Yea It has a connection on the bed for a rotary, I have one ordered, should be here in a week or two
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[quote=“joe, post:67, topic:2204”]
When I have tough decisions like this, I usually make a decision-matrix.
[/quote] Ya, me too. o_o
For us having a backup machine will be important since we will probably do at least some actual production with the machine, even if it’s only logo engraving on anodized aluminium parts (which looks very sweet). Since we’re not in the US, getting a second GF tube from day 1 would be preferable. Or even better, if the GF turns out to deliver on the laser utopia it promises, perhaps even a second GF… (Note to self: get one real GF first).
It would be interesting to see how the GF influences the market for other consumer lasers in the coming year or two though.
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I’m definitely on the edge of cancelling my glowforge order because this thing is so impressive, I’m not sure I need 2.
Buuuuuuut I still havnt canceled and il think il wait It out a bit. The thing that scares me the most after seeing the laser is all the smoke it produces and how the glowforge will be made of plastic. The laser is so powerful that I would be afraid to cut clean through the glowforge.
But the US brand, US support and US software is what is keeping me going! Il be checking out the glowforge at the maker faire on Sunday thanks to glowforge! Can’t wait to check it out
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Really, it’s sunk cost now right? 
If you plan to do any business with it, then having the second is a good thing - helps if one has an issue to have a backup.
I’m sticking with my GF order and will convert my K40 into a large format one like yours (maybe 18x24 or 24x36) although “convert” is probably a misnomer as I’ll be essentially building from scratch but it lets She Who Must Be Obeyed think that I’m reusing an old tool to make a new tool 
The bed size of the GF is the one thing I wish I could change. But, with the GF for quick, easy and non-design intensive work and a big one for when it’s worth diddling around with the software issues that these all bring (all I want is a “printer” driver from Adobe Illustrator - is that too much to ask for? 
).
I wouldn’t worry about cutting thru the glowforge, after the 1/2" focal length @dan said the power is dramatically lowered, plus it has a laser proof grid on the bottom made into honeycomb shape to break up the beam.
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Also, if you decide to cut without the honeycomb in there:
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I went ahead and ordered the laser cutter I was talking about. It was too good of a deal to pass up. I got them down to $3500 including shipping with every option. I am still keeping my GF order.
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Let us know what you think of it!
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Just got back from the Bay Area maker faire and got to meet Bailey and a few other employees!
I saw Dan walking around a few time since he towers over most of the crowd 
The glowforge looks slick! The metal bezel around the top/lid looks amazing. Everything about it looks quality even though it’s plastic.
I didn’t see it running much at all besides a few hand drawn traces since the crowd was insane.
Soooo I’ve decided not to cancel my order after seeing it in person. It looks wonderful and brought me back to when I originally preordered it. The main reason is the software, i don’t think I’ve ever trust myself enough to stick a MacBook in my China laser cutter because of alignment
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Yep that’s me too. While they are doing some interesting things with the hardware, the real difference is in the software - ease of use. It’s a laser for the living room. Plug & play is something I’m looking forward to. Not because I can’t manage it through the software transforms from AI to CorelLaser to laser but because I shouldn’t have to. It takes time and that limits some of the flexibility to try new things.
I’ll keep the Chinese laser as a backup
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Software fills that space between what the ‘thing’ actually does and what you ideally want it to do…
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I used the cnc to cut the wood base and use the laser to cut the cork for the bottom
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Looks great, I like the glass door.
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The cork engraved beautifully, very nice product! Walnut(?) color is perfect compliment.
Easy to dial in the speed/power settings for the engrave?
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I am quite late to the thread, but did the laser come with Cooling, Air Assist, and Ventilation included in the pricetag?
There are other things comparable to the Glowforge in many ways. The only things I haven’t really seen anywhere else is removing the need for alignment procedures, and the drawing to cut workflow. Well, and all of the nice things tossed together with portability.
For me, I can do all of the setup on a larger laser, but I want the Glowforge for using with school kids, and of course taking to those kids.
The laser can still cut quite nicely past the focal point. Not AS nicely… but it can cut, and especially burn. I had thought that the focal lens would cause enough divergence after the focal plane that I could avoid using a honeycomb by having the table surface far enough down. So I pointed the laser through a hole in the table at the floor 3 feet below. At full power it made a scorch mark in about 10 seconds.
Yes… this is rather safe if you are paying attention. But most of the scary laser fires are from unattended cuts, not from momentary fluctuations.
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Whoa, that’s unexpected! A few questions come to mind, if you don’t mind… What kind of floor? How powerful of a laser? (I’m guessing CO2.) What focal length was the lens? How big was the mark?
60W CO2 laser. Just picked up some images to answer as well as possible. My memory of how long until we got a scorch may be off, since my memory of distance was as well. Only 2 feet out from the table.
The normal kerf at the table surface where we had the ventilation hole to burn through:
The gap we shot through:
And the resulting scorch mark:
So a beam width of about 1cm just below our focal depth became a 20cm scorch 2 feet later (with absolutely nothing between focusing lens and that spot at the time).
Our lens is a 75mm focal length 20mm GaAs lens. (looked up our original BOM for that one, I would have said ZnSe if I went from memory)
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Put a bag of popcorn kernels down there and make yourself a nice snack next time 
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Challenge accepted 
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