Glowforge release

[Glen Monaghan]

Given absolutely no knowledge of how a laser engraver works, how easy it is to successfully and safely use a machine to produce a desired result? ... They [sic] key test here is if a user understands the general concept of laser cutting, can they successfully make the machine cut with no training or guidance?

I'm guessing you don't remember what it was like when you learned to ride a bike, set up a component stereo system, drive a car, fly an airplane, use your first word processor, or any of a myriad number of other tasks that you now take for granted as being intuitive and easy as dirt. What is the precedence for why you should be able to successfully and safely use ANY new machine like a laser engraver with absolutely no training or guidance? That being asked, it doesn't mean it isn't possible, since I had no training or guidance when I started using CorelDraw other than a few 'tube videos to figure out how certain tools worked, and nothing but the user manual to help set up and start using my first Epilog (not even a manual when i got the next gen Epilog), and I still have both eyes, all fingers, and those lasers have earned a nice living for me over the past five years. However, such anecdotal experience doesn't mean it's a reasonable goal.

Epilog does a good job of this by using a "print" analogy, however it falls down when you get into the drivers and actually see how things are organized and labels.

I have no clue what your problem is here... Please explain how it falls down when you get into the drivers because I can't recall any problem with organization and labels. Now, I'm just getting started with a ULS system and find the machine interface has lots of very useful options but, for now, confusing to me complexity that I don't experience with the Epilog...

[Lee DeRaud]

Now, I'm just getting started with a ULS system and find the machine interface has lots of very useful options but, for now, confusing to me complexity that I don't experience with the Epilog...

Is it really more complex or just different? The option dialog on mine is about the same level of complexity as a color inkjet.

[Dan Hollis]

they have units in the hands of beta testers now.

http://community.glowforge.com/c/glo...oject-examples

[Jason Hilton]

I'm guessing you don't remember what it was like when you learned to ride a bike, set up a component stereo system, drive a car, fly an airplane, use your first word processor, or any of a myriad number of other tasks that you now take for granted as being intuitive and easy as dirt. What is the precedence for why you should be able to successfully and safely use ANY new machine like a laser engraver with absolutely no training or guidance? That being asked, it doesn't mean it isn't possible, since I had no training or guidance when I started using CorelDraw other than a few 'tube videos to figure out how certain tools worked, and nothing but the user manual to help set up and start using my first Epilog (not even a manual when i got the next gen Epilog), and I still have both eyes, all fingers, and those lasers have earned a nice living for me over the past five years. However, such anecdotal experience doesn't mean it's a reasonable goal.




I have no clue what your problem is here... Please explain how it falls down when you get into the drivers because I can't recall any problem with organization and labels. Now, I'm just getting started with a ULS system and find the machine interface has lots of very useful options but, for now, confusing to me complexity that I don't experience with the Epilog...

You through the problem in stark perspective: “Confusing to me complexity”. If I were creating personas for laser users, you’d fall into the “Experienced switcher” persona. From a business standpoint it’s our goal to get you to switch from whatever brand you’re currently using to our brand. To do so we have to entice you with better pricing, more power, and yes, ease of adoption. The fact that you’re an experienced laser user trying to learn a new laser and finding it confusing is a usability problem.

[Jacob John]

Anyone want to take a crack at this? I know we won't be looking at every post and critiquing, nor am I asking for that, but these threads seem....canned/paid for?

I know this is a tumultuous time, but Ive been waiting to see this since the glowforge was announced. Im sure anyone who read the email has seen it, but its easy to get lost in all the chaos of the delay, and I'm too excited not to post about it. In light of that I wanted to make a thread to talk about HOW AMAZING this 3d engrave looks!

I dont doubt that you have seen me be on dan and crew's butt about the 3d engrave function. Well, they knocked it out of the park! I cant believe how amazing it looks, so kudos to the glowforge team. I really wasnt expecting to see this until after the new year some time. The quality appears to be incredibly high, and this is supposedly only at about 1/4 of max resolution!
This will potentially allow me to forgo needing to CNC or pay to resin print a LOT of 2.5d things. That in itself is a HUGE boon for me. My chinese laser cant do anything close to this.
Im really hoping the pre-release units will be able to do more 3d engraves now that the cat is out of the bag. I cant wait to see more!
Again, im blown away and cant wait to try this myself.

[John Lifer]

No, I'll not try, but I'll bet it took 3 days to run that. And fwiw,id not trust that it was run on a gf unless I was standing there watching it.

[Nicolas Silva]

http://faq.glowforge.com/hc/en-us/ar...lowforge-ship-

[Bill George]

Anyone with a laser knows that is impossible to do without some sort of CNC router.

[Lee DeRaud]

Anyone with a laser knows that is impossible to do without some sort of CNC router.

Huh? My 25W ULS will do it, assuming it's is as small as it looks: maybe 1" diameter, on 1/8" MDF.

Good luck doing that with a CNC.

[Doug Griffith]

Photoshop is a woderful tool. It's amazing how parts engraved the same depth take on different amounts
of char.

[Bill George]

Huh? My 25W ULS will do it, assuming it's is as small as it looks: maybe 1" diameter, on 1/8" MDF.
Good luck doing that with a CNC.

Your laser can dig 1/4 inch into the wood and not have a problem with burning? Plus you would need to remove the burnt material as you went. I would guess that the large dig outs were done with a CNC router and the finishing was done with a laser. Yes I had a CNC router that would do that.

[Jason Hilton]

Huh? My 25W ULS will do it, assuming it's is as small as it looks: maybe 1" diameter, on 1/8" MDF.

Good luck doing that with a CNC.

that kind of variable depth engraving is my favorite part of laser engraving. One of the things I've learned is that the Glowforge is incredibly slow. It took 40 minutes to engrave what appeared to be about 3x3 inches, so I imagine running a 3d engrave job would take a long time. Technically I don't care because I'm a hobbyist, but in reality that's a tough sacrifice babysitting a job for that long.

[Matt McCoy]

Your laser can dig 1/4 inch into the wood and not have a problem with burning? Plus you would need to remove the burnt material as you went. I would guess that the large dig outs were done with a CNC router and the finishing was done with a laser. Yes I had a CNC router that would do that.

Maybe I'm not following, but there are examples of Kern, ULS, Epilog, and gulp (FSL), producing this type of work. No router or spindle required. The FSL and the Glowforge will probably take a very long time to produce, though. The Kern examples are amazing.

[Jacob John]

Maybe I'm not following, but there are examples of Kern, ULS, Epilog, and gulp (FSL), producing this type of work. No router or spindle required. The FSL and the Glowforge will probably take a very long time to produce, though. The Kern examples are amazing.

Matt, that was my point. The person that posted this declared his Chinese laser to be inferior by being incapable of doing this. I just wanted a bit of clarification.

[Matt McCoy]

Matt, that was my point. The person that posted this declared his Chinese laser to be inferior by being incapable of doing this. I just wanted a bit of clarification.

It's a software feature. I'm not sure if the common Chinese controllers have this, so might have to look around for that info.