Here’s the plan then lads:
- Order a GF.
- Partially cancel - everything except the tube (get partial refund).
- Order another GF (don’t cancel (even partially))
Result: Have 1x GF + 1x extra tube. Bliss.
Repeat steps 1-2 every 1-2 years…
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Agreed. Working on a microwave even unplugged could kill you. If changing the ink in my printer could kill me or I had to send the whole printer back for more ink I would not be buying that printer. This is and issue they really need to have sorted out before they claim to have a “desktop laser” vs. a commercial machine
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Compared to previous comments , this abrupt change from easy to replace to not user serviceable sounds like a major design failure. I didn’t mind the delays (wouldn’t have had time to play with it anyways), but such a fundamental change with no clear thought out strategy (haven’t read to end of this thread yet), is very disappointing. All design/engineering items around the tube (mounting, electrical and coolant connections) should have had tube replacement as part of the requirements (not optional, but requirement ).
I guess if the tube last 10 years, this may be an OK strategy but not for a 2 year consumable cycle)
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Possible solution. It’s only half-baked so even I’m not sure if I like it yet. But I think I do.
Tube on the verge of failure.
Send me a loaner Glowforge. This provides me a Glowforge to work with as well as a box to ship with.
Bi-directional shipping and labor costs are on Glowforge.
I get my Glowforge back with a new tube installed.
I pack up my loaner in that box and send it on its way.
Yeah… The more I think about it, the more it’s the answer for me IF we absolutely will not be able to replace the tube ourselves.
- Tom
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sounds great for the end user, but GF has four way shipping costs to absorb. if those are “free shipping” to the end user, GF isn’t just replacing your tube for free at $500, it’s also paying UPS for the ability to do so.
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These glass tubes have a shelf life, we’ve discovered that using them actually prolongs the life and if you leave them sat doing nothing for 6 months you might find they don’t fire up at all.
If you do a lot of engraving it will also shorten the tube life compared to just cutting normally. Also cutting light materials is a lot less use of the tube than heavy materials so good news for people cutting card and paper bad news for people cutting 6mm perspex.
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Can and probably will… (though i never thought i would cancel before you!)
The funny thing is, this is not even about the money. TBH the costs involved are negligible from our households POV.
The problem for me is the doubt this raises:
If they have gone 2 years without noticing a phenomenally important design flaw then that is almost as concerning to me as if they HAD noticed a phenomenally important design flaw and only now chosen to tell us. Either way this causes a significant crisis of trust
Ha ha… water off a duck’s back.
We talk straight in Australia. If pointing out ‘a major design flaw’ is not ‘a feature’ is a bannable offense then that says volumes about Glowforge’s position on this.
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That’s my current concern…either the design team failed impressively, or the issue was not disclosed way back when the pre-order went out.
And there has been a lot of careful word crafting a bit too many times.
Don’t get me wrong, this is an amazing machine overall, but there are a lot of little not so nice things on how they have been presented. This latest issue takes the cake though.
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Not my problem. The company promised a user-replaceable tube and bragged about how easy it is and how it won’t take any “exotic” tools. It wasn’t my idea.
If they can come up with a better way to come close to keeping that promise? One that won’t cost me more than previously implied? One that won’t cost me usability of my unit for weeks? I’m all ears.
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This is the irony. The shipping cost alone (not the tube) in my case is enough to send a GF technician all the way to my country with a replacement tube. Then, after spending the 23 minutes replacing the thing (we’ll have a coffee), he/she will have enough spending money left for an exotic breakaway. And… I’ll have my tube replaced in 2 days instead of waiting 4-6 weeks for the GF doing a round trip to US and back.
(Also, if my GF is a Muslim… will it be allowed back into the US?)
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Well, I’ll be honest, that’s one way I don’t think most would have a problem - if they’d want to cross-ship a deposit-secured refurbished warranty replacement where’d I’d swap and put mine in its box, all for $500 usd…
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This cuts right to the bone for me…
Although i have been supportive if the delays if it leads to a superior product to be honest much of what we are relying on is the excellent reports from the testers (thank you guys and gals) and Dan getting excited about things that can be added to the GF… but then offering very very little in the way of actual proof or even descriptive details.
This tube replacement problem is a major, major issue… even for US customers…
The question i have in my mind is… having seen similar issues in companies before… if this is what we are seeing on the surface what sort of chaos is going on under the hood?
As @jrnelson said… we cannot HOPE that suddenly GF will come up with a plan to make a major problem disappear when they have had 2 years and not achieved it and post-release the structure of the GF will be set
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i guess if that was a sarcastic response, ok? but it’s even less realistic than me shipping one back on my own dime.
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Thanks @dan, I look forward to getting my two Pro units (and maybe becoming a trained and certified Glowforge repair tech. 
)!
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Snarky, but honest. I’ll definitely listen to any good idea they have on this topic.
A lot of ‘ifs’ there for a company who have consistently delayed release and expect us to accept a product whose sole consumable part needs to be sent in to be replaced (but they are thinking through some ideas for)
Even for US purchasers this is a big leap of faith
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Yeah that sounds beyond wishful thinking… plus we need to take time off from work to drop off and receive the gf with the shipping cluster
Wow… just wow, that was powerful stuff.
Makes sense to me
I agree, lots of ‘ifs’ and speculation all over the place right now. My point was that at this very moment I don’t have enough information to calculate this cost.
Glad to hear that the production ramp-up is proceeding well though I was disappointed with the info that I will need to send the GF in for a new $500 laser tube every 2 years or so. Hopefully, the turnaround on that will be quick. Letting us know about the tube replacement process in advance will ensure that we all keep the packing materials so we can return it more safely.
Dan, you said 2 years for “heavy usage”. Heavy usage would equate to how many hours of cutting or etching over 2 years?
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