Does anyone have any experience with a Trotec C45 laser engraver?

Laser
#1

Today I picked up a older 45w Trotec Speedy C45 model 8007 laser engraver along with the rotary unit and exhaust blower/filter unit for a really good price. It was supposedly working when replaced but the etching quality was not operating where it should be and the business decided to just buy a new Chinese imported laser instead of fixing this unit from 2004 that has had a long life in a marketing products company mostly doing engraving work.

I am missing the software disc and the hoses to connect the laser to the blower unit but I do have the cables. The seller is still looking for them but they likely tossed them a few months ago when the old unit was shoved into the warehouse. I have sent an email to Trotec seeing what kind of software or documentation I can get from them but it may be a day or so before I hear back from them. Hopefully they don’t take the position of “we don’t offer any support on discontinued products” like one of the vendors does with the CD disc printers that I maintain at work…

I was mainly curious if anyone had used their laser engravers or software before or had experience working on them…

#2

So is your pinball focused makerspace now nearing completion?

1 Like
#3

No. He’s still playing catch-up with me. :slight_smile:

1 Like
#4

Yes, I have a long ways to go to catch up with you… :smile:

#5

It is starting to come together. Getting a small playfield sized CNC table built and a working laser cutter/engraver are two of the big items for my home shop setup. Still working through the designs of several custom pinball builds. Hoping to start actually building one of them soon.

#6

I spoke with Trotec support this morning and they are sending me a link the manuals and other documentation and to the older discontinued version of software and drivers that support up to Windows XP 32 bit. Getting a newer version of the software will require purchasing a license for $295. I hope to have a PC configured this weekend with the driver and software so I can start testing the unit and doing some maintenance on it.

I already got some pricing back on parts and nearly everything costs more than I paid for the whole unit… I knew it was not going to be cheap but I was underestimating on the cost of some of the parts I will need…

Since the main filter is nearly $500 I will probably opt to just get a blower fan and duct the exhaust outside instead of using the filtration unit that vents back into the room. Getting it back in operable condition will require about $800 in filters and activated charcoal. Later on if the laser does work out and is usable I will probably fix the exhaust filtration system so I don’t vent all of the cool air out of the room in the summer.

Looking for a cheap dust collector blower fan or in-line vent fan that can handle the dust and soot in the meantime.