I think it’s a very nice little machine for the money. If you come from a diode laser to this machine you will be overwhelmed by the options you get with it.
That you get a 2 bed solution, a good controller (although I do not know this pictured version from Ruida), network connection and a nice box around - it’s good. I also like the non-motorized bed height adjustment as it is.
But, with a little experience, you will also be aware that it is not a 50 Watt laser tube you are buying, it is approaching a very fine 40 or 45 Watt.
However, my personal “obstacle” with this machine is mostly its work area. 300x500 is an unfortunate size, in my opinion. Only if you do not have room for a slightly larger machine will it make sense.
If you find this machine with min. 400x600 and with a “60” Watt tube, you will probably be happier in the end.
Good luck
Hi Marco,
I could well think of buying this machine you have found. If size does not matter so much to you, you have here a machine with everything you need. Regarding Ruida, I hoped a more experienced forum member would be able to give the green light. But, try writing to the seller and asking specifically if that machine can run with LightBurn, then you will also get an impression of the level of service from the seller.
I have seen the same machine as 60 and 80 Watt with 400x600 bed, I would actually like to buy it myself, but I can not find it anymore. … I’m waiting, it will probably come again
It seems a very well-specd machine for the money, but as I don’t speak German I wasn’t sure what they were claiming.
They say it’s a Ruida, they show an Ethernet cable in the accessories, I would do as Bernd says and ask exactly which model of controller is installed.
The bed size would bother me less as it has pass-through doors should you need to cut larger objects.
A Reci is nice, but on a machine like that an SPT or Yangli would be fine. The tube supplied by the OEM will be a cheap brand, but will probably give you decent service. Certainly good enough to get to grips with the machine. Reci are popular with industry because of their long life. Functionally I prefer EFR and SPT. Tubes are consumables. Be prepared to replace them. I have Reci because I don’t want to do maintenance
If you are in business and looking for a business-capable machine, I would look at spending a bit more and getting better quality - a proper chiller is imperative, a bigger bed and tube also - we all think our machine is big enough, until it isn’t.
The vendor is a reseller and likely has no tech support, but see if he can give you better photos, especially of the rails and inside the controller cabinet.
If not, walk away. It’s a competitive market and if he’s only in it to make money with no effort, you don’t want his product.
There are some consistent rules that are recommended on internet laser groups, when buying lasers on ebay.
Check to see how long they have been in business. 1-2 years may be a warning flag.
Check the other items they sell. If 90% of the other items in their store are “lasers” or equivalent technology, that is a good sign, if it is the only one they sale then big Warning flag. They don’t know what they are selling and have no technical background to help you out and they are just doing a quick turn and burn. So if it doesn’t come 100% correct, you will either wait months and may or may not get it corrected or they will just offer you a small refund of you purchase price. In which case if you aren’t a “get your hands dirty” and fix it yourself, you will have problems.
If it doesn’t say RECI, it is not.
-Verify who pays return shipping. They get good rates coming to you. You may pay half the price of the machine to return it. This vendor does not pay return shipping.
-There are always exception to the rules and some deals work out fine.
-Check what the positive feed back is for: Lasers or the other items.
Yes It’s a jungle, I’ve been to a trade where I was not lucky with the seller but very happy to have paid with PayPal, I have not lost money in this trade.
Do you have any other recommendations about where to buy? I’m living in Germany and it seems like it’s very hard to get a good one because either it’s to expensive or it’s somewhere over the rainbow where shipping is only possible by sea, which is not bad but requires brokers and agents which are needed to take care of the tax stuff and storage etc.
Marco, I’m from DK and have traded with an Ebay company which has a German town in their “warehouse” list, I mean it was Bucholz or so, that worked excellent, also a complaint was sensibly handled by them. Otherwise, there are some in the Netherlands, Poland and the Czech Republic. I have no experience with the last two but as I judge it, most of the laser machines that are sold in the EU come from the two countries. It’s probably just addresses and it’s a mystery to me how it works at all.
Globalfaktory1106 was the last one I bought a CW500 from without any problems.
But, you need to go after your own nose and “test” the seller a bit before you buy. Remember to pay only with a secured payment system like PayPal, you will at least get your money back if problems arise.
PS. I try to stick to the seller who is “at least 3 years old” and has over 90% positive reviews, preferably 99%
