Glowforge release

[Gary Hair]

You would hope so, but in doing a Google search this thread doesn't appear anywhere! How is that even possible!? Maybe my search is incorrect? When I searched for just "Glowforge" and "Glowforge problems" I get about 12 pages, none of them include this website!? I wonder, how much does it cost to suppress any negative press to that extent?

I googled glowforge bad reviews and this page came up on the second page of results. It came up on the 3rd page searching glowforge reviews.

[Kev Williams]

"glowforge release" (I cheated big time with that one )came up 5 thru 9 on page two...

gfr.jpg

Fact is, there's a lot of internet traffic about the thing. Problem is............

[John Lifer]

Just thought I'd get us back on topic Was wasting time and this is pretty new.
Seems like honest review by owner.

Will say a bunch of folks are disputing and even say they are cutting 1/2 inch ply. If so, with a sub 40watt laser, guess they'll soon find out about the warranty..



"13h

I have received my GF basic. Ordered Day 4. I have used it for a few weeks now.

Here’s some food for thought for those of you still waiting and wondering if you should continue to wait.

Pros:

It does a good job on up to 1/8" material which is how I use it.
The software works well enough to get stuff done.
Build quality is good. 4.5/5 stars. Better than expected.
Proofgrade materials are really good. Way better than expected and “reasonably” priced. Hopefully GF will continue keep this pricing, availability, and run some sales.
The cut/engrave/score work well and have good setting choices.

Cons:

The bed is small unless your only use is small. Hobby size really. I am spending a lot of time editing vector files to fit small 11x19ish artboards.
The software has a long road ahead. Don’t under-estimate this. One major missing feature is to save your layout/settings at will.
For those of you thinking the air filter will handle smoke and smell, I seriously doubt it. I have a direct output outside and the amount of smoke going out is a lot and the smell is pretty strong. The fan is well designed and strong. But, I would pass on the air filter idea unless you’re cutting stuff that does not create much smoke. Woods and leather really smoke. Why do you think it’s delayed till May 18’ and beyond.
The camera only accurately aligns if you position directly below the camera (center of bed).
Don’t toss the $249.00 shipping box, (really, $249.00)
Camera trace and cut is a joke at this point. Scale is so messed up.
I’m not a believer in the pro unit. The pass thru has several challenges (software, alignment, smoke release, …) I wouldn’t want one after using the basic. So I your have a pro with air filter on order, I’d re-think your order for sure.

My conclusion:

The basic is a good and “affordable” HOBBY laser cutter. I’ll get my use out of it. If that’s your use, I’d continue to wait for it even though the empty promises are getting pretty deep. For those starting a business, move on. Get a commercial device like an Epilog. Get it used if price is an issue. There are just too many things that are not adequate for business use and based on the company’s track record, getting commercial results from a GF is many years away.

Hope this helps :slight_smile:"

[Dave Sheldrake]

Anything not directly under the lid camera is around 1/4 of a inch out on alignment

That's going to work well when you try engraving somebodies $3,000 macbook but it's ok because there is going to be a software update at some point in the future, (the head camera still don't run for alignment)...I did wonder why they never botherd asking anybody who understands even the basics of laser optics why a tiny 3mm lens in the middle of a sheet 12 x 19 will give optical abberations, either that or they never looked into a river at a fish and wondered why it isn't where they thing it is or why 300mm Galvo lasers have a 440mm lens

This is what happens when you employ very good sales people but nobody who understands lasers


Oh.....That 12 x 19 "proof grade sheet" of 3mm ply is $11 !!

[Dave Sheldrake]

Will say a bunch of folks are disputing and even say they are cutting 1/2 inch ply.

You can cut 1/2 inch ply with a 1 watt Blu Ray laser

It will takes days and look dreadful as well as being as accurate as a blind man using a hand saw though

[John Lifer]

Yeah, I understand Dave it WILL cut it, sometime in the future. Oh, several that did say they ended up with only fair edges. so yep, blind man and handsaw.

but as one guy put it (that was being oh so positive) software is like ".87 not 2.51 like Epilog" Yep, so true, not even at a full release version and they are touting as best thing out there!

[Mike Dempsey]

I cant understand the reason why customers are ok to wait two and a half years or so to get their 'laser' after paying for it. If you run a business and wish to add laser engraving to your range of services, any other laser in the world would be with you long before the time it takes for a Glowforge to reach you. If you are a hobby user would you wait for 2 and a half years for a set of golf clubs to be delivered if you wished to take playing golf? The purchasers must have very thick skin because I am sure if I was waiting on a delivery for that length of time my family would soon let me know that I was being stupid or words to that effect!

[Jerome Stanek]

I cant understand the reason why customers are ok to wait two and a half years or so to get their 'laser' after paying for it. If you run a business and wish to add laser engraving to your range of services, any other laser in the world would be with you long before the time it takes for a Glowforge to reach you. If you are a hobby user would you wait for 2 and a half years for a set of golf clubs to be delivered if you wished to take playing golf? The purchasers must have very thick skin because I am sure if I was waiting on a delivery for that length of time my family would soon let me know that I was being stupid or words to that effect!

