A maker has shared their experience attempting to get a cheap laser cutter up and running after it arrived from China in pieces.
Among several issues, the machine’s Y-axis was jammed and the X-axis was off-square.
Upon resolving these issues, it became clear the device’s driver board was also sub-par, and needed to be replaced.
Once the machine was operational, the maker discovered the laser itself needed aligning and the machine’s frame was warped.
Despite the many, many hours spent trying to get the machine working, the maker concedes they might have been better off building their own machine from scratch.
Cheap Chinese machinery is generally well-regarded for its price, but issues like this can often arise and it demands a level of expertise, patience, and spare parts to get them working.
