I Trusted xTool And Their F1 Laser Failed Miserably

[@RyanMercer]

UPDATE: for now, the IR laser works again. Sometimes. Support finally got back to me and recommended I change my settings to "dot durations higher than 150, set the DPI as 500 " when I was using a duration of 40 and a DPI of 700, which I've previously successfully used on multiple material but wasn't working this time... My Patreon: www.patreon.com/ryanmercer

[@JBrierley02]

I actually noticed that the dot duration was very low when you showed the settings. I’ve never run it that low so I wonder if such an ultra-quick pulse just didn’t show up to your eye. I’ve always used their recommended settings for slate (90% and 150 us dot, 450 dpi, and Jarvis). I’ve had mine now for about four months and it’s worked just fine. I’ve always found it confusing between raster and vector being kind of reversed from each other with the speed and dot duration, especially getting them the same when you mix the two. It’s easy to get kind of mentally “stuck” on “Low is slow”, but that’s not the case with raster. Just out of curiosity, if you run it vector and at high speed, do you have the same problem?

[@RyanMercer]

@@JBrierley02 any time I use their default settings in the software stuff burns or catches fire 😂 even the ones on the site are far from accurate, sometimes I wonder if their test laser was a dud.

[@JBrierley02]

@RyanMercer I didn't find that except for the acrylic cut settings. I do 4 or 5 mm per second and two passes for that instead. For the others they're not perfect but are a good starting point, at least for me. Maybe there's some variability in the lasers.

[@RyanMercer]

@@JBrierley02 yeah that's my suspicion.

[@terrytharrett9033]

My IR stopped working today as a result of the new firmware. BL works fine. I tried your updated settings but that did not help. Hopefully they get back to me soon with a fix or they send me a replacement. It appears the new firmware has disabled the IR.

[@gloriagonzales8731]

That's awful... I work so hard to make the money to purchase mine and I love it. I would hate to think mine would stop working. I'm sorry you're having to go through that. Hope someone hears you and gets it fixed.

[@RyanMercer]

Thanks. Fortunately I paid with a credit card so if they don't get me sorted out I always have that option to pursue. I really love tbe thing, but I mostly bought it for the IR laser :/

[@Nimariel]

I’m sad to hear about this, as I’ve watched a ton of really great reviews and use cases for these products and am hoping to get one myself this year (leaning toward the S1 though). I think it will be good to have a video series on this support issue/conversation, since it is definitely a consideration for future customers like me. I’d also like to see some longer term reviews of these products, like after 6 months or 1 year of steady use.

[@RyanMercer]

Yeah hopefully they are quick to help. I get that sometimes bad components end up in the wild but man it sucks

[@cubansli3099]

Thanks for sharing. I had the same problem with my Monport, delay of customer service was re rally frustrating. Take care and good luck

[@commonsensepatriot9450]

Wow! Yours is the first negative video I've seen like this. I just ordered one. Hope i dont experience the same issues. Thanks

[@RyanMercer]

🤞 hopefully they're shipping good batches now!!! They've had 5 months to fix whatever it was.

[@darrylmatherne8391]

I feel your pain. Didn't have the exact same problem. The main board on mine did erratic things. Customer service sucks! Will never buy xTool again.

[@RyanMercer]

Yeah, they just don't care and heavily censor anyone having issues in their Facebook group.

[@JB-vh7jy]

I've been watching a bunch of KZbin videos on the F1 and was planning to buy one for my shop. But now I'm reconsidering purchasing any laser products from xTool. Time means money and if I can't get in contact with the company promptly, when something were to happen. Then why should I buy their products! Thank you very much for your insight into the F1 and how customer service treats its customers.

[@RyanMercer]

It's also worth nothing they for the next week and a half they are basically gone as Chinese companies take the time off for Chinese New Year and, for the most part, nothing gets done during that time. A couple other Chinese holidays like that too each year.

[@checkshirtjoinery5372]

Got the F1 ultra yesterday.... Today the ir doesn't work after 10 keyrings yesterday and one slate embossed that took 20 minutes

[@RyanMercer]

@@checkshirtjoinery5372 ugh, so sorry to hear that. I'd hoped they'd fixed whatever the issue was.

[@janinelew2483]

Mine IR laser stopped working and it's only a few months old. The blue light works but the red one doesn't. I got the same responses you got. I'm so glad I went with a Thunder laser for my C02.

[@RyanMercer]

Man that sucks. I've now seen about a dozen people that have had it happen.

[@janinelew2483]

@@RyanMercer I wonder if a complaint can be filed with the BBB.

[@RyanMercer]

@@janinelew2483 Chinese company so doubt it would do much good.

