff that can be blown will do fine at 30 ips and 20 power, but do the same on regular glass and it is yellow or green. You have to have enough heat for the ‘moment’ it takes to get that covalent bond. On the other hand, going the other way, actually throwing too much power/not enough speed and it gets a white crystalline sort of appearance, but it does not flake like plain glass or masked glass. Talk to Paul at LaserBond he was a big help, and enjoyable to speak with. Funny when I first tried the product I hated it. Not any more.
@FractOrr I’m going on 4 years with my OMT laser and have only had to replace the laser power supply.
Sounds like a good idea. I’ll send him an email… Thanks…
I’ll have to try that. I can make .1 mm dot’s on it, hoping I can do a good image with it. I’ll have to fudge around with the speeds and feeds and see if I can get it black.
At 20% what ma are you seeing?
Thanks.
If I remember, tomorrow I will look as I have 45 pipes to engrave in the blown glass/lab glass/borosicate.
Hi, doing pipes at 28/16 with the LaserBond. MA reads at top end 4ma, low 2ma. I will take photo when I have them all done. This glass has been treated so I was a tich afraid it would effect it, but it did not.
Going through this thread with a fine toothed comb as my wife OK’d me buying the CO2 laser. For not much more and for more reliable service I might as well just upgrade to an 80 watt since I listed the refurb and it’s gone now 
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It sounds like you’re engraving? Keep in mind that a larger power machine has limited low end power control.
I usually engrave (I can produce 0.1mm dots) at between 10% and 15% power for my best ‘dot’ on most materials. On my 50 watt, I get about 4.5 watts out. If you try that with an 100 watt you need to go down to about 4.5% and it probably won’t fire Mine won’t go much under 9%. At about 10 watts out, my dots have a large brown circle around them making the final image almost brownish in color.
One of the advantages is usually a larger table… and the ability to cut thicker material. Choose carefully.
I’m sure you’ll have fun with whatever you get…
I’m going to keep the diode for engraving. Will make jigs for it. But the C)2 will be for bigger prjects and I’m shooting for a 70-80 watt for longevity and speed. If that’s a good idea.
I’m sure you’ll have fun with whatever you decide on. 
Don’t know if it will last any longer, higher power doesn’t necessarily mean a longer life…
If I run a C)2 tube at 50-80% of it’s power the tube should last longer. No?