Had a bit of a scare today, which worked itself out, and wanted to share in case it helps anyone in the future. It had been a few days since my last GF session, and today’s engraving job was showing an occasional but consistent slight wobble. I was concerned there was a warped wheel or other damage, but seems to have just been a bit of dirt or debris hidden somewhere in the mechanics.
(Non-proofgrade baltic birch, engraving at 270 LPI, 80 power, 1000 speed on the Pro.)
The wobble became less pronounced towards the end of my job and then completely went away once I took a Zeiss wipe and compressed air to the rail, belt, and wheels that control the print head movement. Maybe a bit of preventative maintenance after big batch jobs will help me avoid that in the future. Anybody have any similar experience?
Here’s a shot of a completed job… Stranger Things inspired Ouija Planchette ornament!
Do you think it might have something to do with the grain in the wood? When I was a kind burning wood with a magnifying glass I remember that sometimes it word born along the grain a bit more after I removed the glass.
The pieces were held in place by the jig template, so I don’t think so. I’m fairly convinced there was just a bit of dirt on the belt that was causing it to slip just a hair.
I’m glad that your next print turned out well. If this happens again, would you please do the following and post a new thread:
Turn off your Glowforge
Check the surface your Glowforge is on to make sure it’s flat. Ensure it is not twisted slightly and that there is no debris propping up one side of the machine.
Turn your Glowforge back on
Place draftboard or another Proofgrade™ material in the center of the bed and print the Gift of Good Measure using the default settings
Take a photo of the finished print
Send us the photo along with the date and time of the print, and we’ll investigate
