Pre-Glowforge, I built a twins’ children’s desk out of 1/4" plywood - I used double sheets that tabbed-and-slotted together with crosspieces. You can use triple if you want 3/4" thickness. You could easily do something similar for a full-sized adult desk. Tansu chests are next on my furniture todo list when I get some real design time. I’m sure other folks here will think of much more.
4 Likes
@dan Nice piece but that was not built with the Glowforge, right? Not that it matters I guess.
[quote=“szara, post:61, topic:451”]
Please explain to me what furniture is indeed built using 1/4’ stock, other than a doll house.
[/quote] This is what got me as well. I started picturing using 12mm ply or MDF, or even 9mm cut from both sides using the pass-through feature and doubling that up to get a decent strength. There’s significantly more potential than with 6mm - also for engraving large, thicker pieces. We have not seen much transparency on this one. It seems like the slot issue is a design oversight and now it’s too late to change the plastics, like Dan said. It’s a pity though. I’m hoping the front cover is removable somehow - then we could simply make one that accommodates the regular bed thickness.
yes, stencils are a great idea, but they are really easy to make without a passthrough slot. I’m still sad about that limitation.
I plan to use 1/4 inch plywood to make templates that I will use with a router and band saw to make furniture parts.
I realize not everyone has woodworking tools, but this is one of my uses for the Glowforge.
Even with the 1/4" removed from the limitations, a lot of these furniture ideas I see people vaguely alluding to are not possible. There is also a 20" width restriction to contend with.
That means most cabinet doors will not fit in there. The door to your house or between rooms won’t fit in there. Your couch or recliner will not fit in there.
Using a non-industrial laser for furniture making requires that you make said furniture in parts. You can make very nice furniture in parts, and in small slabs. No… you cannot make EVERY furniture in this manner. You may not even be able to make furniture you personally are willing to have in your house. But you CAN make SOME furniture.
2 Likes
I understand, but I also have a table saw, band saw, router table, CNC (Shapeoko 3), and a 12"x12" 3D printer. I can make templates for my router (for use with a flush-cut bit) on the ShapeOko, but I was mostly talking about engraving a piece from a furniture project on the Glowforge, like a 20" or less by whatever. Engraving not cutting a 3/4" thick piece. I’m not saying that this would be something I’d make everyday, but if needed for a particular project, I’d be limited by the 1/4" opening. With all due respect, I feel that stacking 1/4" layers to make a thicker panel is a waste of time and is not the best woodworking practice.
1 Like
Talk about being transparent with the full specs, I am wondering if the cloud-based software would allow us to enter parameters for our own material (wood, acrylic, etc.) that is not purchased from the folks at Glowforge. How much control will we have over the power of the laser, and speed, or any other necessary settings. Another question I have is: Does the Glowforge have a USB input port? I’m asking this so in case the team does release an off-line software package that would allow a PC or MAC to control the laser machine.
1 Like
It may have a USB port on the mainboard inside the Glowforge, but I don’t think there are any external connectors.
From what I’ve seen on these boards from GF you should be able to quantify your own material and parameters. Then these setting could be saved for future use. Hopefully I am paraphrasing accurately. No external USB or any other input other than power. All wireless and a single start/pause/stop button.
1 Like
I was recently forced into an ikea store. Everything in there is made of small parts, to fit into boxes. I’m not a fan of the quality of ikea furniture, but it is def an idea factory for interlocking/nesting design.
I remember seeing a video where @dan said you would be able to save your own settings for different materials.
It sounded like there was an advanced mode where you could set all the values for the laser.
There are no input ports and they do not intend to offer an offline version of the software(it’s not a feature 99% of users need and 80+% can live with out it even if they might want it). The firmware etc. will be made opensource but only in a basic form so “hackers” would have to work overtime to make a full offline version of the software. It is physically possible to make your own input port(I believe there is space on the PCB for Ethernet, not sure about USB) but you would have to be very technically proficient. Neither areas are ones I intend to go near.
1 Like
The reason I upgraded to the pro WAS because of the better cooling! I will be using it in Malta - which is pretty hot in the summer, and I wanted to make sure it would cope.
1 Like
i haven’t upgraded to the pro but living in miami makes me wonder if i should. i have a 3D printer and i take her out the art events. but now im stating to wonder if because of the Miami heat will i have to upgrade just because of the high temperature.
1 Like
I may as well once my twelve is up… at least I’ll only have to do it to the one side… :)joy:
I’m in largo, FL just slightly north of you and I had that same thought. I went ahead and bought the pro model.
I think that is really neat! My fiance and I just had a little girl. I fully believe that doing projects just like this with a 1/4 thick material buildup process (kind of ironic using subtractive manufacturing and additive manufacturing – loosely used term in place of assembly – in conjunction - oh, wait… it’s an age-old concept… never mind:wink:) for our daughter’s room will save us more than enough time, money, and frustration to pay for getting the pro-model. I am eagerly anticipating it’s delivery.
1 Like
We haven’t bern following the online discussions since buying pro on day 1 (somewhere around 800k raised). I was under the impression as well that the pass thru was 1/2 because of the piece being flipped over & cut on the opposite side. I purchased to cut fabric & leather which needs to be secured to a board meaning the pass through is useless.
Made me wonder if the glowforge is even the right tool for us.