Last time, we discussed some of the things that we like about our Full Spectrum Laser Muse 3D. Like every laser, however, it has its ups and downs. Here are some specific things that we dislike about our Muse 3D:
Customer Service
This is not specific to the Muse 3D but to Full Spectrum Laser (FSL) itself; the customer service leaves a lot to be desired. I read about this issue a lot prior to purchasing the Muse 3D and it’s definitely a big one. Initially, I didn’t see the issues with it that others did – FSL replied within two days to emails that I sent regarding basic issues with my laser (*side note: don’t even attempt calling, you’ll be on hold for HOURS) and I got the help I needed. This was for things such as an update being needed or a part missing. Then I ran into an issue that wasn’t so easy for them to solve: my camera was incorrectly stitching photos together. I contacted customer service in October, and they tried pushing an update to my laser and told me to try recalibrating my camera. The recalibration continuously failed and after going back and forth customer service we discovered that it’s actually a software issue that is causing the calibration to fail. So now, my camera is uncalibrated and completely useless until this software issue is fixed. Notice I said “so now” as in, this issue is still ongoing. Since October. And it’s January. So for 4 months, the camera feature that I paid over $1000 extra for has been absolutely useless. Thanks FSL.
If it wasn’t obvious, I’m pretty pissed off about this issue. Until this issue is fixed and they work out their software issues, I DO NOT recommend purchasing an FSL laser as the software that you are locked into on the machine is inadequate and does not allow for complete functionality of the laser. Thankfully, my laser is still able to be used but I can’t imagine what it would be like if it made it inoperable. UPDATE (2/22/23): Read more about why we don't recommend FSL and our ongoing issues HERE.
Software Bugs
Now that I got past that rant, I am going to talk a little more on the software. The software, Retina Engrave 3, occasionally runs into other small bugs, like not connecting right away or not calibrating automatically. These issues aren’t a huge problem, as usually just restarting the laser or software will fix it. This is frustrating though and shows that the software still needs some polishing. For a machine where you are locked into using proprietary software, having a smooth experience is essential. Plus, in order to update your machine, you have to reach out to FSL directly and have them push an update to it.
Muse Coolbox
The Muse Coolbox is included with your purchase of a Muse 3D and retails new on their website for $1,000. The Coolbox acts as both a water chiller and as an air compressor, and we aren’t too impressed by either. The water chiller uses passive cooling and can therefore only cool to room temperature. I found that it struggled to keep up when using your laser continuously for long durations of time which can allow your laser temperature to increase thus impacting the life of your CO2 tube. The air compressor is cool because it works with the software in that you can turn it on and off directly in the software and it automatically turns on whenever you run a job. The air compressor, however, is a little too weak especially for deeper cuts. It is probably okay if you’re looking to just do some light engraves and don’t mind having more charring and burn marks. If you hate dealing with burn marks or do a lot of cutting, however, you really need a higher-powered unit to get the air flow that you need. For the hefty price tag, you’re much better off purchasing a larger active cooling unit with a separate higher power compressor.
Next time, we’re going to introduce you to our new laser – the LaserPecker 3!
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