Very nice narrative and it is clear that GF made a good choice for the 1st public beta tester. We will all be looking forward to more reports.
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While it doesn’t specifically mean that it is safe… Delrin/Acetal/POM is very commonly used in laser cutting. There is less smell than with acrylic.
@Dan - thanks for the response. I hadn’t thought about how smell would be a direct feedback on function of the machine, but only because I am capable of moments of incredible ditz-ery.
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You (and @jacobturner) are correct, I got confused with Polyurethane. I still need to hold off on playing with delrin for a bit.
The first rule of beta testing is…
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How is the tool supposed to be used?
It could theoretically, but we haven’t developed our printing process yet so the material doesn’t have codes & the software to read them isn’t in place.
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It is a type of caliper, one which I would call a center-finding divider.
This design started here, and was then continued here.
The two outer points are always equidistant from the center point. You could use it to find the center point between two outer points, or you could use it to measure an even distance outward in both directions from one center point.
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Also, notably, all three points remain co-planar as it opens and closes.
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Seems like it would be perfect for anyone that works with a lathe
Wouldn’t the remarkable feat be to remain colinear? Absolutely any 3 points in space are coplanar with one another.
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So since I have one of these in hand, it is worth noting that the “points” are (mostly) colinear, but that they are not in the same plane as the “face” of the tool. since each point is at a different depth compared to the front face you kind of have to hold it funny to make them line up when trying to use it.
If I were seriously trying to make this a usable tool I would use either a thicker hardwood (like maple) or even better I would make it out of metal. Acrylic is just not up to the task.
“the input and output fans running at full speed, when in fact the input fans should be pushing a little less than the output is pulling”
Is the input fan easily accessible? If so, could a choke could be made to physically reduce the input fan’s performance? For example, if it’s a 120mm fan, cut a plate with a 110mm circle. A piece of masking tape stretched across the front of the fan grill might be enough, or just a thin strip of acrylic or whatever.
Then cut something smokey/smelly/nontoxic to test it and add tape/reduce the opening of the choke as needed.
Probably will adjust thru the cloud service. @dan posted a while ago that the speed of the fan is variable and controlled from the cloud.
I’m sure it’ll be corrected in software at some point, but if the intake fan is creating too much pressure and making the machine stinky, an easy solution is to make the intake fan less efficient by blocking some of the airflow.
Only an idea to fix a problem with this beta unit, not something for the final product. Man, I hope my sleek Glowforge doesn’t come with a piece of tape with the words “do not remove” stretched across the grill!
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A few years ago I designed a top mounted ac unit for out of date trains that companies used on site only. In that case you are correct, I was limited to 72VDC power supply so everything was manually constricted or opened depending on the air flow needed. But in this case it would be easier to simply slow the fan down. I am assuming they used highest rated cfm fan they could get that would work with the specs they have with power supplies and voltage regulation already in place. I doubt they want to have a physical choke on it when they can simply control the speed. But that is simply an assumption on my part
I remember when I attempted to make a dust collection system in my wood working shop and found that the corrugated dryer vent pipe really restricts air flow. With the length of the vent pipe, I am sure that there is a lot of back pressure so that would cause a positive pressure inside of the Glowforge and likely contribute to the smell coming into the house.
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I got the impression that the fan speed parity was a known problem and I assumed they would have changed it if it was as easy as typing in a different value or flashing a new firmware. I believe a resister could be put inline as well. I figured a baffle would be an easy and temporary fix.
I guess allowing the smell of melted acrylic out into the room might be preferable to whatever might happen if the intake fan was slowed down though (overheated laser thingy?).
Hopefully the tape will at least be engraved with those words instead of marker being used.
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