A Review
by George Piccot |
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HID Ultraviolet has listened carefully to the mobile UV market, and they’ve heard what professionals want and need. This has lead to the next generation model of the MAKO portable handheld UV curing system product line, the MAKO-T.
Talk about portability! As a professional refinisher, I know what it means to be as portable as possible and this is one thing that HID UV took into consideration when designing the MAKO-T UV Cure Portable Light.
The MAKO-T weighs 57 lbs. and comes packaged in an impact resistant pelican case that has an extension handle and wheels so it can be moved from place to place. When not in use, the MAKO-T bundles nicely in its case for easy transport from job to job. In my opinion; these features are the stellar power points behind the MAKO-T portable UV curing light and makes this system the logical portable UV cure choice. 
The MAKO-T irradiator is very light weight, only about 5 lbs. and has been designed to be used for bathtub, tile and countertop refinishing. It was also designed with safety in mind; it incorporates built-in sensors that act as “range finders” to detect the distance from the surface to be UV cured. This means if the system is too far away from the surface to be cured, it will not start up. However, it does have a bypass switch that can be used which will allow the system to operate when it is away from the surface to be UV cured.
Another great quality of the MAKO-T is that it was designed with instant start technology. This means there is no warm-up time for operation, just press and cure. The lamp itself is a continuous wave xenon lamp which produces 25-30% more energy than standard mercury lamps. It will get the job done!
The only problem I had with the system (if you can even call it a problem) is the irradiator start button is in my opinion too close to the end of the handle cradle. I was using large heavy duty gloves and the tip of the oversized glove felt like it was getting in the way. Perhaps using tighter fitting gloves would be more convenient or maybe HID can move the button higher up on the handle. Regardless, this did not stop me from testing it out.
I do want to note that when it comes to customer service, HID UV is bar-none!
When I first received the curing system, it did not start. I had called HID UV to inform them of the issue and they determined that it was either a bulb or circuit panel issue and immediately shipped me a new bulb and circuit panel over-night. After all was said and done, turns out that the umbilical cord connector had come loose from the transformer during shipping. So, to anyone out there that may potentially have this problem; check the connectors before calling HID UV as this may save them a very expensive over-night shipping cost.
All in all, the MAKO-T has my vote as one of the top dogs for portable UV curing of UV curable coatings for countertops, bathtubs and tile.
If you would like to see detailed images of this system or join in on discussions about this system, please visit the Bathtub Refinishing Association Forum
Contact:
Bob Lesko
1-973-383-8535
HID Ultraviolet, LLC
For more information about HID UV products, please visit HID Ultraviolet
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