Let’s face it. Among all the Laser printers available in the market, Glowforge is not a cheap one. Like many others, I have Glowforge Pro, with a price tag of over 7K (including air filter). While it is welcoming that Glowforge is offering Premium at almost 50% off, for a tool as versatile as Glowforge to come without any basic features like being able to draw shapes and insert text in to the design is simply pathetic. Even most basic laser printers in the market come with better editing tools and has basic features like Texts, and basic shapes ( Easel, for example). I can understand if GF removes all other Graphics and other features that come with Premium, but, come on, even Text and basic shapes? How is one supposed to create " a new design" without even being able to draw a line or a square? While it is possible to do it with a other third party tool, the greed on the part of GF to make more money by forcing consumers to buy GF premium is simply unfair - especially after having spent a fortune. Wish I had known…
Can you tell me what design features you think come with other lasers?
Unless you pay for premium, you don’t get a text tool!!!
Are you kidding me?
That’s not a premium service, that’s a basic service that should be provided!
I realize most people will already have their text in the file they are creating, but not having a text took makes on sense at all!
We have been over this before. The text tool is a very recent addition - like in the last 6 months over the 3+ years the Glowforge has been in existence. It is part of the premium features which were recently introduced. Basic shapes can easily be created in Inkscape or any other design program and loaded in your Dashboard. In fact, there is such a free file available in the free laser design section of the forum. You can also create text in your graphics program, Word or any other software that can be saved as a pdf. You don’t need these features to operate the Glowforge, but if you find them useful you can pay for them.
I had no idea it was just added to the dashboard! I just thought it was a standard feature and came included. When I got the machine, it came with 15 days of premium to try, but I didn’t know the text tool was part of it. As you say, text can be added when creating projects in whatever software is being used and that is what I will do.
Thanks for the clarification.
I also use Lightburn…( for an inexpensive, slow and cheap Laser I have) A great laser Burning tool for a cheapie Laser for one time $40 fee . I also have an inventables CNC and that comes with Easel. While Easel Pro is not free, it is also NOT $50/month and Inventables CNC is not as expensive as Glowforge. The point is that an expensive product ( Like Glowforge) should at least come with some basic features ! Yes, there are other FREE tools ( like inkscape, Gimp and Open Office) that can do the job, but if we have to jump from one tool to another to get a simple task of drawing a rectangle after spending a fortune, it is simply frustrating and disappointing. If Gimp and Inkscape and Open Office can incorporate these tools for free, why can’t GF have these basic tools incorporated in their App? How much of an effort it is to make a consumer’s life a little easier?
Easel is great, but what lasers come with design features? Anyway, I posted the template above so you don’t have to leave the dashboard for lines, squares, rectangles etc. Much more expensive lasers like Epilog do not come with design features. It cost Glowforge money to design this software, so they are charging for it. As I said, for the first three years of the Glowforge existence this wasn’t an option at any price. It is an improvement the company has made and announced in its September announcement.
After thinking about it, I have a $7,500 cnc machine and I still had to buy Vectric software to use the machine, not to mention I probably have over $1,000 in router bits to cut things. When I looked a machines other than GF, I was drawn to the GF because it had the cloud base software and I simply assumed the design part of it was standard. I will just have to learn some new software to design, just like I had to learn how to use my Vectric software.
I think Vectruc Vcarve exports svg doesn’t it? There’s at least one person on here using it to design for GF.
It’s squarely in the middle price wise, neither expensive nor cheap.
Easel is for CNC machines, not laser cutters.
Did you do any research? The GFUI without premium works exactly as it was intended - as a print driver. Do you get upset with your inkjet printer because you need a third party program to print out an email? The cheaper k40 variants all just come with an even more basic driver, even the rebranded Full Spectrum versions when GF came out. Epilog and Trotec’s more expensive machines similarly come with job management not design software.
Don’t take me wrong. I am not upset with the product, quality and the wonderful support we get at GF. My point is , the app already has Text and basic shape tool and to take it away and make it only available for premium user is a little upsetting. I don’t mind if they put all other features , graphics and services under premium ( which I am going to opt for now that it is available for reduced price). Any new purchase like GF , if and when it comes with basic tools, it makes the learning curve less intimidating.
It was not taken away. As stated above, for the first three years that Glowforge produced machines, there were no features like this. It was developed and offered in September.
Yes Vcarve can export svg files! I have not had the time to try it, because of the holidays, but will start working with it soon. This is something I will want to work on.
I just looked up Art-Cam that had some of the best software for design in 3D engraving. When I was using someone else’s It was $50K a seat. For that It should have come with a laser 
Looks like Autodesk bought it out and killed it 
Now anyone who bought in can’t even use it for a paperweight 
After looking at some of the pictures of others printers, the basic tools that need to come with the GF is pretty simple, as follows:
- Box of Zeiss Wipes or other alcohol wipes
- Travel size Q-Tips
- Travel size bottle of alcohol
- Travel size of natural glass cleaner (for lid and tube)
- Suggested maintenance schedule
- A complete list of what and where to clean.
- List of suggested safe cleaners to include for the electronic boards and contacts.
Just a suggestion…
As to what needs to be cleaned, I really think they should either redesign, or create a better option for fan cleaning. My GF is on the second floor of my home (absolutely only place I can put it). I live here with my 80 year old parents. If I were to try to clean the fans the way they recommend, I would have to hire someone to help me move the machine downstairs and outside. I would probably insist on removing the head and reinstalling all of the orange bits to do so while carrying it down my steep staircase. That was the poorest design plan I have ever seen, making a delicate, electronic machine that weighs over 100 lbs that MUST be moved just to clean a fan blade (or 3 fans blades).
Not that this makes your cleaning issue any better, but the GF only weighs 55lbs.
Agree. I cleaned mine the other day but since it’s out of warranty I removed the left side an just took the fan out…
Only… 