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Thread: Redsail M500

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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Posts
    28

    Redsail M500

    Hello and greetings

    Im looking at buying a Redsail m500 unit and looking for feedback on it
    Either the good and the bad

    So far Ive been emailing back and forth with Redsail and they have been very helpful and I believe the machine will do what I want as I'm engraving glass

    But any feedback would be good including things to check if I order one of there machine and when I unpack it
    I have gone with the chinese unit because of price, new bis and not alot of cash at the mo

    Shadow

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    240
    See this thread:
    http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14100
    There are some comments in there about RedSail machines, some good, some bad.
    Hi-TecDesigns.com -- Automotive Lighting Systems

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Posts
    28

    Smile M500

    Hi thx for the info but I had already looked at most of those posts

    I was wondering if anyone actually had a m500 redsail model and if so , did you have any problems with them or what to watch for when recieving it in its crate

    many thx for your input Macgyver


    Shadow

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Posts
    2
    Hi I received my M500 on tuesday, I purchased it thru CTRFutures in England, Neil Pritchard is very knowledgeable about the systems he sells and all the help you need is just a phone call away.
    After unpacking which is very secure, assembly is very straightforward as CTR commission all their machines straight from the boat, the mirrors are all aligned, electrics checked and a full set of test cuts and engraving are carried out before the machine is delivered, they then send an engineer or Neil himself to commission the machine and give you full instructions on the use and maintenance of your system.
    I have been playing around getting familiar with the machine, I have cut card, acrylic, and plywood with no problem, I have also engraved glass, card, wood, granite tile and ceramic white tile which I filled with permanent marker and it looks great. From my early tests this machine is doing exactly what it says on the tin. I purchased the digital water chiller as this can extend the life of the tube, also I got Photograv software and did a side by side test and the difference is well worth the cost of the software.
    All in all I feel that the cost of purchasing from CTRFutures means that all the headaches that you read about on this forum are done away with, some of the stories are of people who have had their machines for up to 6 months and still have not got them running. I had my machine up and running in under 2 hours.
    Good luck with your purchase.

    Phill Harmer

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Posts
    28

    THX MATE

    Thx mate
    I wish i could use them but im having to wing it here in australia

    Theres only one guy here that resales and the markup is beyond a joke in my opinion
    I dont mind paying for the extra service but thats just 2 much and its better for me to buy direct from redsail and then just sort out my own problems if i blow it up and have to buy another its still well cheaper then buying it here

    So i just looking at making sure i get started and dont blow a power supply or such
    I have experience with machine and it doesnt scare me at all but one can always overlook something LOL
    Im expecting to have to modify thing like my rotation device but that and easy job and dont think there will be much problems as such

    Many thx for the input mate

    Shadow

  6. #6
    i will be happy to asist you if you run into problems, the worst case is that you get a broken tube (very unlikly) or that the mirrors are not alligned (Very likely).

    but any way i will be happy to assist you and say hi to Leo for me

    Thanks

    Eduardo

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Posts
    5
    I just got my M500 a few days ago. I am still learning the machine, but I can tell that everythig went well. I`m a first timer in these type of machines and had no trouble instaling the tube and some other parts as well with a little guidance for the tech support.

    If you need any kind of test just ask, if I can I will do it and tell.

    Best regards,
    Eshko.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Posts
    2
    Hi folks, I hope my posting is not too late to help some of you. I purchased a Redsail M500 about 1 year ago. BIG MISTAKE!!!!!!!! Thought I was saving some money but ended up with a useless machine. It arrived with MANY assembly problems that Redsail refered to as "shipping damage". This "shipping damage" included scratched mirrors, loose belts, incorrect wiring, trash inside, misaligned axis, and much more. I spent weeks e-mailing problems to Redsail and getting needed information but there were so many problems it seemed to never end. I purchased the machine with an extra laser tube. Both tubes were shot in less than two months. They replaced one but I had to pay $200 shipping. They would not honor the warranty on the second bad tube. The machine arrived with no operating instructions so I was not aware that the cooling water had to be kept under 72F degrees. This important information arrived the the replacement tube. The third tube cracked when simply attaching the high voltage wire. You might think I'm some dumb guy who can't attach a wire. NOT SO. I was an electronics repairman in the Air Force and know my stuff. Also, the "EasyCut 5.0" software is crap. Despite the advertised specs., it works only with 2 bit bitmaps which must be extensively edited in PhotoShop or CorelDraw to get a recognizable image. To get a good image you need PhotoGraV at a cost of $300. I'm now shopping for an after market laser tube. If I didn't have so much time and money invested I would just take it to the land fill.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Posts
    1

    Request for CTR Futures contact in England

    Can Mr. Phill Harmer help me I have read his quote and would be grateful if i could get the contact of Mr. Neil of CTR Futures so that I can get some information and quote for this machine

    Shant

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Posts
    54
    Hi Everyone,
    I'm new here but I just ordered the M500. I live near Toronto Canada. I would be very interested in networking with ANYONE on here that owns the same machine. I've never used one of these before personally but my friend owns an Epilog.. (way out of my price range though) I'd certainly appreciate any pointers that you can give me.
    Thank you
    David

  11. #11
    We just purchased a M500 and I have two major problems:

    1. I cannot get the solder to make ANY contact to the electrodes. It just drips of no matter how long I try to heat up the contact points

    2. I installed Dongle and Lasercut 5.3 but when I open Lasercut all I get is a pop-up window saying "Right" and the software crashes... (using Vista)

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Posts
    0
    Do you think this is a good machine M500? I'm planning to buy one

  13. #13
    I have managed to get all problems under control.