They were promised the world and didn't know that there are better units out there. It was all advertising hype and a snake oil salesman

[Bert Kemp]

I buy BB 1/8th" that size under 3$

Anything not directly under the lid camera is around 1/4 of a inch out on alignment

That's going to work well when you try engraving somebodies $3,000 macbook but it's ok because there is going to be a software update at some point in the future, (the head camera still don't run for alignment)...I did wonder why they never botherd asking anybody who understands even the basics of laser optics why a tiny 3mm lens in the middle of a sheet 12 x 19 will give optical abberations, either that or they never looked into a river at a fish and wondered why it isn't where they thing it is or why 300mm Galvo lasers have a 440mm lens

This is what happens when you employ very good sales people but nobody who understands lasers


Oh.....That 12 x 19 "proof grade sheet" of 3mm ply is $11 !!

[Kev Williams]

I've cut thru 3/4" wood with my old 25w ULS a few times, I did have to flip it and aligning is no fun but the results weren't too bad. One for the 'can be done' folder
(took half a day, but who cares about time? )

What is fairly alien to me with lasers is all this cutting everyone does. Seems cutting stuff out is about 85% of what people use these things for. My cutting time is probably less than 5% of my laser use. Beyond pre-cutting Rowmark signage once in awhile or weird shaped badges, I hardly cut anything. The last time I cut any wood on purpose was to make oval key fobs right after I got the LS900. I cut 1/4" plex about once a year, use the Triumph with that. I bought Gary's old GCC going on 3 years ago, I've never cut anything but 1/8" holes in Rowmark tags with it. It's main job, like the 900, is engraving.

So I find it amusing that new GF owners seem to be doing a lot of cutting. As mentioned above, have fun expecting the machine proper to filter out the smoke

[Matt McCoy]

I've cut thru 3/4" wood with my old 25w ULS a few times, I did have to flip it and aligning is no fun but the results weren't too bad. One for the 'can be done' folder
(took half a day, but who cares about time? )

What is fairly alien to me with lasers is all this cutting everyone does. Seems cutting stuff out is about 85% of what people use these things for. My cutting time is probably less than 5% of my laser use. Beyond pre-cutting Rowmark signage once in awhile or weird shaped badges, I hardly cut anything. The last time I cut any wood on purpose was to make oval key fobs right after I got the LS900. I cut 1/4" plex about once a year, use the Triumph with that. I bought Gary's old GCC going on 3 years ago, I've never cut anything but 1/8" holes in Rowmark tags with it. It's main job, like the 900, is engraving.

So I find it amusing that new GF owners seem to be doing a lot of cutting. As mentioned above, have fun expecting the machine proper to filter out the smoke

They're making things, like this:

https://community.glowforge.com/t/my...n-the-gf/12608

[Michael Henriksen]

95% of what I do is cutting.

[Kev Williams]

They're making things, like this:

https://community.glowforge.com/t/my...n-the-gf/12608

yup, very impressive, but the first few sentences describe in full detail
why, sadly, so many people who buy lasers expecting to make a living with them----
- Don't...
gfart.jpg

After 100 hours of design (which was previously done before I got the GF)…
After 26 hours of cutting 47 individual 12x20 pieces of Baltic birch…
After 20 hours of staining individual pieces…
After 15 hours of gluing…

That's 161 hours in time spent on this piece. That's $1168 worth of labor at minimum wage-- At typical $120 per rates for engraving, you're looking at over $19,000 in time spent making this. Now, after the first one the design time goes away, and after 5 or 6 more you'll likely knock off around 20% off the time with practice, which still comes to roughly 50 hours, over 6 working days, to make one...

It's very nice, and I hope he likes it, as he'll have a hard time marketing it...

[Bert Kemp]

26 hours of cutting time that more then 3/8 hr days of cutting. I can't say with any amount of accuracy but I think I could cut this out in around 8 hours give or take. That GF is a speed demon for sure

[Lee DeRaud]

That's 161 hours in time spent on this piece. That's $1168 worth of labor at minimum wage-- At typical $120 per rates for engraving, you're looking at over $19,000 in time spent making this. Now, after the first one the design time goes away, and after 5 or 6 more you'll likely knock off around 20% off the time with practice, which still comes to roughly 50 hours, over 6 working days, to make one...

It's very nice, and I hope he likes it, as he'll have a hard time marketing it...

I don't know the dude from a hole in the ground, but if he's just using the GF (or any other laser) as an additional tool in something he already does, that analysis is very apples and oranges. He apparently already has his marketing channel in place ("This is going to the gallery next week..."), likely with a price tag in the $500-$2000 range. You might not pay that much for it, but someone might, especially if he's already established in the local art community. Trying to apply engraving business economics to that kind of thing is like saying, "Yeah, but if he spent that amount of time day-trading, he could be a millionaire."