I absolutely love my longer ray5 10w. I do mostly cutting with it so far (have had it less than 6 mos). And you are correct about their customer service. It is second to none!
Going to have to chip in again and confirm it's a good all round laser cutter/engraver. The only feature addon I'd like to see from Longer is a mounting bracket with an easily adjustable Z axis for the laser module; this would allow easy adjustment of the laser's focal point to be in the middle of the material when cutting.
I have a Longer Ray 5 10w and I think it is awesome it is quiet and it does everything to my needs and the extra beauty is that you don't need a computer to operate it you can use just a SD card
I keep a close eye on the rollers (bearings) to keep them clean. While they say they are "sealed", that is not entirely true and can be lightly lubricated with a needle oiler if they start to drag
I like mine too! Only had it a few weeks and use it mostly for cutting. It's my only laser, so I can't compare it to others. It's videos like this one that helped me decide which one to get. Roger, what value do you use for kerf offset when making box jointed items in 3mm plywood?
.004 in inches. .1mm if metric. However, this is my setting for an xTool D1 since this is what I usually use to cut. I seldom use the Longer for cutting, although it does perform just as well. Every laser is different, so best to run a test. Louisiana Hobby Guy has a great tutorial: ruclips.net/video/MAUiz5jNM3Q/видео.html&ab_channel=TheLouisianaHobbyGuy He shows it on a CO2 laser, but the concept is the same.
@@rogersshop thanks. That's about the same I measured, but it varies because my plywood wasn't perfectly flat. I'll have to come up with something to flatten it out. Tried magnets, but they were too small to be strong enough.
@@Steve.Garrison As odd as this will sound............It works. Using a clothes iron with steam on high, iron both sides slowly several times, place on a perfectly flat surface (I use my table saw top, covered with plastic), and place a perfectly flat, heavy weight on top (Patio stones work) for 48-72 hours. This works 99% of the time. 1/4" plywood is the thickest I've done this on.
@@Steve.Garrison As do I! Sometimes you can find "seasonal" shapes in another part of the store, usually in one of the up-front aisles, in various large shapes, too.
Could you review the LONGER ray 20w laser when it releases? Apparently it'll be available in a few days according to a representative from their website.
The D1 has limit switches where the Longer 10W does not. I have since added limits to the Longer when I changed the head to a 20W. Otherwise, both perform the same.
I think this is a good laser but has a few things that seem odd. I would have thought the 10 watt would have cut better than what I am seeing. Seems to take a lot of passes on 2 mm basswood ply. Also when saving a job in Lightburn to Gcode it works but it framing does not seem to work right. It will do the part to scale but framing sends the laser to the stops. Any input on this?
Check to see if your lens is dirty. 2mm plywood with a 10 watt head should cut one pass 300mm/min @ 100% power. If your framing is over shooting in Lightburn, make sure you are using "User Origin" or "Current Position" (what I normally use on the Longer). Use T1 or T2 as a tool path and make sure your project is inside these borders. When it frames, it should not go outside the toolpath border. Also, I always start from center on my projects, even on a laser with limits where I use Absolute Coordinates.
Thanks for the reply. I did check the lens before reading this and it was fine. Plus it has hardly been used. This is plywood I bought on Amazon and maybe it is the glue in it? I did cut some solid 1/8" bass wood with one pass. I think it was 200/100 I did run some test after saving the Lightburn file as Gcode and it runs correctly without framing it. So it is not the file out of scale. I will try adding the making a tool path. I have been using the center on round things and lower left for all others. Something I have been doing for years on my CNC milling machines. I know using the correct post processor for the control software for those machines can be tricky as well. But the laser machines are new to me.
@@ThePapa1947 How the plywood is manufactured and what is used on the internal plys can be challenging to calculate the correct settings. I recently made a number of layered Halloween signs from 1/4" birch veneer plywood purchased at Menards. When I started on the same type of plywood, but different brand, from Lowes, using the same settings, it required two more passes to cut. I found this out the hard way as I did not do a test on the new material first (I know better!) and had it loaded on three lasers.
