Speaking as someone who bought a GF Pro with Air Filter who’s still waiting for the filter, I’d add that the idea of having a GF sitting unused for years due to lack of venting seems inefficient, and I see a few more options:
realizing that venting the GF outside is easy and works great, so I only need the air filter for occasional demos in schools or Maker Faires, where ventilation isn’t a reasonable option. I assumed when I bought it that I’d need the filter, but venting worked better than expected - the exhaust looks and smells fine from even a foot away from the vent!
And to agree with your assessment otherwise, I have to say that if I absolutely couldn’t vent the GF outside, I wouldn’t have bought the GF at all. And it’s way too much fun to use to allow it to sit unused for years, and too much money to tie up getting no use.
I’m just a bit confused as to how I can make a decision about which “version” of the filter to get if I have no clue what the GF one looks like. I intentionally waiting because I wanted to under unit one, so now that its supposedly going to look like the Compact Filter, than why wait for the GF one? If the factory is going into production, why hasn’t anyone shared an image of one? Is it pretty? is it rounded? etc… It would be nice to be able to make an educated decision instead of going on a whim … . @dan
He has shared some basic info, not sure which thread it’s posted in, but it will be a little more efficient, cheaper to operate. Otherwise it’ll be a box on the floor like the CF.
Thinking that I would not be able to vent outside I bought the Blu-Dri filter to operate for the three months or so I would be waiting for the real filter expecting to use it where I was sanding or other dust creating exercise. Except for the PRUs nobody has even had their Glowforge for a bit over two years and most less than that. I cannot even imagine staring at the machine for a year and not looking for another even temporary filter.
For those who want one at the current price I am willing to sell my place in line if Glowforge is willing to manage that.
The glowforge one has a pre-filter, I don’t believe the compact filter has one although people have rigged up their own. They probably learned some stuff from the compact filter and made some improvements. As for making a decision, if you search the forum you can discover most of what you want to know about the compact filter from existing posts. If your anticipated date is in Dec or later you will be able to read about the glowforge filter here. The first units are supposed to be delivered in late Nov (that’s my date at any rate) and people will post about them.
Thanks, but the purchase history doesn’t really answer the question. It shows the price for the air filter, but then bundles discounts for the forge and filter together…
Again, I’m not planning to cancel mine, but the information for people to make an informed decision is not there this time.
Pre-Release orders for the filter were 495 for the filter, plus shipping.
*(I cancelled a Pre-Release filter order, got the credit applied towards an upgrade to the Pro model.)*
Currently the filters sell for $995 or so.
So depending on when you ordered, that’s how much money you’ll get back. (One or the other, there are only the two choices.)
A bit over a bit over perhaps. I recall two years ago all the folks complaining how they had signed up on the first day and not received it. It was about that time that the “one time for all” to have been delivered that had remained the same since I signed up the previous August was not likely to happen, and shortly after that that everyone got a “best guess” date.
The Pro units didn’t start arriving until August of 2017, but the Basics started shipping the previous spring. It wasn’t exactly a flood of units at first.
Hey @dan, would be great to see some pictures of what the new compact unit looks like. Is it the same dimensions as the current compact unit? I want to try and setup a work area in preparation for it arriving. As such it’d be great to have dimensions and clearance for the ducting etc.
Disappointed again. I have come to expect a 3 month delay to become a 3 year delay. Four years later, and I am still waiting to use the Glowforge; without the air filter the thing has been unusable in a small NYC apartment. I should have listened to my friend who told me I was a fool and I should have cancelled immediately after the first delay. I am very disappointed. I would prefer a full refund for the both the machine and the filter- the $5k back. I expect the the next delivery date to be postponed again and again and again. I would not have ordered the thing if I knew the compact filter was not feasible. I would have made other choices. Thoroughly disappointed by this company and the continual delays. Now October is now a February delivery date.
I’m sorry to hear how disheartened you are. I understand. If you are indeed requesting a refund though, you need to contact customer service either through problems and support or their email address. This post will not be seen by the people that need to see it.
Based on what you have written, it sounds like you have accepted delivery of your Glowforge. If this is the case, you will be able to get a refund on your filter, but not likely on your Glowforge as it has already been delivered.
If your Glowforge has not been delivered, please email support to request a refund.
When users are notified that the Glowforge is ready to ship, they are provided with the option to wait until the filter is ready. This is so that their Glowforge doesn’t sit unused in the event that they don’t have an external exhaust option. If a user decides that they are going to accept their Glowforge before the filter is ready to ship, the user now takes responsibility for any use or lack of use of the Glowforge. This includes knowing that once the Glowforge has been delivered there is a chance it can’t be returned for a refund. The longer the unit sits in your ownership the less likely a refund gets.
I can tell you that once the filter gets here there should be no problem using the GF in an apartment. I use mine in my small condo and have no problems, but I have a window to vent out of.
If I would have waited for the filter I would have waited nearly 5 years before the delivery of the device. The filter situation was dangling promises every 3 month, 6 month, updates. it is one thing to imagine one has to wait 3 months, it is another when those months become YEARS.
If I wanted a laser cutter with a separate filter system I would have purchased it 4 years ago; instead I was led to believe a design was feasible that would take up less floor space and that would be produced. Instead I have waited four years and now if lucky will get a filter that takes up more floor space and that I will have to wait another four months to receive (if it is delivered). I would have never ordered the unit if the design could not have been delivered nor if I had an idea of the number of production delays that would end up being years in the making. Yes I would have refused delivery and cancelled the order at that time.
