Your iPhone, Pixel 2, and Surface can be placed directly on the crumb tray for engraving. Make sure to remove any case or accessories before you print.
For best results, we recommend small engravings on flat areas, and keep text at 8 point or larger. Pure black and white artwork (no grey) will generally produce the best results.
As the glass surface on the face of your device is slippery, it’s a good idea to secure it to the crumb tray to prevent it moving during an engraving. You can tape it down with masking tape, or create a simple jig with Proofgrade™ materials.
The color of the engraving may vary from white to grey; also, the engraving may darken over time. These settings are only for the metal portion of the device. You may notice some residue on the surface of your device following an engrave. This can be cleaned away using alcohol and a soft cloth.
Some additional things to keep in mind:
When working with a MacBook or iPhone, avoid engraving over the Apple logo
When working with a Pixel 2, make sure to place your engraving between the camera and the certification marks at the bottom
When working with a Surface, be aware that the engraving results will be different between the kickstand and the body of the device
We want to reiterate: engraving your device is entirely at your own risk. The engraving could come out poorly, it could land in the wrong location, it could void the warranty of your device, or it could damage your device. As with all prints, watch carefully and do not leave your Glowforge unattended while printing.
This is a beta release, so our support team can’t handle your questions yet - but we’ll jump in when we think we can help, and try to update this post with the best advice from the thread below.
Has anyone tried these settings on a Surface Book 2? Anything to keep in mind before I attempt an engrave on mine? From what I found on these forums, I’ll use the “Magnesium Surface 2” material and use a jig to place the surface book on the honeycomb. Aware that this is risky.
Where can I find some of the designs shown in the ads? When is this feature expected to come out of beta?
One thing you’ll want to do is check the thickness of the Surface Book 2…(make sure it’s under half an inch thick). Otherwise you have to engrave it by taking out the tray and propping it up into the engraving zone, and there is some math associated with that…you can’t just set it on the bottom of the machine. The relevant writeup is here:
I did once. Was unsatisfactory - burned edges and melty looking. Maybe really low power & high speed would work so you give the plastic a chance to cool in between passes
So that’s some constructive feedback for their UI. 1.) add the plastic models into the selection list. 2.) power should be different for those and maybe 3.) with a warning that it might not be desirable…
I swear… the glacial non-response to obvious product and user experience enhancements
