OK let us know the details when available,
I guess I’m a library type since I’m a librarian and the glowforge is in the makerspace part of the library. But right by a window. But remember, those of us who work for states and towns are not allowed by law to change the existing structure. And it’s a weird tiny window so that you can’t break into the school. We make it work but come frigid temps, we will have to pull in the hose, or bundle up - which makes the rest of the space unusable for the other students.
See, the thing is, I saw the ad and drank the Kool-Aid, believing that it was just as simple as the ad promised.
Explain to the students that cold is just a feeling, and they need to snap out of it and be logical about the whole thing.
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I thank Staff for being clear and transparent with all of this; I really do. It’s nice to see they have high standards as well; this product definitely wasn’t cheap and has paid for itself in the expectation department for our business.
That said our business is extremely disappointed in this turn of events. It’s been pushed off more than once or even twice; it was suppose to be here well before now and it’s ETA is now MARCH 2019 AT LEAST?! That just isn’t acceptable for a business that revolves around these types of devices; a fact made specifically mentioned in their promotional videos. We only have seen a brief concept of what the air filter could look like in the original stage and now we have nothing to go on. It feels like we are being lead on; even more so that we aren’t even being compensated for the time it’s taken to this point let alone how much longer it will take.
We need this air filter and love the added bells & whistles that the newer design has to offer, but at the same time the price it is compared to how long we all keep waiting just isn’t cost effective and is hurting our business. Other companies, like Dremel, are offering similar solutions sooner and cheaper. I at least hope this message doesn’t fall onto deft ears and pray we see something from this.
To those outside of staff who read this; we apologize for our attitude, but we are extremely frustrated in the turn of events as much as everyone else is. We are not trying to give a sad story here either as we respect everyone and recognize they are hurting from this as well. So again we apologize and just venting out our frustration in all of this.
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If you post a picture of your setup and the weird window someone here might be able to come up with a creative solution that allows its use in the winter.
Mine goes out a small window through a panel made of pink foam insulation board. I can pop it in & out and if I pull it out I could close the window (I don’t bother, it’s at the back of the house and no one is going to easily crawl through it even if they kick in the insulation panel).
You might be able to rig something up that you can put in when you’re using the GF but pull it out for when you want to close & secure the window.
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I understand some situations require a filter.
I used mine all last winter, in west central Wisconsin, with nothing but the hose going through a hole in some cardboard and it was fine. I removed the cardboard + hose from the window when not in use, and my window is protected from north and west winds, but I really expected it to be worse.
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Yikes I hope it doesn’t count “on idling time”; I have more of that by far than cutting time since my machine is down two flights of stairs (not long flights, but still) … I should probably clean the room out and buy a desk and chair for my Surface so I can design closer to the machine…
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I’m the only one in the family without missing socks (ok ONE escaped) because I use the mesh bags (it came unzipped once and one sock escaped) … so at least now I know where it most likely is…now to convince someone to open up the dryer (I’m allergic to dust so thinking not the best thing for me to work on)… hey… how did we end up on a sock topic??? 
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Try a check valve. Little flap that only opens one way. That will help keep the cold out. It flaps open when the GF airflow starts. And flaps closed when GF stops which keeps out the outside air. You can probably create one if you can’t find one that fits your tinywindow
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Is it possible to order an air filter separately from the Glowforge? I have a Glowforge Basic and would like to order the air filter now. Is that possible?
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For all those in circumstances like this like @casey.lisa and others I would offer two ideas. The first has probably been suggested that engraving on stone, metal, glass, and tiles makes no smoke and there are many such possibilities .
The second possibility is what I purchased which was called Air Shield 550 by BlueDri. The 550 is the CFM that is over twice the Glowforge output and it has cleared a room of smoke even when not directly hooked up.
I call it my Blue Whale as it is a giant filter feeder and it is blue. The air intake is 10inches in diameter but if it was hooked up to available “grow tents” around the Glowforge it would easily eat excess smoke and smells.
As my main fan in the Glowforge has pretty much died I bought a $50 inline 200CFM fan that pumps much of the smoke out a window but there are also charcoal and HEPA filters to seriously reduce smoke and parts for the Blue Whale to clean up the rest.
With a total under a thousand dollars you could operate in a sealed and at worst only have clearing taste of smoke occasionally.
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I also think they need to provide a credit/bonus/extra filters for each month that the Air Filters are still behind. I understand they want to build them correctly, and that’s great, but I can’t use my glowforge without the air filter (nor do I even have my glowforge yet since I am waiting on the Air Filter)! I really don’t want an alternative, just the actual Air Filter I purchased years ago.
Delivery has gone from 2018 July to Sept to Nov to 2019 Jan & now MARCH!!! Come on guys, you really need to make good on your delays. You did it with the actual Glowforge, but now I’m starting to really get fed up!!
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I seriously considered waiting and now I am very glad I did not, I have found it far better to kluge along with half a loaf than no loaf at all. It has been a kluge and I would really like for everything to go as everybody has hoped both in learning and work that has been done I am far ahead of where I would have been had I waited.
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I was originally of the same mind because I wanted to use it on the living level and didn’t want to be dealing with window replacement panels with a hole for the hose.
Ended up putting it in the basement and replacing one of those small foundation windows with a plwood and foam panel that works great. It also keeps the noise and the scraps out of the main living space. I have tons of scrap - I save all the remnants 
It does mean I disappear into the basement for hours at a time but I try not to do that when I should be part of the family 
The basement turned out to be a good option - my other laser is in the garage and it’s not conducive for lasering in the winter.
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Oh to be so Blessed I would have most of my tools in my garage if I could have a garage. but then when I had a garage there was never enough work area for all the different kinds of projects.
I tried to find a warehouse with a living area or a bathroom enough to have showers etc, that I could create a living area, but for some reason all the zoning folk frown on such things and those who get away with it are frightfully expensive.
I really don’t understand this, It would seem that a place that was 80% work area and 20% living space would not only be in high demand but their productivity would make life better for everyone.
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That’s a very European approach 
The U.S. has this odd disconnect between work places and living places in an awful lot of the country - zoning rules abound.
I know some folks who do a guerilla approach - they keep it low key and don’t make a big deal about it but they are in an industrial building with a “lunch room” not a “kitchen” or a shower for cleaning up before “going home” 
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Yes I was looking for that, there were bathrooms with toilets and sinks but no showers.
My mechanic added a shower because otherwise he’d be all grungy going home. His wife was happy.
A year later his brother started living in the shop
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Any update on the alternative filter @dan stated would be announced in October?
Please, anyone who has purchased a 3rd party air filter with great success, please respond. What have you purchased? We are in a school setting with constant use and continuing to filter out the window into our playground is rapidly losing favor!
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