For you and me, that is correct. Most of the users will never even know about it or use it though, so it cuts down on people asking questions about why it says 1/4" when the actual nominal size is .220" plus or minus 02".
Something I’ve noticed in working with the PRU unit - it really doesn’t make a lot of difference if you use 0.25" or 0.220" for your surface point focus - it still cuts through the Proofgrade materials just fine. (Unfortunately I sometimes get into a hurry and forget to check the FP setting from one project to the next…it still cuts just fine.)
The new interface descriptions are a little annoying for engineering types who are used to having to dial things in to a certain accuracy - but the ability to do that is still there anyway through the Manual settings.
They are moving towards the “Make-it-easy One-Button operation” that they said they would provide. Nothing unexpected here.
@dan has also said they would consider alternatives depending on how things went after the launch, so it might change down the road again. But right now, they are getting ready for the mass ship out.
This is a really good sign that the units are about to start flowing in large numbers.
(That reminds me…I’d better get those incorrect tutorials down pronto.)
maybe, but it also makes things a bit harder when building a project of which the laser pieces are just one portion. this could easily be solved with a notification in the ui at that point, but they chose instead to completely redo their naming structure. it’s an odd way to solve the problem, and imo is about the same in terms of user friendliness.
I don’t see where using made up terms to describe something makes anything easy. If they mark the material 1/8" and the setting is labeled 1/8", isn’t that just as easy?
Sure, they could call 1/8" Walnut “Wibbly Wobbly Walnut” but who would that help?
I’m with the 1/4" crowd. Anyone buying wood anywhere has gone through the actual vs labelled issue. By Glowforge creating this weird naming scheme they don’t fit into the rest of the wood world. I get that they want to separate the Proofgrade from the rest of the material we’ll be using, but it doesn’t help the customer by having to learn a new system.
In the UK, and probably the EU, wood is labelled with its correct size in mm nowadays in retail shops. I think the EU is pretty keen on quantities not be misrepresented. If it was smaller than labelled you are getting short changed.
That depends on your definition of “correct size”. I’m actually amazed you feel that way based on your other posts regarding accuracy. Wood movement based on moisture content is well known so it’s impossible to be completely accurate. As wood doesn’t move very much longitudinally you are correct in that you won’t get short changed.
What I am talking about is the convention to call planed wood by its unplaned size. I.e. calling it 1" when it is substantially smaller.
Some of the PG materials seem to have been called 1/4" when they were actually 5mm. Here if you buy 5mm sheet materials they will be nominally 5mm, within some tolerance. I.e. centred around the correct size, not always substantially less like 1" planed wood is.
I experienced that last night, Tom. The only way I could discern between the two was to change to manual settings for each one and look at the settings that were already populated. That’s a pretty long way around though, to figure out any differences between the two.
One can only assume additional thicknesses will be added in the future as they come out with versions that have more and more power. I wonder how they will label those widths in the future.
I have a Tandy store a few miles away. I wonder if they have a record of how moody or sensitive the cows were. Certainly concerned about it making a difference.
