If you want an open discussion on this thread, I’d recommend moving it to Everything Else or BTM before it gets closed by support as it’s a post stating concerns and experiences rather than a solvable issue.
I have been in the same boat and I haven’t recommended building a business on this machine because of it. Plenty of stories on FB about this happening to other business minded people as well, so the usage and consistency plays a part in the machine’s degradation, especially it seems, if these are being used more than a few hours daily.
Personally I’ve had 3 machines with the third being refurbished by the company, then me refurbishing it myself twice, and a second machine that had issues with laser consistency. Love the convenience this machine offers, but business pillar it is not. Others have opted to use this as a base to get them to the next level, @jbmanning5 is one, where they’re able to start here, but take the next step in growing the business by getting a business oriented machine that can handle the output.
Other companies have been more established with a wider support net, but at a higher enter price. That price gets you what you’d expect, though, so if your laser based business is worth pursuing, Glowforge is the gateway, but not the finish line.
I appreciate you sharing your experience because it’s a reality that gets swept under the rug, especially by GF apologists. Many times these types of posts have people try and invalidate them, but those people don’t understand that a post like this isn’t attacking anything, rather, sharing a variable to consider.
If I knew this sort of thing in advance when planning to start a business, it would give me a moment to pause and consider the outcome. If I ran through the marketing and “feel good” stories shared, I’d more than likely pull the trigger and assume this would last me years. Anyway, it’s a bummer that it’s happened to you, but it’s good that you’ve shared your experience for others to consider.
I gotta see if a local mill can get me some…