[@9Rich7891]

My Co2 laser is more reliable, I was trying to cut some basswood and it started to flame up the F1 shut down. I can't cut the fire alarm just shuts down the laser. You see all these great videos of people engraving etc.. I am finding it really hard to copy the results with the IR laser which is why I bought it.

[@RyanMercer]

Right. I hate the flame sensor so much. Sometimes it goes off for no reason and it's stupid you can't resume from a flame shutdown.

[@DuckyMERC]

"have you tried turning it off and back on ? are you sure its plugged in ?" lol im kidding, all laser companies have the worse customer service. i have had a bad time with xtool as well.

[@RyanMercer]

Hello IT. Have you tried turning it off and on again? 🤣

[@DuckyMERC]

@@RyanMercer " sir are you sure its plugged into a power outlet"

[@JBrierley02]

It’s not just laser companies. Customer service seems to be a lost art everywhere these days. Chinese companies in particular are universally terrible.

[@RyanMercer]

@@JBrierley02 pretty much

[@kenparsons1396]

Hi Does this machine need WiFi to work? Would it struggle at events with no WiFi?

[@RyanMercer]

@@kenparsons1396 you can connect it via USB to a laptop to interface with the software, that's all the Wi-Fi does, just saves you a cable.

[@RobRoserealtor]

Mine stoped working on day 3. I followed the steps on the UPDATE and it still doesn't work

[@RyanMercer]

Oof that sucks :(

[@hasve978]

I have a new F1 only used the laser about 20 times. The IR is not working now.

[@RyanMercer]

That stinks, probably used mine about that much before it started acting up.

[@hasve978]

@RyanMercer I did just notice if you slow it down and up the power it cuts on if you use Jarvis. Does not work with greyscale will try the others. 100% does not work with greyscale bitmap mode. Works with the otherss.

[@123louwho]

I think mine is having the same issue. I got it earlier this year but hadn’t had much time to play around yet (I’ve done a coaster and a little text on a spatula). I was trying to do a pic collage on a piece of wood for a friend and when I tried to send it looked like it was going but the same thing happened to me. Unlike you though…I’m so new at this that I wasn’t sure if it was user error. :(

[@RyanMercer]

Sorry to hear that. I actually started trying to get a refund yesterday because now my blue diode is acting up too 🤦‍♂️

[@dakemabesemer9481]

this just happened to mine. I have only used it 3 times, it is as close to new as you get. It engraved amazing those three times but now it does exactly what yours does - nothing. Do you have an update on yours??

[@RyanMercer]

@@dakemabesemer9481 sadly no. I ended up disputing it with American Express since xTool didn't want to send me a replacement or even try to help me.

[@carolwaller9605]

What’s the name of the Facebook group please?

[@RyanMercer]

"XTool f1 & f1 ultra official group "

[@LuvinNappy]

I have had mine since November and it has never worked. I emailed them and can’t get a response. Mine is boding the same thing

[@RyanMercer]

:( that stinks. If you paid via credit card you might try to dispute it if it isn't too late yet.

[@IcEMystPrivate]

All works fine now? Still happy about it?

[@RyanMercer]

It's still temperamental but IR is currently working. I've probably seen two dozen people having similar issues in the official Facebook group now though.

[@IcEMystPrivate]

@@RyanMercer hmmm this makes me rethink going for xtool, and perhaps check out laserpecker 2

[@IcEMystPrivate]

But what I just notice, the layout and feel of the xtool website (Europe) feels almost similar to the one of the laserpecker site. Same company? 🤔

[@IcEMystPrivate]

Or maybe opt for the xtool s1 20 or 40 watt....

[@RyanMercer]

@@IcEMystPrivate Hmmmm interesting

[@AbenaBoateng-hm4ie]

I only used my one once and it started doing exactly the same thing. I am returning it.😡

[@RyanMercer]

Oof that stinks!

[@donaldlynch6559]

Did you ever get your F1 working properly

[@RyanMercer]

Not really. Sometimes it works right, sometimes it does nothing. xTool didn't seem open to replacing it despite me asking either, just kept wanting to play multi-day turnaround talking to their customer service and engineers in China.

[@donaldlynch6559]

Mine does the same thing.

[@RyanMercer]

@@donaldlynch6559 sorry to hear that.

[@joeyhouben3270]

unfortunately I hear unity hope “but”. but 😜 what did the 1st email say? just it doesn't work or the complete story? What I often notice is that the shorter the 1st email, the longer the entire conversation becomes. In the first email, flood them with all the information you have. The more you provide them in the beginning, the faster we will work on a solution. Yes, they are in China, but there are also experts among them.

[@RyanMercer]

I gave them a precise list of everything wrong and things attempted, I left the first message out of the video because it contains personal contact information and I'm too lazy to sensor it out 😂