Here u go again out doing the manufacturers who build them.. Brother u are by far the best u tube Chanel there is always coming up with better builds... Keep it up brother
Thanks for this, just got a polar as our first machine and it has the shock sensor set off during shipping. Thinking that might be why it’s not firing right. Contacted Omtech and they said they’d have a video showing how to do this in a few weeks, meaning my machine would be unusable until then. Glad to see how you do it!
I doubt alignment will cause it to not fire. Have you properly installed the right version of lightburn and set the laser up with the home in the right back? Then just draw a box at low power to engrave and try running it. If it frames and doesn't run probably has something to do with the limit switch, over 200 mm sec speed in the y direction, or home overrun . If it runs but doesn't fire then the drop may have caused damage to compinents. As I showed in other videos make sure the pull out tray limit switch is working properly. That's why I added a control panel to make it easy to debug for problems. Spend a couple weeks watching lightburn videos if you have no experience because if not set up properly there will be problems and running a simple cut will be your only way to fire the laser. Your lens should be adjusted good enough to get started. What did omtech say when you called at delivery about the shock sensor being triggered? Good luck. Thanks for watching.
Nice video Ed you certainly get into it. Some of these companies really picked the right person to send a machine for test/review. They must know that you will pick out all the bugs and than come up with a fix for them, but most people won't go through that or expect to have to do that paying thousands for the machine. Is there really that much of a difference between that laser and the xtool or otur lasers?
All the Co2 lasers run into similar problems with mirrors, lenses, and alignment. Hopefully this is helpful if others have similar problems. I put about 50 hours on it and it was time. Ortur lasers are great for most people. They do a great job and require little maintenance. They are not good for light colored or clear plastic and glass requires painting black for decent results because the wavelength goes right through it. Also have a duty cycle. The Co2 lasers are faster, work with clearl plastic and can be run for hours due to the water cooling. That makes them more desirable in a business situation. Plus with water cooling you can go to much higher wattage for cutting thick wood without stressing the machine. Yes Co2 is more complicated and has more maintenance but it's not something you do often. Thanks for watching.
Thanks for all your laser videos first of all, very helpful for a first time laser user. On my machine I noticed the exact same problem with alignment as you show in your diagram. I am able to engrave, and cut quite well actually but when I used the laser to cut small 1/8' holes in 3mm acrylic I noticed that the hole was cut on an angle similar to your machine. I want to be able to cut through multiple layers at the same time so I need the beam to be as close to 90 degrees to the work as I can get it. My question is how should I go about correcting this as efficiently as possible? Should I open up the mounting holes immediately as you did? Do I still need to adjust the stationary mirror set near the tube? What sequence would you recommend? Thanks in advance, and Happy Holidays BTW.
Shimming that mirror up as long as you keep it parallel with the travel can raise or lower the beam spot on the mirror to get closer. I finally got tired of trying to move everything a little bit with stuff shifting as screws are tightened so I finally opened up the mirror holes as a last resort. Terrible setup with no thought put into alignment. Good thing is once you get it set, it seems to stay there. If it's new see what Omtech support recommends. That means you probably are seeing off center burn spots on the lense and Omtech should replace that under warranty. Good luck. Thanks for watching.
This video is immensely helpful especially when the laser isnt shooting straight out of the barrel. Thank you! Im also surprised you didnt use the tape method when firing the laser when the head is on the right then on the left to see if the two burn holes match up.
I saw your email and there is no easy way to get it aligned. I spent hours loosening the screws shifting it a little and retightening then checking. When you tighten the screws it shifts the holder and sometimes a little tap will help. I just tried to file a little at a time and then rechecked how the beam moved. It was totally trial and error. then the threads stripped from a mount hole and I had to put a nut on the back that made it even more frustrating. I think Omtech has that issue fixed now. Just keep tweaking until you get it right a little at a time. I like the Cloudray lenses I switched to better then the stock ones. Good luck. Thanks for watching.
