How did you see it?
Pretty sure it was a Facebook targeted ad, or possibly a share from a friend.
What did you first think?
“I WANT THIS!” The Glowforge looked like the answer to an artistic problem I’d been struggling with for a long time: how to make the process of cutting leather (and some other delicate materials) goofproof, so that I wasn’t spending dozens of hours and hundreds of dollars on a bookbinding or wall-art project only to have a tiny slip of the knife create a bad edge on my leather that could never be fixed or hidden. I had tried using a super-high-end robocutter, the Black Cat Cougar Pro, and it was totally unreliable on the variable consistency of leather and on tiny, delicate curves on paper, the two materials I was working with most. I also instantly saw the possibilities for etching and cutting a huge variety of other materials for other purposes, including clothing and jewelry design, tilework, glass etching, etc. It seemed like a path to putting some of my designs on durable materials in an economical, reliable, immaculate way, which is pretty darned exciting for a visual artist and designer.
How long did it take you to decide?
I think it took about three weeks. I probably saw the ad in the first few days of the crowdfunding campaign, and bought in on the third week.
What, if any, reading did you do or discussions did you have before deciding?
The most important discussion I had was with my fiancee. I definitely would not have spent the money (which was more than I’d spent on anything in my life except one of my cars and my college education) had he not strongly encouraged me to do it. I had plenty in savings to pay for it, but my job at a startup was feeling insecure, so it was a big risk. My partner really wanted to use it, too, though, and wanted me to have the happiness that he saw that I could have with the Glowforge, so he not only strongly encouraged me to buy it, he gave me a fairly large chunk of money as a gift toward its price. As the deadlines for delivery were missed over and over and I lost my job, he also encouraged me to not ask for a refund.
Prior to purchasing the Glowforge, I also read up on Dan and his partners, and I also personally knew Brad Feld and knew he/Foundry were unlikely to have invested in a fly-by-night venture.
Was anyone else a part of the decision?
See above answer about my fiancee.
What do you hope to get from your Glowforge?
I’d like to realize some of the more complex and challenging artist visions I’ve been sketching out over the past few years. I’d also like to continue enjoying the incredible ease and creativity it allows me to engage in, whether I’m making a simple part for a household item or a quick party favor or a truly astonishing gift.
If the purchase was wildly successful, tell us why and how you feel about it!
My Glowforge, Longclaw, is certainly the most amazing object in my toolbox, next to my Macbook, beating out my Cintiq, and competing nicely with my partner’s 3D printer. Its ease of use, especially with Proofgrade materials, is astonishing. Learning to use my robocutter, a machine with a similar purpose and much less power and grace, was far, far harder. Even though I’m VERY busy mothering my one year old son and running my consulting business, I constantly think about my Glowforge and the projects I have planned on it. Even the littlest things I make, like sample chips, make me excited, and the bigger things I’ve been working on are amazing. Its functionality was summed up this weekend when I took my party guests downstairs to watch me make a quick acrylic cake topper for my baby’s first birthday cake. From opening Illustrator to having an adorable cake topper was no more than ten minutes, and as my artistic sister-in-law said as the laser beautifully cut the Proofgrade acrylic, "It’s the dream."
I’ll also say that the Glowforge community has been amazing and inspiring. Being part of a troll-free online environment where people are incredibly generous with their time, expertise, and friendship has been wonderful. The Colorado Glowforge User Group (GFUG) is a delight, and I look forward to seeing them every time I have a chance.