I purchased my laser 18 months ago and a lot of miming and aahing and it was a toss up between the k40 modded with 1000 hours and an Endurance with 10,000 hours and Endurance won, mainly because of the comments that I saw on the facebook page and Georges efforts to communicate with his buyers and group.
This company is a start-up and I put my 1100 including post euros in trust and paid George and within a week my Elesmaker A3 and laser arrived all neatly packaged, in a large box.
I was offered a DIY kit for a hundred euros or so less but I wanted turnkey built and ready to go, everything was included, my only issue was software and it wasn’t until I discovered Lightburn did my problems start to go away. I didn’t even know it would work on my Mac.
I was looking for a turn-key solution and to be fair I got that but I found that I could not deal with the open-source software supplied.
I just did not understand it and therefore I did not use or like it and I blame myself partly for that, I don’t think Endurance had been running that long and I guess to keep costs down open source was given as the software.
I feel there is a lesson to be learned here and that new people who are looking for a turnkey solution and not a bolt-on, need guidance and they should be sold a laser with software that an idiot can use and not open source.
As a matter, of course, Lightburn should either be given as the software of choice or advised as the best option for new users to the hobby so that the user will be able to use it straight out of he box. $40 is bugger all in the scheme of things for a piece of software that works. and keeps the customer satisfied.
Most startups fail for one of two reasons, the main reason is cashflow and the second is customer service, fail on either one of those and you go bust
Endurance is still here nearly two years on from my purchase so they must be doing something right.
Just fix the software George Fomitchev and come up with a manual for what you send out be it a Head, 3d printer or CNC 3018 all with lasers, Make sure that you dont assume, your customers know nothing about what you’re selling so give them everything.
I am still happy with my purchase, its works well, George continues to improve and we have had the odd freebie and I won my first ever competition on Endurance.
The site has grown since I joined by over a thousand members and I was made a moderator some time ago which I like the idea of, it means we all get a say in what is happening and how we go forward.
George has placed a lot of trust in his customers and for that reason I am happy and when the time comes I will buy another laser one day from here.
Neil Scott, Sitges, Spain.