Good news or bad news I do not know but I tried cutting using the touch pad on the Longer Ray and I set up 3 test. All at 100 percent power and then I had 100,200 and 300 mm/min. All 3 of those cut right through both batches of the bass ply I have. Tried same test running it with Lightburn and none of them cut through. Sounds like Lightburn is traveling faster or the laser is not at full power. I will do a speed test to see. Not sure what else I can test. For sure wood can be different from piece to piece. I do a lot of wood turning and even from the same tree you will find different densities. Now when you toss in making plywood things can really change not only from manufactory but from batch to batch from the same place. Thanks, Gary
i have a pair of the 10 watts and cut commercially all day every day. i cut 16mm poplar at 100-100-5 no prob. i cut 6mm poplar plywood at 125-100-1 consistently. i cut 6mm poplar, oak and maple boards at 200-100-1 no prob. but....neither of mine will even begin to cut 6mm mdf of any brand at any speed. i don't get it :) i send all my files to the sd cards via the web browser and it works perfectly.
There are a lot of things that can cause that. Power too high, speed too slow, combination of both. Pitch pocket in wood (it goes up in flash!) can cause it as well. Air assist can help to "blow out" and burning and a honeycomb board, when cutting, can prevent burning from below.
Good to hear about the customer service. Almost everything under $2000 has none
I absolutely love my longer ray5 10w. I do mostly cutting with it so far (have had it less than 6 mos). And you are correct about their customer service. It is second to none!
Going to have to chip in again and confirm it's a good all round laser cutter/engraver. The only feature addon I'd like to see from Longer is a mounting bracket with an easily adjustable Z axis for the laser module; this would allow easy adjustment of the laser's focal point to be in the middle of the material when cutting.
Thank you for sharing
thanks for the video I love DeChanel
I have a Longer Ray 5 10w and I think it is awesome it is quiet and it does everything to my needs and the extra beauty is that you don't need a computer to operate it you can use just a SD card
I agree. I don't want to move my computer to my dusty workshop.
I have the same laser and am really enjoying it. You mentioned at the 4:00 mark to keep it lubricated. What parts do you oil?
I keep a close eye on the rollers (bearings) to keep them clean. While they say they are "sealed", that is not entirely true and can be lightly lubricated with a needle oiler if they start to drag
I like mine too! Only had it a few weeks and use it mostly for cutting. It's my only laser, so I can't compare it to others. It's videos like this one that helped me decide which one to get. Roger, what value do you use for kerf offset when making box jointed items in 3mm plywood?
.004 in inches. .1mm if metric. However, this is my setting for an xTool D1 since this is what I usually use to cut. I seldom use the Longer for cutting, although it does perform just as well. Every laser is different, so best to run a test. Louisiana Hobby Guy has a great tutorial: ruclips.net/video/MAUiz5jNM3Q/видео.html&ab_channel=TheLouisianaHobbyGuy He shows it on a CO2 laser, but the concept is the same.
@@rogersshop thanks. That's about the same I measured, but it varies because my plywood wasn't perfectly flat. I'll have to come up with something to flatten it out. Tried magnets, but they were too small to be strong enough.
@@Steve.Garrison As odd as this will sound............It works. Using a clothes iron with steam on high, iron both sides slowly several times, place on a perfectly flat surface (I use my table saw top, covered with plastic), and place a perfectly flat, heavy weight on top (Patio stones work) for 48-72 hours. This works 99% of the time. 1/4" plywood is the thickest I've done this on.
@@rogersshop thanks for the tip, I'll give that a try. I use the large rounds from Dollar Tree whenever I can find them.
@@Steve.Garrison As do I! Sometimes you can find "seasonal" shapes in another part of the store, usually in one of the up-front aisles, in various large shapes, too.
