This is in regards to the possibility of having a repair tech from Thunder come out and make recommendations / repairs to the equipment.
As we all know, the lasers are having a bit of a rough go this season as they’re getting older and many of us, myself included, struggle to find the available time to work on… anything - and that includes helping out at the 'space (and when I am there it’s usually at some weird hour and I can’t do anything outside of general maintenance on them). I expect that lack of time, as well as the constant - but valid - reports of issues are draining to the team that can handle the repairs.
I also respect the community aspect (and cost savings) of maintaining laser upkeep internally but that having them down entirely also negates any cash flow from the equipment as well.
With that in mind, is hiring a technician for either one-time or regular upkeep a possibility? What are some possible upsides and downsides?
Cost is the most obvious limiting factor.
Would we be able to offset that by working with Thunder? We’re a non-profit, community workshop.
Can we, God-forbid, raise the cost of using the lasers? I paid a dollar a minute for…longer than I’d like to admit. Had it stuck in my head. Perhaps between that and the fact that I don’t use them for profit I feel like usage is dirt-cheap, large etching jobs aside. I’d be more than happy to pay an additional amount for usage (as well as chip-in on the initial repair situation). We can think of it as insurance for all the fires that keep breaking out.
We also have the “do-it-ourselves” mindset which is amazing and an integral part of the community. But this machinery here isn’t something we can all dive-in and work on and for those that can, there may not be time. Everyone here is a volunteer and I appreciate every ounce of time and effort that the leadership and chairs and members put in and by that same token I don’t want anyone to stop loving the 'space because it suddenly feels like a job. Lets find creative ways to not put that burden on our team.
I make these points and suggestions in no way as criticism or malice. I love DMS so much and (well, almost) everyone there. I want to see it successful and thriving and as amazing as it can be with potential members blown away by the phenomenal equipment and opportunities to create things and learn new skills. Laser is, to me, a really big part of that so I’m hoping there are things we as a community can do to keep them ready to go (fires aside - please don’t start any more fires).
It’s still the same ($1 for 5min). I might be a little dense. I only noted because it probably skews my frame of reference for how cheap it is to use them currently.
Afaik, thunder does not have anyone that provides this service. If there was someone who was reliable and able to fix the lasers I would probably fully support the idea however.
It is entirely possible to have the local epilog deal come service the fusion, though we should probably clean it first. When purchasing and going through the initial fusion setup the dealer (engraving concepts in Arlington) was a joy to work with.
Last time we had a laser fail at a high rate (old bug thunder) we simply decided it wasn’t worth the volunteer headaches and purchased a new one. That’s lasted us for several years now. Perhaps it’s just time to replace Donner/blitzen.
Replace every few years. They’re somewhat of a consumable. Alternative would be to buy a more reliable laser (I’m on the fence on this one). Buy another cheap import laser has been the solution in the past.
I completely agree with Luke just consider the lasers fully consumable and replace on a set schedule. Being makers I am sure we can grab some equipment off for replacement if needed but at the end of the day when you are impacting your consumers because they are worn out and don’t have time to support it just buy new and start the clock over.
Before replacing these units please consider relocating the laser area to a cleaner space. The current place is right by the door and the auto bay that allows dirt and dust to blow in. During the summer, it means higher temperatures every time the doors are opened. Missing ceiling tiles are also an issue as dust tends to collect in attic areas. The biggest culprit is sawdust. I’m not ragging on the Woodshop SIG. they are probably the best run SIG at the space, but you can’t walk anywhere in that autobay/laser area and not see sawdust on surfaces and the floor. Lasers use high voltage and create static charges which attract all this airborne dust. The cooling fans have no filters so anything in the air circulates through the unit and create a blanket of dust and dirt over the control electronics. Coupled with the summer heat, the electronics can’t cool properly and may fail prematurely. I know there are plans for this, but I’d wait until that happens before considering replacements.
While dust is a major factor it is mostly harsh use by makers. At one time I considered buying one of the old lasers and planned to refurb it. My parts list quickly got to at least one third of the cost of a new machine. And it is not that these are not well built machines, for the price point they are astounding. With a single user/owner these would probably outlast you.
Is there anything that we as members can do to help @Team_Laser determine and/or take next steps?
There are some really great thoughts & suggestions here! I appreciate everyone’s participation in the discussion.
The general thought seems to be that purchasing new equipment is the best option and there’s definitely opportunity there but also sizeable investment.
With holidays coming up both hobbyists and commercial users (for better or worse) will be beating down the doors, especially with limited operational lasers.
I’ve had metal shop users fling that door open and slam it into the Epilog while I had a job running. I was so pissed I almost took the door off its hinges and put it in the dumpster.
This is surprising. I would have expected the head to be the most consumable, since it is relatively fragile and can be crashed into things. The X and Y mechanics and especially the base, it’s not clear to me why you would replace these things, because they’re really heavy and it seems like it would take less work to maintain the stuff as opposed to getting a crane and moving it.
Everything wears out in them. The rails/wheels get caked with smoke/tarish residue. The bearings become very loose.
Can it be cleaned up & rebuilt. Absolutely but we do not have the volunteers to take that task on & complete it. Ultimately it will end up as a pile of parts.
It’s not that simple. Everything wears out. Volunteers are hard to come by. Sure the machines could last longer with better maintenance but we simply don’t have the labor on a consistent basis to rely on that model like a business or owner/operator would.
I assume you mean more than the typical rate they currently pay?
Where would the money go? Laser already nets enough money to replace the machines every few years, if more money would help I’m all for it, but I’m not sure what the benefit is.
This is a good point. Assuming people are paying the fees it’s enough to replace the machines on a regular schedule like has been suggested in this thread.