    @joss4u: For the price it is not a bad machine. Precision is good, but:

    1. Mirror alignment is very very tedious and essential for good results.
    2. The current water cooling system is a joke. I increased the water volume 10x and now I can ensure 2 hrs of non-stop operations without the water overheating.
    3. The connection of the laser tube is very poorly solved. I am planing to upgrade to something more solid and much more convenient concerning swapping of the laser tube... Goldplated brass terminals with proper insulation...

    The machine runs on 220V with a step-up converter... Make SURE to ground the the machine because the converter does not have a ground...

  14. #14

    Exclamation Redsil M500 EXTREMELY DANGEROUS!!!

    This is a warning going out to all potential customers for the M500 by Redsail:

    This machine is UNSAFE and DANGEROUS!

    We had our machine running for barely a week when a failure of the belt drives for positioning the laser head lead to CATASTROPHE! The laser burned in the same spot for over 30sec at almost full power and the acrylic we were cutting ignited before we realized what was happening. The flames immediately reached the acrylic cover above and all went up in a blaze. We cut power by pressing the emergency shut off, but it was too late to save the machine. The sprinkler overhead was triggered protecting our house, but the machine is beyond repair.

    Redsail will NOT honour their warranty. They claim it must have been an operating error and are unwilling to cover ANY cost of the machine...

    Also, even when operating the machine is a real pain:

    1. ALL power outlets on the machine are extremely loose and ill-fitting. We had top tape the plugs into place to secure operations.

    2. The cutting table is not even, giving inconsistent cutting results across the table.

    3. The mesh of the table is too tight resulting in flashbacks and uneven cuts when cutting acrylic.

    4. The datum (origin) of the machine did NOT correspond with the cutting table, making it EXTREMELY DIFFICULT to position sheets precisely to avoid waste. Redsail was unable to provide me with procedures for relocating the datum (origin)

    5. The "water cooling system" consisting of a pump and a far too small container is a JOKE! I increased the volume of water by 10x to ensure proper cooling!

    6. The USB ports for direct connection to PC and reading from USB key are both externally Type A... The direct connection port should by type B, as it is internally which would allow to use much longer cables.

    7. Setting up the power supply for use with 110V is not easy either. The step-Up Converter has NO GROUND connection, so this has to be ensured separately!

    8. Adjusting and aligning the mirrors is difficult, because the thread on the screws is just too coarse.

    9. The documentation provided is a joke!

    I STRONGLY ADVICE AGAINST BUYING THIS MACHINE!

    Very bad service and support, poor build quality and unsafe. Unless you are willing to spent a significant amount of time and money and have the expertise for making this machine SAFE, DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY.


    To all M500 users out there: I have 2 laser tubes (one might be damaged, one brand new and unused), one rotary device (new and unused) and basically all other components of the machine (some of them severely damaged by the fire; main power supply is 100% fine though) up for grabs.

    Sent me a message if you are interested.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Posts
    64
    Nothing personal but I think you are telling us the machine burned in place for over 30 seconds...started a fire...set off the sprinklers (which must of taken a few minutes.. and you were no where near the machine...I wouldn't of covered it under warranty either.

    I own a different laser system and would never walk away from my laser or CNC machines.

    Quote Originally Posted by hippotek View Post
    This is a warning going out to all potential customers for the M500 by Redsail:

    This machine is UNSAFE and DANGEROUS!

    We had our machine running for barely a week when a failure of the belt drives for positioning the laser head lead to CATASTROPHE! The laser burned in the same spot for over 30sec at almost full power and the acrylic we were cutting ignited before we realized what was happening. The flames immediately reached the acrylic cover above and all went up in a blaze. We cut power by pressing the emergency shut off, but it was too late to save the machine. The sprinkler overhead was triggered protecting our house, but the machine is beyond repair.

    Redsail will NOT honour their warranty. They claim it must have been an operating error and are unwilling to cover ANY cost of the machine...

    Also, even when operating the machine is a real pain:

    1. ALL power outlets on the machine are extremely loose and ill-fitting. We had top tape the plugs into place to secure operations.

    2. The cutting table is not even, giving inconsistent cutting results across the table.

    3. The mesh of the table is too tight resulting in flashbacks and uneven cuts when cutting acrylic.

    4. The datum (origin) of the machine did NOT correspond with the cutting table, making it EXTREMELY DIFFICULT to position sheets precisely to avoid waste. Redsail was unable to provide me with procedures for relocating the datum (origin)

    5. The "water cooling system" consisting of a pump and a far too small container is a JOKE! I increased the volume of water by 10x to ensure proper cooling!

    6. The USB ports for direct connection to PC and reading from USB key are both externally Type A... The direct connection port should by type B, as it is internally which would allow to use much longer cables.

    7. Setting up the power supply for use with 110V is not easy either. The step-Up Converter has NO GROUND connection, so this has to be ensured separately!

    8. Adjusting and aligning the mirrors is difficult, because the thread on the screws is just too coarse.

    9. The documentation provided is a joke!

    I STRONGLY ADVICE AGAINST BUYING THIS MACHINE!

    Very bad service and support, poor build quality and unsafe. Unless you are willing to spent a significant amount of time and money and have the expertise for making this machine SAFE, DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY.


    To all M500 users out there: I have 2 laser tubes (one might be damaged, one brand new and unused), one rotary device (new and unused) and basically all other components of the machine (some of them severely damaged by the fire; main power supply is 100% fine though) up for grabs.

    Sent me a message if you are interested.

  16. #16
    hi,
    If you still have problems,please contact us.
    http://www.hflaser.com

  17. #17
    The redsail laser was my first machine.
    It is ****ty laser machine with lowest quality parts.
    There are very good brands so why buying this ****??

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