Consumptive material

Hello I have already order one for myself and feel so excited about it ,Still I have few questions about GF

  1. Which parts of the machine need to be replace after I used under normal circumstances and which part will be the first?

  2. After how many times I used will need it to be replaced those supplies?

  3. Where can I get those consumptive material ? Will it be sell on your website later?

  4. In some of your video I saw part of platform looks like scorch , is that mean the platform need to change oftenly?

These are my questions and very important to me because I live in Taiwan and I’m pretty sure many people like me live far away from you. Shipping cost is a big problem for us if the machine need to replace consumptive material frequently.
My English is not so well so I hope you can understand what i’m asking. :sweat:
THX :smile:

Hi Mike. Just a fellow pre-order customer here like yourself, but I happen to know this one. There are 2 main things you’ll need to replace. The laser tube, and the filter (if you are using the optional filter)

The tube is apparently rated for 2 years, but they have not had time to determine its lifecycle in hours (how they are typically rated) yet, as everything is still new and the rate at which they burn out will be much higher in their testing facility as they are likely pushing them hard or operating them with settings/conditions that end users might not.

How long the filters last is entirely dependent on what materials you cut/etch and how much cutting/etching you do. Dan has mentioned in previous posts that a filter could last between two months for someone doing a lot of production work with materials that are harder on the filter and over a year for a casual user.

Glowforge will be selling the tubes (around $500 I believe) and the filters (aiming for under $250)

The grid on the bottom of the bed does get scorched, which is perfectly normal. And in time it may need to be replaced if it is getting a lot of use/abuse, but that is unlikely. And most of the scorching can easily be cleaned off.

Those are the only

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I thought the tube was (unofficially?) rated at 2000 hours?

I think @dan has also said you can use the Glowforge without the filter, provided you purchase a proper 4" diameter hose from a hardware store and hook it up appropriately.

Personally, I’m going to use my Glowforge with a ventilation hose when it’s at home, and if I ever take it offsite or anything, I’ll use the filter in a pinch.

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@angrysquare correct, that’s what I’ll be doing since the spot in my workshop where the Glowforge will live is right next to a window.

I believe the hose is smaller than 4", I think he said vacuum hose size I’m guessing closer to 2"

I know I saw the small vacuum hose comment too, but I think that was a mistake. Dan posted saying they won’t be including a vent in the box and gave a link to a standard 4" dryer vent at Home Depot saying that is what would be needed for venting.

Wow thanks @chris , you do really help me a lot on my question . You mention that the grid on the bottom of the bed does get scorched and we don’t need to replace it but just cleaned it?
The laser tube is a common equipment that we can find in some hardware store or it’s a specific one that we all need to buy it from GF?

Because I’m not good at these hardware stuff so I’ll use the filter for the first round which why I pre-order a GF+filter set.Maybe I’ll try @angrysquare 's way when I figure out how the GF actually work on its ventilation.

Perhaps when our GF arrived, you guys can show people how you build your ventilation hose and what need to buy to build it like a tutorial,I think it’ll be very helpful and also a good way to save money .HaHaHa :joy:

Thanks again for helping me solve these problems. :relieved:

The filter and the laser tube are custom components designed by Glowforge

Pretty much everything here is 100% spot on. Thanks all. : )

Hose is 4".

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related question, but will there be an “hours of operation” meter in the unit/software anywhere? or some other method for knowing when a laser tube or filter needs replacing?

and if we are talking about unit service needs, i assume that the unit itself will needs service at some point. i assume we would be updated about that either in the operation manual, unit software or direct message later?

thanks

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with so much of your market being makers & tinkerers, i assume some of us will look at modifying their units, as well as the inevitable of trying to replace components with non-Glowforge parts.

especially in your international users, with the higher shipping costs we incur. of course non-genuine parts would void any warranty.

will you be providing any resources for alternate replacement components? and i mean anything from local importers, to international Glowforge partners, to direct information we could use to source our own parts?

thanks

you should really post your questions as their own topic in Q&A. you didn’t tag dan or reply to him, so it’s not likely anyone but annoying little me will ever see your questions, ha

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cc @dan

note: My typing that added the thread to his read list so you guys don’t have to do it again. (Unless you want to, of course.) Just include the @ sign in front of a name in order to call his/her attention to it.

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That is what I am doing now (with my PRU) is to use a vent, and given that it’s already installed in my house will keep using it, but as I will be using the GF in classes, maker faire, etc will use the filter then (that will likely last forever in this mode)

It’s not scorched (since scorching steel is beyond the GF) it’s just covering it with icky condensed residue (which is why you can remove it with SimpleGreen [or whatever they ultimately recommend in the manual]).

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