Good ideas. I got one because after alot of research, pound per pound, best 10w around. Just have to find room now to set it up. 🤣
Fully understand the space issue! I have 16 lasers and actually have a room with tall shelves to store the ones not currently in use.
Could you review the LONGER ray 20w laser when it releases? Apparently it'll be available in a few days according to a representative from their website.
I have inquired about it. If I can get one, I'll do a full demo and review.
How would you compare the Ray5 10w VS the D1 pro 10w assuming they cost the same or price is not an issue? thanks for the video!
The D1 has limit switches where the Longer 10W does not. I have since added limits to the Longer when I changed the head to a 20W. Otherwise, both perform the same.
I think this is a good laser but has a few things that seem odd.
I would have thought the 10 watt would have cut better than what I am seeing. Seems to take a lot of passes on 2 mm basswood ply.
Also when saving a job in Lightburn to Gcode it works but it framing does not seem to work right. It will do the part to scale but framing sends the laser to the stops.
Any input on this?
Check to see if your lens is dirty. 2mm plywood with a 10 watt head should cut one pass 300mm/min @ 100% power. If your framing is over shooting in Lightburn, make sure you are using "User Origin" or "Current Position" (what I normally use on the Longer). Use T1 or T2 as a tool path and make sure your project is inside these borders. When it frames, it should not go outside the toolpath border. Also, I always start from center on my projects, even on a laser with limits where I use Absolute Coordinates.
Thanks for the reply. I did check the lens before reading this and it was fine. Plus it has hardly been used. This is plywood I bought on Amazon and maybe it is the glue in it?
I did cut some solid 1/8" bass wood with one pass. I think it was 200/100
I did run some test after saving the Lightburn file as Gcode and it runs correctly without framing it. So it is not the file out of scale.
I will try adding the making a tool path.
I have been using the center on round things and lower left for all others.
Something I have been doing for years on my CNC milling machines.
I know using the correct post processor for the control software for those machines can be tricky as well.
But the laser machines are new to me.
@@ThePapa1947 How the plywood is manufactured and what is used on the internal plys can be challenging to calculate the correct settings. I recently made a number of layered Halloween signs from 1/4" birch veneer plywood purchased at Menards. When I started on the same type of plywood, but different brand, from Lowes, using the same settings, it required two more passes to cut. I found this out the hard way as I did not do a test on the new material first (I know better!) and had it loaded on three lasers.
Good news or bad news I do not know but I tried cutting using the touch pad on the Longer Ray and I set up 3 test. All at 100 percent power and then I had 100,200 and 300 mm/min. All 3 of those cut right through both batches of the bass ply I have.
Tried same test running it with Lightburn and none of them cut through. Sounds like Lightburn is traveling faster or the laser is not at full power.
I will do a speed test to see. Not sure what else I can test.
For sure wood can be different from piece to piece. I do a lot of wood turning and even from the same tree you will find different densities.
Now when you toss in making plywood things can really change not only from manufactory but from batch to batch from the same place.
Thanks,
Gary
i have a pair of the 10 watts and cut commercially all day every day. i cut 16mm poplar at 100-100-5 no prob. i cut 6mm poplar plywood at 125-100-1 consistently. i cut 6mm poplar, oak and maple boards at 200-100-1 no prob. but....neither of mine will even begin to cut 6mm mdf of any brand at any speed. i don't get it :) i send all my files to the sd cards via the web browser and it works perfectly.
What size board do you have the longer 5 mounted to ? Just ordered one
24" x 24" would work. My base is a little larger than that.
@@rogersshop thank you
Never even finished one project and the Longer caught on fire. Would a Honeycomb prevent this? I hadn't purchased one yet.
There are a lot of things that can cause that. Power too high, speed too slow, combination of both. Pitch pocket in wood (it goes up in flash!) can cause it as well. Air assist can help to "blow out" and burning and a honeycomb board, when cutting, can prevent burning from below.