@@unemployedredneckhillbilly2023 Thanks for the response! Was up till 2am last night fiddling and almost threw the laser out. One day there will be a quick fix lol. I think i got it to the point now where that 3rd mirror on the laser head is the main problem. When and if i get this beam centered, ill have a big celebration.
you can also adjust that a little by shimming the first and second mirror assembly with a paper shim to move the beam up some. It's definitely frustrating. I puy a fine bead of superglue across the mirror mount aftre finally getting it right so it stays adjusted.
@@unemployedredneckhillbilly2023 yea actually that 1st and 2nd mirror came shimmed. Had to shim it some more a couple months ago as it fell out of alignment somehow. Really hoping this 3rd mirror is the key
It is supposed to be done at manufacturing but that may not be perfect on mine that was a very early prototype. Also have about 50 hours run time on mine so need to service the bearings and check the coolant. Over time Co2 mirrors will need replacing and then new alignment. Now that mine is close to perfect it should stay that way in the same temperatures. All Co2 lasers should have the alignment checked for best results whennew and I think this should solve my lens burning issue. The lens option will save you a lot of money if you're looking for alternatives plus lenses for this machine are not stocked yet. Just documenting my experience with the machine accurately. Thanks for watching
How did the original lens work/ alignment when you first got the polar? How long did you use the polar before doing this? I have a problem cutting completely through MDF. Idk if it’s just cause the nature of MDF or settings I can change.
I never originally checked the alignment and didn’t know there was a problem till seeing how the lenses burned off center. They were supposedly aligned before shipping but my box was pretty beat up so not sure what happened. Then the second lens did the same thing and I finally realized it wasn't just the lense. I used it several weeks but my settings were constantly changing for the same materials. I can cut 9mm mdf but anything thicker will take a couple passes. one trick is to lower the focal point some when cutting thicker materials because you really want it close to the material center for deepest cutting. Be sure the air assist line has no kinks. I did have an issue with deep cuts from that also.
Hi Ed. I am the owner of American Photonics. I have this lens in stock. Can you help me design the lens and mirror holder. I would like to make these assemblies available on my website.
I was thinking about making a lens holder that would stay in place and have a retaining cap that just screwed off to allow fast access to clean a lens from the top without taking the tube out. That would allow the air assist to be moved higher in the holder to hopefully keep the lens cleaner along with routing for less kinking. Would be nice to have a std 3 screw adjustment to tweak the mirror easily using the same mounting configuration. I think an upgrade package would interest many owners. I actually am having good results with the Cloudray lenses. These are great starter machines ( plus same as GweikeCloud) that many are purchasing and at $65 for a hard to clean lens I bet a lower cost replacement without having to glue it in making cleaning hard would become a welcome upgrade. My email is urhcvideos@gmail.com if you want to contact me. Thanks for watching.
I know it’s the nature of CO2’s, mirrors and lenses, but it would sure be nice if a manufacturer came up with a way to make this entire process easier.
have you cut through leather yet? im having a very hard time getting my polar to cut through 1.6mm or higher leather. ive adjusted focus and power all over the place
These are what I use for leather that is 2.5 mm thick. Cut 2.5mm thick 60% power, 20mm/sec air on Engrave max pwr 16%, min power 15%, 200mm/sec, air on. Cuts it fine and I use a magic eraser to clean it. Be careful you use leather that is laserable. Sounds like a dirty lense or mirrors. Thanks for watching.
I have the gweikecloud and there's a mirror issue as well. It's very hard to align. Any idea if there's an off the shelf mirror mount kit that is compatible to omtech polar?.
I haven't found one but have a few ideas how to make one when it needs replacement. Slotting those holes alowed me to get mine almost perfect but trying to keep it from moving while tightening the screws was a pain then one of the threads stripped. They are amazing little machines when aliigned. The lens price and availability surprised me also but the Cloudray works better then. the original. I hope GweikeCloud and Omtech adress these issues. Thanks for watching.
I just purchased a polar when I need to how do I change the mirrors??? This is a major issue that they don't just pop out or sit in around a screw in top bit??
