Has anyone permanently vented their forge with a dryer vent?
Do I still need to remove the hose everytime I use it or since the vent is sealed, can I just leave it on?
Just got my machine two days ago and don’t want to ruin it but also don’t want to open the window and vent out everytime I want to use my laser either.
Yes, you can use that, but I would get one with flaps on it to keep critters from climbing up into your machine. (There is a very large freak-out factor involved when that happens. Ask me how I know.) 
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you also need to keep rain / humidity / frost out of your Glowforge, so i would get something a ‘little’ more then just a flap
there are TONS of discussions about it on here.
Jonathan
This one has the flap on it.
Thank you! I think I’ll probably just disconnect from the back of the machine and keep it in the wall then!
make sure you get a good clamp, or vent connector to the glowforge, its a pretty flimsy connection to the vent hose.
I have a 6" permanent vent with a flap on the outside, but I still have a blast gate as the first thing on the inside.
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I highly recommend a blast gate. It keeps all the humidity out of my machine. There are multiple files available here in the community. A search for blast gate will bring up the conversations.
Welcome to the community! We can’t wait to see what you make!
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I use a dryer vent that has flaps on it, permanently mounted through plexiglass we used to replace a window (not really replaced, as you can see, we have old windows, so we just pushed the window up and put the plexi in). The flaps help keep critters from climbing in.
I also have a blast gate installed between an inline fan and the Glowforge to help keep moisture out of the machine. I open the blast gate and turn on the fan as soon as I turn my Glowforge on.
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