That’s interesting they tell people to only use PG products, can you show me where you’ve seen this? Is it in the manual or something?
Yeah, what they say is they cannot guarantee a (for example) cut will work on anything that’s not proofgrade because they don’t know what your material is. Plywood with voids or filling in them, MDF made with non-laserable glue, etc. etc. etc. They can confirm your laser is working by having you test on PG, but you’re on your own if it works but not on the random material you’re using.
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The technical team has told me “we can’t support material from other manufacturers,” when I had issues with my machine. They told me this after reviewing my material runs… in other words, they strongly discourage the use of non proofgrade materials - if you run anything else, they won’t cover any issues you may have.
This is inaccurate. If you use material that causes damage to you machine they won’t cover it, but that’s a very specific instance (for example, they person who cut vinyl and it ate his print head)
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I think you are making leaps that aren’t there. When they don’t know the specs on a material and have no control over how it’s made or what’s in it, they can’t troubleshoot it for technical and legal reasons, but I have never seen them discourage anyone from using other laser safe materials. They even offer a whole topic section to get help with non-PG material on their official forum and seems to reason if they didn’t want you to use anything else, they wouldn’t allow the free discussion of it here. So once GF can confirm your machine is working OK and it’s an issue with material, they have to step back and let the rest of us offer help. Good news is there are some amazing folks with lots of laser experience on here and if you’re having issues, someone’s bound to be able to help you.
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I recently purchased a bunch of wood from:
I couldn’t be happier. Their customer service is amazing and someone actually picks up the phone when you call.
I told them I was in a bit of a bind as I received more orders than I anticipated. They packed and shipped to me on a Saturday… it arrived Monday afternoon!
-Novak
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There are currently 2 products available, out of 33 listed. Arguments about support, etc. aside, I think its not up for debate that the availability and ease of use of proofgrade materials is a selling point for buying into the system. With that in mind, I think an announcement telling us whats going on and when to expect more PG materials wouldnt be too much to ask for. Other outlets have acrylics, and woods but having them masked and barcoded IS something I like.
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Dan made an announcement a few months back.
They have no idea when more will be available.
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Thanks, I’m not active on this forum (more lately) and didn’t see it. I’ll try and find it. Did he say what the issue was? I assume its related to the masking and barcoding, because acrylic and woods are available from other sources at the moment, and have been.
Edit: Found it, its from June 25th…
It’s related to the little global pandemic we have at the moment, that is affecting supply lines of all kinds, not just crafting supplies.
When other shops were also out of acrylics and woods it made a lot more sense than now, when they are all in stock and shipping daily. Speaking of the pandemic…you know how our perception of time has been altered? Well four months with no new announcements is an eternity when I’m sure plenty of people bought their forge so that they could use proof grade materials and not screw with settings. PS I’m aware of the spreadsheet of settings floating around, and I know how to figure them out on my own, but the point stands.
There have been updates from staff confirming that this is still the issue, read almost any thread regarding material and you’ll see them. 
is a small shop that requires extra work (finishing/masking/PG stickers) on top of just making the materials so it’s not like it’s easy for them to switch suppliers. You can still use PG settings on other materials, I very rarely use non-PG settings despite rarely buying 
.
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Thanks for this recommendation— which carrier did they deliver with?
Hey All!
I got my Glowforge this summer and am struggling with the PG supply situation as well. I have a couple outside vendors that I like, but I really LOOOOOVE the PG materials. I’d love an announcement with a GENERAL IDEA of when a more reliable supply will be available. Something to look forward to!
I’ve seen a couple forums with people saying GF can hardly keep up with their orders for new machines. With that, I’d expect them to put more resource into supplying those machines with materials. (Especially with so many people making this their new career due to the pandemic.)
I worry that the speed of the cloud based program and remaining available PG material supply will diminish even more with more users on board.
This also is a little disheartening, because the incentive to use my referral credit in house is lost, when I can’t actually use it.
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The announcement is right here…
But at the same time that we’ve been having record print volumes, we’ve been having record challenges in keeping Proofgrade materials in stock. Our operations team has been working long hours to keep our factory open, and can no longer travel to meet with suppliers. There’s a global acrylic shortage . Suppliers of wood, leather, and other products are experiencing their own challenges with staffing because of the crisis.
We apologize. We’re working to keep a variety of materials in stock, but we don’t know how soon stock levels will return to normal. In the meantime, if there’s a Joann near you, they may have the Proofgrade material you want in stock for curbside pick-up.
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Thank you for that. Hopefully we can get some better news soon! 
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I really am upset about the lack of PG material. I got the glowforge on the sales pitch of the ease of use with their material. I feel like if they can’t supply it then I was misled by there advertising. Sure I could spend a bunch of time finding an alternative and figuring out how to make it work, but that’s not why I chose to get my laser from GF. Very frustrating to me.
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NOTE: I’ve mentioned this before BUT… they JUST restocked their store an hour or two ago… so get it quick!
For those who are struggling to find Proofgrade wood right now…
Lasered By The Creek has been an excellent alternative for me.
I’ve been cutting with their 1/8" maple, cherry, and walnut without any problems at all. Proofgrade settings work just fine and you can “fine-tune” from there if you wish.
I have found their 1/4" board to have a much more dense core than Glowforge’s Proofgrade. It also feels more solid and the weight is heavier.
I had to knock my speed down to around 130 but I was able to cut through it fine. More importantly, they just restocked their store today… so grab it while it’s still there!
Pro Tip: They use USPS shipping boxes so be sure to FILL the box if you want to save money. They can fit eighteen boards in a box (1/8 inch).
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