Mine are still good but not easy to align should they need to be changed. The good part is once aligned it stays aligned. Be sur to keep the mirrors clean. I use 99% ipa and microfiber swabs. Thanks for watching.
@@unemployedredneckhillbilly2023 if I am using it daily how long do you think mirrors will last.... Its all aligned well thankfully.... Not looking forward to realignment due to not being able to just pop out mirrors 🙄... Yep I use ipa and lint free clothes Thankyou 😊
I have no idea. You should contact Omtech for that information. Its not a commercial machine and a lot will depend on the power levels you use and materials you work with. Acrylic seems to shorten down lens and mirror life from the vaporized fumes that coat everything. Mine has about 200 hours, mirrors are wearing along with on my 4 th lense. I clean the lense every couple minutes when working with actylic. With wood it can go hours between cleaning. Be sure to stay within the duty cycle of the machine if running it for hours everyday. These low cost compact lasers can run into heat issues shortening proprietary component life and they are tough to repair seeing how everything is squeezed into a small package. Omtech should be able to help you and recommend spare parts to keep on hand to avoid weeks waiting for parts from China if you need it everyday.
I have been considering the Polar, but after watching the headaches you have been going through I’m not so sure that this is the laser I want now. Are you now more or less happy with it or would you recommend I consider something else.
All Co2 lasers will need mirrors, lenses, and alignments. I really like it and the results are amazing when properly tuned. If you are looking for something that is easier to adjust you may want to look at a Gloforge tupe high end machine that is priced 3x higher. I think part of my problem is that I have one of the first machines out during a second wave pandemic. I don't call them headaches, rather learning experiences that will make maintenance quicker in the future. I think it's an excellent starter Co2 laser in the price range and definitely recommend it if you are willing to figure out how to maintain it. They don't come with detailed manuals if you require that. Thanks for watching.
Yes just a faster metal laser tube. Same mirrors and lens. I understand they both are the same machine made side by side. Gweike came out first and I saw some posts where their early power supplies were a lower output so be sure to get a current machine if you go with that. Maintenance is the same on them and looks like the exact same lens also. This is a great starter package but as you see all these lower cost options may or may not need some fine tuning to get perfect results and longer lens life. Gweike offered me one first but they wanted to be able to make me edit videos if they didn't like something so I walked. Omtech actually is letting me make totally honest videos so I have more confidence in this machine and will work through any issues and maintenance that may arise. Thanks for watching.
l have never tried a glow forge but they use mirrors and lenses that need maintenance also. I have heard nothing but good things about their machines and if you don't mind the lower power tubes and higher price it would be a great starter also. The results will be the same in the end but they come with better documentation.
@@unemployedredneckhillbilly2023 yeah I’ve been been kind of turned away from the polar because of the lense issues. Seems like a lot of people are having the same issue. Maybe they have it figured out by now
Mine seemed to be the alignment throughout the focus range was off center. at the home it was centered so opening up the holes looks to have fixed that. if you don't hit the center excess heat is generated on the spot the ray hits. The cloudray lenses are a low cost replacement. Whatever you get do a thorough alignment check. I will keep everyone updated. Could be they all are off if you see others with the same problem. one other thing that was a problem is with the cover in place the air assist tube can get pinched reducing flow.
Here u go again out doing the manufacturers who build them.. Brother u are by far the best u tube Chanel there is always coming up with better builds... Keep it up brother
Thanks. Just doing a tune up that basically all lower cost Co2 lasers need. Ready for another 50 hours of trouble free fun.Thanks for watching
Thanks for this, just got a polar as our first machine and it has the shock sensor set off during shipping. Thinking that might be why it’s not firing right. Contacted Omtech and they said they’d have a video showing how to do this in a few weeks, meaning my machine would be unusable until then. Glad to see how you do it!
