Air Filter.... yet?

[roy.o.millerglowforg]

In 2015 I ordered a product that was represented as not yet manufactured but would ship in approximately three months, only to receive one let down after another for two years straight.

Late 2017 I agreed to receive the Glowforge cutter with the understanding the filter was going to be shipped in Q1 of 2018.

It’s now 2019 and we’ve learned that Glowforge has partnered with a third party company who promises to do the impossible by creating a filter box that sits on the floor in less time than Glowforge spent struggling with their original design. This new smaller filter with fewer features is to cost ~$995, the same as the full-featured OEM filter.

Now the GF sales page shows the OEM air filter being available September 2019, is this a real date or is this just another slippery slope of lies like we saw with the laser cutter?

[todd.hassell]

I understand your frustration, but let me add 2 cents to this. I swapped my GF filter for the compact filter, and one day in, am very happy with it.

There are actually two major advantages (in my humble opinion) to the Compact Filter:

1. it is easy to replace the “consumable” portion of the filter. Just lift off the top of the filter unit and swap it out. The original GF filter sits UNDER the glowforge and will require you to lift the ‘forge to replace the filter.

2. Origninally, I thought that you could not easily switch to exhaust from the GF filter. Dan clarified on 2/20 or 2/21, that you will be able to do so, and just have to turn off the GF Filter. (My original post had that incorrect, which is why I have edited it.

For that reasons alone, I chose to move to the compact filter.

[roy.o.millerglowforg]

Wait…what?

The GF designed filter requires the user to completely lift the 70 pound machine to replace the filter everytime it fills up?

This could be a deal breaker.

Wow I’d like to hear from the Glowforge staff if this is really the design intent.

[todd.hassell]

That is my understanding.

[Jules]

Yep. As the GF filter is currently designed, the Glowforge must be lifted off of the filter base to change the filter.

Air Filter Latest

You do in fact need to remove the Glowforge to change the filter. Thanks for the suggestion. I don’t think that’s a likely outcome, but I’ll pass it along to the team.

The Sign-up sheet for the Compact Filter is here:

Air Filter Latest

Last updated 4/2/2020 We’re excited to get you an air filter! We’re shipping all Glowforge Air Filter pre-orders to all supported countries We’ve now sent all shipment notifications for Glowforge Air Filter pre-orders around the world. If you didn’t receive the email asking for your address to accept shipment, here’s what to do: If you are ready to receive your Glowforge and Air Filter, go to https://glowforge.com/shipping to confirm your shipment. If you have your Glowforge and are only wai…

[davidandmaraya]

Also keep in mind that just because you sign up for the compact filter and have been waiting for years doesn’t mean you will be made whole. We signed up and got a whole lot of nothing. No confirmation, no filter, nothing.

[deirdrebeth]

FYI - 2 is incorrect.
I just clarified with @dan this week - with both the Compact and the GF filter you can turn off the filter and vent outdoors by easily switching the connector on the back of the GF

The thing you cannot do with the GF filter is vent the filtered air outside (because it’s released from all over the filter, not just a single exhaust port)

Air Filter Latest

There’s some confusion, and I apologize. It’s relatively easy to switch between either filter & a hose. You just turn off the filter, disconnect it, and connect the hose. The thing that is hard was that someone wanted to connect their filter to their Glowforge, and then exhaust the filter outside. That is, send the clean filtered air outdoors. I don’t know why you’d want to do that, but it wouldn’t be particularly easy.