Ready to push the button and buy a laser....

[Davek0974]

I just hate the wastage of materials etc.

I was doing some mental sums on the way home, I figured price of machine was £1650 so eBay/paypal fees @ 15% is £247, shipping from Bremen in Germany to UK via DHL maybe £200??, UK import duty @20% maybe £330, shipping from China to Bremen possibly free if company container etc so ignore that step, we are now down to £873.

They will probably throw in the £50 i asked for to repair the rotary so now we have £823

Next, figure they will get a hit when i query the tube length/power not as advertised, any physical damage etc - they always offer up a compo payment just to shut the customer up, no idea how that will play out yet.

So we have what, £700 left to pay for assembly, making the cabinet, supplying the (usually) reasonable quality parts and whats left? Maybe they see £100-150 on each machine?

The logistics of China manufacturing baffle me every time.

Anyway, I digress.....

[AndrewMawson]

I have to say that you do get a lot for your money, and if they'd only spend just a little more time on those final steps tidying up the silly mistakes they would be supreme value. Beware - that is the future !

[Davek0974]

If this is the future then there is not much to look forward to i feel ;)

I'm on the side of good quality workmanship, taking pride in your work etc, that's what grates my nuts when things like the rotary get shipped with a 4lb chuck fitted on a weak flange - it took some chinese person some small amount of time to make that unit - simply shipping with the chuck in the box and it would probably have lasted forever.

Ah well...

[Davek0974]

Chiller arrived today, not really a chiller more an active radiator but far better than a pump in a bucket:)

I was pleasantly surprised with this bit of far eastern engineering for a change...







Nice, tidy wiring, earth connected to chassis, no more bare pipe matrix - now we have a nice finned radiator unit, wall-wart psu - nothing wrong with that, flow switch and audible alarm function nicely if you squeeze the pipe shut, thermometer reads ok, even has a liquid level display on the front.

I might even get another for the 2kw spindle on my mini-mill.

This put a grin on my face...



"Forbidden to anhydrous boot" - I guess it's a long way of saying "Do not run dry" :)

[John S]

Where did you get the chiller from Dave ?
Could do with one for my TiG

[Davek0974]

eBay - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1724052861...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Don't forget - its not an active chiller - just a pump and radiator :)

The CW5000 model is active but costs more of course

[Davek0974]

Machine is "out for delivery..."

Fingers crossed.

[Davek0974]

It's here :)

Uncrated, no signs of severe damage, the only two things i have spotted so far are the table up/down buttons smashed and the safety switch on the table cover broken.

The tube as suspected is NOT the 60W one i ordered but a 50W overdriven. It's only 1000mm long and a 60W should be 1150mm approx.


The wiring seems well done...


I can't see any loose wires or trapped ones etc, the safety reset button was loose, I have wound the head back/fwd by hand and it seems easy to move to so no jams there. Couple of scuffs on the paint but not worth worrying about.

The universal sockets on the back will be coming off and replaced with IEC ones.

Now to get a claim in with the supplier for the wrong tube etc......

[AndrewMawson]

Beware - there was a little rocker switch on mine that over rode the cover safety interlock switch - it got disconnected very quickly - I'd like to keep the one eye that I have left !

Obscurely labelled 'Open Cover for Protection' what it actually does is remove the protection of the cover safety switch !

[Davek0974]

Yeah i have that one too, i am ok with safety, got goggles etc.

The cover safety switch was smashed on my one anyway - its all in an email to the supplier tonight along with the fact that its a 50W not 60W etc

Found a couple of switches to fix the up/down buttons ;)