Good evening!
I have been offered this laser as an adition to the one i already have.
I dont recognise the brand and there doesnt seem to be a controller present.
Here are some snaps of the machine, the question im asking is, will it work out of the box with lightburn run direct to the internal conteoller or will i need to install a new ruida?
Thank you for your assistance.
Wow… “Dropswell.”
Doesn’t sound like a brand I would want to have delivered.
(Sorry, had to go there).
Not a bad looking unit though. Some nice features in its design.
It looks like it has a typical Nano M2 (K40 style) control board behind those buttons.
Not likely Lightburn compatible as it sits, but you might be able to get a lighburn compatible K40 controller upgrade. If it were me, I would leapfrog straight to a good Ruida control system and never have to look back.
Hi Jim thanks for getting back to me, ide rather it dropwell than dropbadly 
So you think i should just buy a 6442G straight away and fit it?
Machine comes with 3200 chiller. Rotary and extractor fan for $1200 i thought the price seemed reasonable.
Point!
I’ve never switched out an entire controller, but it sounds like a fun project to me.
$1200 is very reasonable. I’m questioning the “3200” chiller though… if that’s a CW-3000 series chiller, it’s really only a radiator and not a full fledged refrigerated chiller. I’ve just never heard it called a 3200. 5200… yeah, chiller… but 3200… uh… maybe not.
Im going on their information, im not due to go see it till monday but wanted to check how much work ide need to do to get her rolling!
Ive only replaced a KT332N with a 6442G, ill be able to tell monday how much work will need doing.
It looks to be a CW-3000 Series which is fine for me as the garage is usually around 18-20°C
I am looking at getting a 5202TH as im hoping that would cover both machines.
Yeah, I’ve used a CW-3000 with my K40 and briefly with my 60W.
In fact I have one for sale, now that I have a True 5200 series chiller.
Jim
I agree with @JMartin about it highly resembling a K40 type.
To be sure. we need to see inside the electronics cabinet and see what’s there… Post a photo of the board(s) and supplies… we can give you better advice…
I’m not advocating any of these boards. They are just examples of various boards people have used and are mostly grbl based, there are other types.
OMTech sells a conversion board.
These are pretty low cost grbl type controllers… There are other options also…
The Ruida is a good choice, it’s a dsp, so you have to purchase a dsp license to use it with Lightburn. There’s probably and upgrade available, I think this is Lightburn with the added dsp.
The Ruida does not have motor drivers, only outputs to them… about $20 US for each axes you wish to control…
It and the motor drivers require 24V.
The lps may also be a separate item, although most seem to have a single supply for both 24V and the hv for the tubes anode.
I don’t know how much current they can supply… you will be adding motor drivers, at least two and a more power hungry controller to the mix… ensure the power supplies can handle this.
Understand the advice here and do your due diligence. I think the conversion should go easily…
We are always around if you need us… 
Good luck
This is the part where I stand back and let the experts run with it.
I believe it was the OMTech upgrade board (above) that I used to change my Nano M2 K40 over to Lightburn compatibility. I’ve since sold the laser, so I’m not sure (it was my Son that bought it for me). Installation was pretty straight forward and the controller itself was the only thing I needed to replace.
Jim
Hmm it sounds like the machine might need more bits than i originally thought.
Ill be able to see internals monday, and i can price up what extras i need, have to weigh it up against getting a alibaba red/black in the same size 1000x600mm
I was hoping it just needed a controller, would they be open or closed loopnl drivers? Im used to working with a DSP machine and tinkering but not a diy build, is this going to be more than its worth?
Generally speaking, if it is modeled after the K40 it will take some additions to bring it up the red & black level models that are a bit more expensive but more complete.
I’d like to take a look inside before I’d pass judgement…
This is the electronics case of mine…
You might have to enlarge it, but I marked the controller, motor drivers and lps (laser power supply or hv supply for the tube). Can’t see the 24V supply below the switches…
Hope it helps you locate things… That machine probably has the motor drivers on the board…
Just plain stepper, not any kind of high priced closed loop stuff… that is a low cost machine… Mine was $2k US, a couple years back…
It’s been upgraded… this is a before and after photo.
A lot like marine equipment… it can be a black hole for money, so to speak…
What kind of price range can you get the red and black model? … a link is always a great addition, then there are no questions about what you’re looking at.
Good luck
Quick update on the internals of the machine.
A new question has arrised, i want to use this to cut fabric from sewing patterns, the laser homes and reveals a bed size of around 1030mm x 600mm however the honeycomb installed is 980mm x 560mm the laser head moves far past this, can anyone recommend a alternative bed so that i can cut fabric? It doesnt have blades underneath the honeycomb rather a solid metal plate
Cheers
You can remove the honeycomb sheet and cut fabric directly on the solid plate, because it seems like there’s no air flow through the honeycomb anyway.
Although my machine does have knife-edge supports under the honeycomb, there’s not much air flow through the fabric while cutting, which is why I think you can cut on the plate.
The fabric will smell charred for a day or two, but the smell eventually dissipates. I tried washing some fresh-cut shop rags, but you definitely don’t want to do that with cut patterns:
Shoot! For a free unit I would jump all over that!!! Swap out whatever is in it with a good Ruida controller and hook it all up and you have a nice, large unit. I say go for it if for nothing more than a learning experience.
Yeah I considered it, but the more i spoke with the guy the more things came out the weeds, sounds like it will need a new tube, chiller, controller, mirrors and some other parts, it wasnt free it was $1200 (ÂŁ1000) for the price of getting all the parts and things going i could probably build my own from x tubing!
If the frame is ok you would still probably be ahead… For free you can tinker with it when you have time… A major cost is all the supplies, pulleys, wires, belts, head etc… Not to mention you have to build the frame and cabinet…
You will still need a tube, a good chiller, mirrors and the other parts…
I doubt the optical path is broken…
If it’s free, rather than a total diy build… what’s to loose?
I’d take it in a heartbeat…
Yeah, I wouldn’t take it for $1000. I would save the money for a newer, better, bigger unit that needs a little tlc…
Yeah ive see a few “fire damaged” ones that just need a new acyclic window and hoses inside, might be worth a look in
If it’s burnt, forget it… everything is likely lost and only the case could be used… this usually destroys the 3d square of the machine…
Mine, a few years ago was about $2k… from OMTech… a China Blue 50W (~40W)…
I have the same one, 60w 400 x 600mm, i need one thats 1100x650 cut size ideally
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