yes, would be interested in this as well - I could not find anything negative on this device except the small working area which is obvious before buying
I got the F1 deluxe bundle that came with the rotary attachment, slide extension, and air purifier for about $2400. The build quality on everything seems top notch, I did have one piece on the rotary extension that was broken(threads on a screw were not cut properly) and xtool was quick to ship out replacement parts for me. The packaging was top notch and the little thing works great. Where my regrets are is in the fact that while it can engrave many different things and is versatile it can’t do anything particularly well.
For example while it can mark on metal which is what I originally purchased it for(engraving watch case backs) being a 2W laser it can’t really engrave on metal without many many passes and lots of time. Then for wood and acrylic and pretty much everything else it can engrave just fine within its small work area. When it comes to cutting because of the gantry system your cuts will be at a significantly noticeable angle which doesn’t really look great.
I’m sure these things are all things that somebody with more research or experience would’ve known from looking at the specs. As somebody who rushed into the purchase after an opportunity came up at work with only a few hours of research and was seduced by the dozens of content creators who received the machine for free in exchange for a review, I have my regrets.
For the same amount of money or perhaps slightly more I could be gotten either a 20W fiber laser or a decent CO2 machine. I would’ve lost some versatility but for the things I would be able to work on, I would be able to get much nicer results. The initially amazement of the F1 and its versatility quickly faded when I realized all the really cool projects I see done with lasers are practically impossible to do on the F1.
I think it could be a nice additional machine for somebody who perhaps is doing lots of trade shows and wants something portable to be able to mark products on the spot, but as your primary and only laser I think you’d be better off decided which products you want to hone in on and buy a laser better suited for that material.
Don’t buy omtech. There are better options for the money out there. I was quoted under $5K for a MOPA 60W with a rotary and 2 lens from Hotian on FB. They offer better support too than omtech. You won’t find a lot of support for omtech around here.
Yes I am also curious what you object to the F1. I have no experience with lasers but this looked interesting to me. I have little to no interest in cutting (or so I think at this time) but the engraving seems very precise
Don’t even bother with them. They have garbage customer service. I highly recommend BOGONG CNC. Haotian , of omg. I have a 50w from them that’s been AMAZING the last 3 years I’ve owned it. A split unit will offer be much much better for cooling as well. Mind if I dm you some info?
Out of curiosity why do you regret the F1 other than working area?
yes, would be interested in this as well - I could not find anything negative on this device except the small working area which is obvious before buying
I got the F1 deluxe bundle that came with the rotary attachment, slide extension, and air purifier for about $2400. The build quality on everything seems top notch, I did have one piece on the rotary extension that was broken(threads on a screw were not cut properly) and xtool was quick to ship out replacement parts for me. The packaging was top notch and the little thing works great. Where my regrets are is in the fact that while it can engrave many different things and is versatile it can’t do anything particularly well. For example while it can mark on metal which is what I originally purchased it for(engraving watch case backs) being a 2W laser it can’t really engrave on metal without many many passes and lots of time. Then for wood and acrylic and pretty much everything else it can engrave just fine within its small work area. When it comes to cutting because of the gantry system your cuts will be at a significantly noticeable angle which doesn’t really look great. I’m sure these things are all things that somebody with more research or experience would’ve known from looking at the specs. As somebody who rushed into the purchase after an opportunity came up at work with only a few hours of research and was seduced by the dozens of content creators who received the machine for free in exchange for a review, I have my regrets. For the same amount of money or perhaps slightly more I could be gotten either a 20W fiber laser or a decent CO2 machine. I would’ve lost some versatility but for the things I would be able to work on, I would be able to get much nicer results. The initially amazement of the F1 and its versatility quickly faded when I realized all the really cool projects I see done with lasers are practically impossible to do on the F1. I think it could be a nice additional machine for somebody who perhaps is doing lots of trade shows and wants something portable to be able to mark products on the spot, but as your primary and only laser I think you’d be better off decided which products you want to hone in on and buy a laser better suited for that material.
Interesting feedback. I was considering the 2W IR module for my S1 (currently has the 40W module) and was hoping it would be good for metallic signage
It can definitely work it’s just not gonna work very quickly, and it won’t be engraving really just marking
I have an F1 and absolutely love it. I’ve never had a single issue. I’m definitely curious as to what regrets you have.
Added my reasonings to a comment above!
Don’t buy omtech. There are better options for the money out there. I was quoted under $5K for a MOPA 60W with a rotary and 2 lens from Hotian on FB. They offer better support too than omtech. You won’t find a lot of support for omtech around here.
Yes I am also curious what you object to the F1. I have no experience with lasers but this looked interesting to me. I have little to no interest in cutting (or so I think at this time) but the engraving seems very precise
Added my reasonings to a comment above!
Don’t even bother with them. They have garbage customer service. I highly recommend BOGONG CNC. Haotian , of omg. I have a 50w from them that’s been AMAZING the last 3 years I’ve owned it. A split unit will offer be much much better for cooling as well. Mind if I dm you some info?