I doubt alignment will cause it to not fire. Have you properly installed the right version of lightburn and set the laser up with the home in the right back? Then just draw a box at low power to engrave and try running it. If it frames and doesn't run probably has something to do with the limit switch, over 200 mm sec speed in the y direction, or home overrun . If it runs but doesn't fire then the drop may have caused damage to compinents. As I showed in other videos make sure the pull out tray limit switch is working properly. That's why I added a control panel to make it easy to debug for problems. Spend a couple weeks watching lightburn videos if you have no experience because if not set up properly there will be problems and running a simple cut will be your only way to fire the laser. Your lens should be adjusted good enough to get started. What did omtech say when you called at delivery about the shock sensor being triggered? Good luck. Thanks for watching.
Nice video Ed you certainly get into it. Some of these companies really picked the right person to send a machine for test/review. They must know that you will pick out all the bugs and than come up with a fix for them, but most people won't go through that or expect to have to do that paying thousands for the machine. Is there really that much of a difference between that laser and the xtool or otur lasers?
All the Co2 lasers run into similar problems with mirrors, lenses, and alignment. Hopefully this is helpful if others have similar problems. I put about 50 hours on it and it was time. Ortur lasers are great for most people. They do a great job and require little maintenance. They are not good for light colored or clear plastic and glass requires painting black for decent results because the wavelength goes right through it. Also have a duty cycle. The Co2 lasers are faster, work with clearl plastic and can be run for hours due to the water cooling. That makes them more desirable in a business situation. Plus with water cooling you can go to much higher wattage for cutting thick wood without stressing the machine. Yes Co2 is more complicated and has more maintenance but it's not something you do often. Thanks for watching.
Thanks for all your laser videos first of all, very helpful for a first time laser user. On my machine I noticed the exact same problem with alignment as you show in your diagram. I am able to engrave, and cut quite well actually but when I used the laser to cut small 1/8' holes in 3mm acrylic I noticed that the hole was cut on an angle similar to your machine. I want to be able to cut through multiple layers at the same time so I need the beam to be as close to 90 degrees to the work as I can get it. My question is how should I go about correcting this as efficiently as possible? Should I open up the mounting holes immediately as you did? Do I still need to adjust the stationary mirror set near the tube? What sequence would you recommend? Thanks in advance, and Happy Holidays BTW.
Shimming that mirror up as long as you keep it parallel with the travel can raise or lower the beam spot on the mirror to get closer. I finally got tired of trying to move everything a little bit with stuff shifting as screws are tightened so I finally opened up the mirror holes as a last resort. Terrible setup with no thought put into alignment. Good thing is once you get it set, it seems to stay there. If it's new see what Omtech support recommends. That means you probably are seeing off center burn spots on the lense and Omtech should replace that under warranty. Good luck. Thanks for watching.
@@unemployedredneckhillbilly2023 Thanks for the quick reply. I’ll check the lens and see what OMTech has to say. Thanks again.
This video is immensely helpful especially when the laser isnt shooting straight out of the barrel. Thank you!
Im also surprised you didnt use the tape method when firing the laser when the head is on the right then on the left to see if the two burn holes match up.
I saw your email and there is no easy way to get it aligned. I spent hours loosening the screws shifting it a little and retightening then checking. When you tighten the screws it shifts the holder and sometimes a little tap will help. I just tried to file a little at a time and then rechecked how the beam moved. It was totally trial and error. then the threads stripped from a mount hole and I had to put a nut on the back that made it even more frustrating. I think Omtech has that issue fixed now. Just keep tweaking until you get it right a little at a time. I like the Cloudray lenses I switched to better then the stock ones. Good luck. Thanks for watching.
@@unemployedredneckhillbilly2023 Thanks for the response! Was up till 2am last night fiddling and almost threw the laser out. One day there will be a quick fix lol. I think i got it to the point now where that 3rd mirror on the laser head is the main problem. When and if i get this beam centered, ill have a big celebration.
you can also adjust that a little by shimming the first and second mirror assembly with a paper shim to move the beam up some. It's definitely frustrating. I puy a fine bead of superglue across the mirror mount aftre finally getting it right so it stays adjusted.
