The second day I got my GF PRO, I printed a piece that didn’t cut all the way through. I read the FAQs, followed the recommended procedures (cleaning lense, window, etc.), and printed several tests. By pure chance, I printed on the “good side,” the left one, so I thought it was fixed.
It took me around three weeks (plus a week and a half waiting for proofgrade material to arrive) to realize that the problem never disappeared. Finally, after a lot of troubleshooting, I understood that the cause was that the right side didn’t work.
I opened a ticket; the solution was to send a refurbished machine. I told them my machine was new, and I wanted a new replacement. They doubled down: because “of the amount of time I’ve had my GF,” they have to send a refurbished one. What?! From the time I got my machine and I filed the ticket, only 6 - 7 weeks passed. That’s a similar time I had to wait to receive my GF after paying for it! C’mon Glowforge! It is a $6,000 machine and arrived damaged.
I asked for the second time that I want a new machine, and I hope they make it good.
I researched a lot before buying Glowforge. The machine and ecosystem are terrific. I hope the company matches the technology.
I tried calling support, but the number listed doesn’t work. Does anyone know a way to talk to a person? or escalate the issue with a manager?
You’re talking to real people already. The support team is small and in-house. They want to make things right and they want you to love your Glowforge. I don’t know if they’ll accept your request for a new machine or not, but once you get a working one in your home, it’s a magical thing to have. A refurbished machine has been tested more thoroughly than a new one, just like the one you return will be once they fix it – it’s not necessarily a bad thing.
I had a Plus for 8 months when they decided it had to be replaced. They sent me a brand new machine, not a refurbished. I would just keep asking for a new replacement.
Thanks, I appreciate the time you take to make fellow owners feel right at home
Regarding to my request, I just don’t feel it is right that trying to make things right, following their procedures, ended up in getting an used machine. It could be better than a new one … but, still, it is used. For 6,000 I want a better experience.
Thanks again, GF should recognize and appreciate ppl like you that make their community a great thing!
THey just answer that nope, that because I passed the 50 prints mark then no new machine. I sent them the list of prints, only 13, with several printed manytimes to do tons of passes to see if it would cut through. Others just failed prints.
Out of 64 prints, around 30 were successful. I cannot believe it.
Sorry guys, I know how annoying is reading complains, but I need to vent
I asked for a refund and got a negative answer, that since I have more than 50 prints, their policy prevents them from refunding. So … I feel just mad at Glowforge. What a way to keep a “customer” happy.
So, my only alternative is to keep a new -broken- 6,000 machine or accept a used one.
You don’t have a new machine. You have a broken, used machine. Your choices are to keep a broken used machine, or accept a freshly refurbished, cleaned, tested, and working used machine. Since the most common problem with these machines seems to be shipping damage, your replacement will likely be even less used than the one you are sending back. Whether you feel good or bad about that is your choice. I would (if this isn’t already obvious) choose to feel good, that an unfortunate situation has been resolved and you’re no worse off than if it hadn’t happened, aside from the bit of delay in getting started with the wonderful world of laser cutting.
The problem is that I got a new machine that was broken. Followed their procedures and that rendered me in a situation that I don’t have options…
I own several PRO machines, from CNCs, to SLA 3D printers (no laser cutters), FDM 3D printers, lathe and Milling machines among others. I usually buy premium machines/brands because these companies support their clients, I just realized that Glowforge does not play in that league. I thought they did but they prove me wrong. What a shame.
Since most of the returned machines are like yours, only in need of an adjustment, or like many perfectly fine, that the previous owner did not understand something, and very few ever “beaten like a rented mule” that would probably not go out as “refurbished”. It is a law of the universe (and particularly computer stuff) that if something is done there needs to be a gadget to do it. If the gadget needs to be repaired or adjusted you need to know how to do that, or if you are not expected to know, it needs to go back to someone who does know to make the repair or adjustment. That is the downside of “easy to use”.
For that reason, unlike a used car, a "refurbished " machine is usually more reliable than a new one, and rarely with much more time on the parts. Even new machines are first tested so new only in that there was never a different owner beyond Glowforge.
I had to send mine back twice early on after I got it. I got a refurb both times and I honestly could not see where it had been used at all. After that second time it’s been working great (knock on wood )
Lol. At least you got to use your new machine. My original new one wouldn’t even move on boot. Just sat there lights and fans on doing nothing. It did let me register it. But nothing else.
Back it went. 1 day, no prints.
Then fedex smashed the 2nd so bad FEDEX returned it themselves. Driver told me…”oh…that’s probably the one that sounds like glass. You don’t want that one.”
3rd one got turned around halfway across the country so I’m guessing they smashed that one too.
My 4th and current one is a refurb one I’m guessing from what I saw on it when it showed up. And this was when they first came off the factory lines and they were all brand new.
I’m pretty easy going so was happy it was working despite a couple scuffs and marks on the outside and it still works just fine. Life is what you make of it.
Oh my, you are a patient customer … man, I would love to have only customers like you!!
Agree, I have “half machine” working, meaning that the left side works with no problem. I’m pretty sure I can fix it, it is a minor misalignment, but opening it will make me lose the warranty.
To be clear, I like the machine. The technology is good. I love the community, I can see it is pretty active and helpful. Alas, I don’t have anything against glowforge employees, they are following orders, overwhelmed with claims and everything. They do the best they can given the structure in where they were set.
What I’m no fan of is the company or corporate if you will. They have the power to get more people in support and have a phone line. They didn’t want that. I don’t see “the corporate” matches the “goodness” of the technology, the community, and their employees. That is a shame.
Maybe, but certainly not easy. The left side lid would have to be removed and then assuming the entire mirror module is not misaligned it would have to be opened and the individual mirrors re-aligned. Haven’t seen that module opened before by anyone. Given that there is no user enabled alignment mode on the GF where a quick laser pulse could be sent without moving the head I’m not sure how an alignment could be performed. Other lasers are built to be user aligned. The GF is not.
Your alignment issues are likely with or inside this metal mirror assembly module. There are two mirrors inside. Picture by @Deleted.
Shipping damage seems to be the main source of trouble with new GF units. Mine came from one state away and only had two stops, if I recall, before it arrived at the house. Even then, one corner of the cardboard box was caved in. Thankfully there was no damage to the machine.
As I’ve tooled around the internet looking at lasers, I’ve noticed that most other companies ship their units in a wooden crate instead of a cardboard box. I know that would increase shipping costs, but in the long-run it might be a better alternative. Shipping companies only care about getting items from one point to the next as soon as possible. They don’t put a lot of effort into the condition of package.
Yup, I agree that in the long run it would be cheaper, in cash and users frustration, to improve their shipping process.
My previous laser cutter arrived in a wood crater. It was send from a US based company (in Las. Vegas, to be more precise). They used a specialized carrier, not UPS or Fedex. They charge you for shipping though. If my memory serves me well, it was about $50 around 5 or 6 years ago.
I have a Plus and another larger machine. My larger machine came all the way from China and was packed in a wood crate with so much foam, the machine couldn’t move even if it was dropped of the back of the truck.
Considering GF just raised the price of a machine by $1,000 and also now charges another $350 shipping, I find it hard to beileve that with a $1,350 price increase, GF can’t afford to make that happen.
If they pack it better, they may not have as many damaged machines being delivered, which makes the customer very upset as well as Glowforge.
This is not a rant, just an observation.
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