Distorted Shaky Images and Not Aligned

[kim6]

Over the past few days, I had to move my GF from one room to another (for venting reasons) and then exchanged out the table it was sitting on. When I first moved it, I placed in on a plastic folding table and have since placed it on a solid table (I thought that might be contributing to the shaky images).

I’ve leveled the machine. I cleaned and checked the carriage wheels (I saw someone else’s post regarding a similar issue and it was a damaged wheel).

I have tried to run the camera alignment program but after it prints all the logos (which are unrecognizable) and does the measurements it says the process did not complete. I’ve tried it twice with the same results. Advice?

Also, does this sound right (watch the end when it does its final return)? https://youtu.be/c4JBWwGetVE

[Jules]

The bumping of the head at the end of the job happens when the machine “loses it’s relative position”. That can happen if you bump the head or the laser arm while the machine is turned on, or shift the head by hand while it’s running.

Or if it hits something or hangs up.

To clear it, turn off the machine and gently move the head to the “home” position. (Upper left hand, with the head over the gridded part of the tray.)

Turn the machine on, and let it run through the Start Up calibration…it should relocate itself correctly.

The problem with the prints might be a loose belt or pulley underneath the laser arm, or it might be a damaged V-wheel. To check the wheels, with the machine turned off, lift off the head from the carriage plate and inspect them with a flashlight to see if there are any cracks or breaks. Post a picture if you find anything amiss.

If you need to check the belt, there are instructions for what to look for here…

Banding/resolution/lines not matching up?

Hello, thank you for letting us know about the trouble you’ve run into with your new Glowforge. To assist with troubleshooting, would you please check your X and Y axis belts for me to ensure they’re correctly tensioned? For the X axis belt (Located under the Laser Arm) Turn off your Glowforge. Carefully remove the crumb tray. Without removing the carriage plate and belt, locate the black pulley fastened by a metal screw on the right end of the laser arm. ​[image]​ Insert the short side of t…

[kim6]

@Jules Thank you!! This worked! It was a loose belt and I was able to tighten it! Thanks for responding so quickly. I slept much better last night knowing I wasn’t wake up to problems this morning.

[Jules]

Great! Glad it was a simple fix!

[David.W]

I’m glad you resolved it! Thank you @Jules for your advice. I’m going to close this thread. If you run into any other trouble, please start a new topic, or email us at support@glowforge.com. We’re here to help!