@@unemployedredneckhillbilly2023 yea actually that 1st and 2nd mirror came shimmed. Had to shim it some more a couple months ago as it fell out of alignment somehow. Really hoping this 3rd mirror is the key
What a “pain”! I hope this alignment is required more than once? Why isn’t this alignment done at manufacturing?
It is supposed to be done at manufacturing but that may not be perfect on mine that was a very early prototype. Also have about 50 hours run time on mine so need to service the bearings and check the coolant. Over time Co2 mirrors will need replacing and then new alignment. Now that mine is close to perfect it should stay that way in the same temperatures. All Co2 lasers should have the alignment checked for best results whennew and I think this should solve my lens burning issue. The lens option will save you a lot of money if you're looking for alternatives plus lenses for this machine are not stocked yet. Just documenting my experience with the machine accurately. Thanks for watching
How did the original lens work/ alignment when you first got the polar? How long did you use the polar before doing this? I have a problem cutting completely through MDF. Idk if it’s just cause the nature of MDF or settings I can change.
I never originally checked the alignment and didn’t know there was a problem till seeing how the lenses burned off center. They were supposedly aligned before shipping but my box was pretty beat up so not sure what happened. Then the second lens did the same thing and I finally realized it wasn't just the lense. I used it several weeks but my settings were constantly changing for the same materials. I can cut 9mm mdf but anything thicker will take a couple passes. one trick is to lower the focal point some when cutting thicker materials because you really want it close to the material center for deepest cutting. Be sure the air assist line has no kinks. I did have an issue with deep cuts from that also.
Hi Ed. I am the owner of American Photonics. I have this lens in stock. Can you help me design the lens and mirror holder. I would like to make these assemblies available on my website.
I was thinking about making a lens holder that would stay in place and have a retaining cap that just screwed off to allow fast access to clean a lens from the top without taking the tube out. That would allow the air assist to be moved higher in the holder to hopefully keep the lens cleaner along with routing for less kinking. Would be nice to have a std 3 screw adjustment to tweak the mirror easily using the same mounting configuration. I think an upgrade package would interest many owners. I actually am having good results with the Cloudray lenses. These are great starter machines ( plus same as GweikeCloud) that many are purchasing and at $65 for a hard to clean lens I bet a lower cost replacement without having to glue it in making cleaning hard would become a welcome upgrade. My email is urhcvideos@gmail.com if you want to contact me. Thanks for watching.
I know it’s the nature of CO2’s, mirrors and lenses, but it would sure be nice if a manufacturer came up with a way to make this entire process easier.
I totally agree. There are several companies that make tubes with replaceable lenses for this and the GweikeCloud. Thanks for watching.
You have a little magnet on your focus ruler. How are you using that?
To stick it to the case so I don't loose it. Thanks for watching.
have you cut through leather yet? im having a very hard time getting my polar to cut through 1.6mm or higher leather. ive adjusted focus and power all over the place
These are what I use for leather that is 2.5 mm thick.
Cut 2.5mm thick 60% power, 20mm/sec air on
Engrave max pwr 16%, min power 15%, 200mm/sec, air on. Cuts it fine and I use a magic eraser to clean it. Be careful you use leather that is laserable. Sounds like a dirty lense or mirrors. Thanks for watching.
@@unemployedredneckhillbilly2023 would you happen to know what you ma is at those powers?
Sorry it took so long but I don't get notifications on comments after the initial comment. 60% power is 16ma and 15% is 1ma.
Is this something u have do once u get it from factory or should the mirrors be fine
Mine was out from the factory. All Co2 laser machines should be checked for alignment ehen new. Thanks for watching.
I have the gweikecloud and there's a mirror issue as well. It's very hard to align. Any idea if there's an off the shelf mirror mount kit that is compatible to omtech polar?.
I haven't found one but have a few ideas how to make one when it needs replacement. Slotting those holes alowed me to get mine almost perfect but trying to keep it from moving while tightening the screws was a pain then one of the threads stripped. They are amazing little machines when aliigned. The lens price and availability surprised me also but the Cloudray works better then. the original. I hope GweikeCloud and Omtech adress these issues. Thanks for watching.
