We will be testing out one of these http://www.epiloglaser.com/zing_series.htm  on March 2nd.  This is such a cool machine.  I will let everyone know how it goes. 

Does anyone here have any experience with this type of machine?

Thanks to Shawn for finding the link to their company.

Julie

Thanks Julie!

I'm curious to see how it goes - I'd love to get my hands on a cutting machine for shadow puppets. Sadly, my computer is dead(ish) and it looks like I'll be wasting money on a laptop. How much did the machine cost you?

We haven't purchased it yet.  They are coming to give us a demonstration. I've seen videos of it cutting fabrics and etching things, but yes it would cut shadow puppets from what I've seen, but you'd have to sell a boat load of shadow puppets to make one of these worthwhile. LOL  I'm not sure we are there yet ourselves, but we spend a lot of time cutting, just hoping to cut down the time.  Maybe a whole new side of the business I hadn't thought of until seeing it in action.  Isn't technology great!

PS..Na you should look into an IPad.  I'm much happier with mine than the laptop I purchased.  It's much faster, lighter, cooler, better picture (at least on most stuff).  I only have the Wi-fi version because I don't like paying an additional monthly charge. It actually cost less than my laptop.  It does stuff I never thought of, which isn't saying much, but anything I used to do on my laptop (with the exception of Quickbooks) I can do on the PAD.  Quickbooks for IPad is an online service and since we already own the sofetware and I don't want the extra fees. LOL  I had several folks trying to convert me and after playing with a friend's IPad I gave in.  Don't know what I did before it.  

Julie

Ah, sorry I misunderstood - but yeah, one of the reasons I haven't gotten a machine is the cost. I don't mind taking the time to cut the puppets by hand, but I do think it might be 'neater'.

As for the computer, I don't know: this issue literally came up only a few hours ago. I'd been using the computer fine until then, but now the screen's f*d. I have family who work with computers and do a lot of purchasing, so I may be able to get some sort of secondhand or discounted computer - in which case it's not so much up to me to pick what I want. I did think of an Ipad but don't know enough about it to say whether it's what I need. A quick look at prices suggests an Ipad is only marginally different to purchasing the exact same laptop again.

Julie,
Ohhhh.... cool!  Did they give you a price range on this? You know I figure it is going to be pretty pricey but I bet with it's versatility you may be able to find other things it can do that would add product you can sell.

Naomi,
Ipads are great things but I don't think you would be satisfied with just it. Can't do web design on one.

Shawn,
  They start at approx.$8000-$45000. Not for those just starting out, but oh the possibilities.  The only thing that it's not good for is Sintra because of the fumes and it damages the laser optics, but everything else we use...fabrics, vinyl, foamboard, foam, eyes, craft foam etc.  Along with all the other applications...I'm always coming up with a new business venture that I'm interested in, my husband jokes, "in all your spare time." LOL. Just thought everyone here would like to see such a cool machine.

As far as the IPad, I don't know enough about web design, but my neighbor designs apps for apple as well as other computer programs and he's one of the one that recommended it to me.

Julie

Dream Big

Thanks Julie.  That was actually even higher then I though starting cost would be.  I figured they started around $3000.00.

I did find some on eBay starting at that price, but not knowing anything about these machines and since they offered to come to us, we thought we'd give them a try.

Julie

$8000 is about what I expected though I would have guessed the lower $3k too.

Thanks Shawn - I've actually been recommended yet another Toshiba. In my family computer hand-me-downs aren't unheard of, so if someone gets a new version of an Ipad I'll probably see if I can grab one for free when they're not using the old one... I'd do that with iphones too, except the monthly fees are too much. For the moment I'm lucky to have grabbed my mum's old laptop so at least I can get on with business in the meantime.