Hello, how long does Glowforge Pro run well without issues? I have a 2017 and wondering how the new ones compare. Is it worth getting a new one before things go wrong or will it continue to work well for years?
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That’s an indeterminate question – there’s no set usable life to each laser. Depending on the use, they can last a year, or in many cases, 8 years and counting. It’s really a matter of the power settings and the hours of use each individual unit sees. My original unit lasted until lust this past Fall, failing in the middle of my holiday rush. I upgraded to a PRO so I could finish in time, and haven’t regretted it since.
YMMV, but I wouldn’t preemptively replace a unit unless your business cannot tolerate being down for a couple of weeks.
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The tube itself had a two-year predicted lifespan, whether used or not. Many of us got much more than that out of our original machines .
I knew that going in, and was delighted to be amongst those who got many more years out of it.
Despite the new "crafting"t ools, I never considered my original Glowforge Wifi Setup than a crafting tool. It’s a fun hobby, not a production machine.
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Welcome to the community after all these years.
I believe you are running on borrowed time with a machine that old.
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Mine is an original Pro (from the crowd sourcing days) and is running fine. I had a pre-release unit for testing so my permanent machine came at the end of the deliveries for folks on the initial order waiting list as I deferred my delivery until they had gotten everyone else’s order shipped since I had the PRU and didn’t want to make someone else wait just so I could get my permanent one a couple of months sooner. I’ve been a casual user for the past couple of years though.
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