I just purchased a polar when I need to how do I change the mirrors??? This is a major issue that they don't just pop out or sit in around a screw in top bit??
Mine are still good but not easy to align should they need to be changed. The good part is once aligned it stays aligned. Be sur to keep the mirrors clean. I use 99% ipa and microfiber swabs. Thanks for watching.
@@unemployedredneckhillbilly2023 if I am using it daily how long do you think mirrors will last.... Its all aligned well thankfully.... Not looking forward to realignment due to not being able to just pop out mirrors 🙄... Yep I use ipa and lint free clothes Thankyou 😊
I have no idea. You should contact Omtech for that information. Its not a commercial machine and a lot will depend on the power levels you use and materials you work with. Acrylic seems to shorten down lens and mirror life from the vaporized fumes that coat everything. Mine has about 200 hours, mirrors are wearing along with on my 4 th lense. I clean the lense every couple minutes when working with actylic. With wood it can go hours between cleaning. Be sure to stay within the duty cycle of the machine if running it for hours everyday. These low cost compact lasers can run into heat issues shortening proprietary component life and they are tough to repair seeing how everything is squeezed into a small package. Omtech should be able to help you and recommend spare parts to keep on hand to avoid weeks waiting for parts from China if you need it everyday.
@@unemployedredneckhillbilly2023 Thankyou I only use rubber atm.... acrylic can wait but good to know that info many thanks for replying 😁
I have been considering the Polar, but after watching the headaches you have been going through I’m not so sure that this is the laser I want now. Are you now more or less happy with it or would you recommend I consider something else.
All Co2 lasers will need mirrors, lenses, and alignments. I really like it and the results are amazing when properly tuned. If you are looking for something that is easier to adjust you may want to look at a Gloforge tupe high end machine that is priced 3x higher. I think part of my problem is that I have one of the first machines out during a second wave pandemic. I don't call them headaches, rather learning experiences that will make maintenance quicker in the future. I think it's an excellent starter Co2 laser in the price range and definitely recommend it if you are willing to figure out how to maintain it. They don't come with detailed manuals if you require that. Thanks for watching.
Thank you for the quick reply and for all of your informative videos.
@@mrmilpert I would still go for the Polar, besides the lens stuff it's pretty well built for a desktop co2 laser and for the price.
Do the RF lasers still need this? In between the polar and the gweike rf
Yes just a faster metal laser tube. Same mirrors and lens. I understand they both are the same machine made side by side. Gweike came out first and I saw some posts where their early power supplies were a lower output so be sure to get a current machine if you go with that. Maintenance is the same on them and looks like the exact same lens also. This is a great starter package but as you see all these lower cost options may or may not need some fine tuning to get perfect results and longer lens life. Gweike offered me one first but they wanted to be able to make me edit videos if they didn't like something so I walked. Omtech actually is letting me make totally honest videos so I have more confidence in this machine and will work through any issues and maintenance that may arise. Thanks for watching.
@@unemployedredneckhillbilly2023 ok that makes sense. Seems like these are harder to get tuned in then the glow forges
l have never tried a glow forge but they use mirrors and lenses that need maintenance also. I have heard nothing but good things about their machines and if you don't mind the lower power tubes and higher price it would be a great starter also. The results will be the same in the end but they come with better documentation.
@@unemployedredneckhillbilly2023 yeah I’ve been been kind of turned away from the polar because of the lense issues. Seems like a lot of people are having the same issue. Maybe they have it figured out by now
Mine seemed to be the alignment throughout the focus range was off center. at the home it was centered so opening up the holes looks to have fixed that. if you don't hit the center excess heat is generated on the spot the ray hits. The cloudray lenses are a low cost replacement. Whatever you get do a thorough alignment check. I will keep everyone updated. Could be they all are off if you see others with the same problem. one other thing that was a problem is with the cover in place the air assist tube can get pinched reducing flow.