Glowforge shipping date, beta releases, and bonus materials

[JeremyNielsen]

@jbv

A 6-month delay is WAY better than a series of one-month delay announcements.

AMEN to that.

[jrnelson]

@jdodds

It’s the cost of getting those materials to us here in Canada that will be an issue. Weight is calculated as the greater of actual weight and a dimensional calculated weight. It cost me $50 U.S. to have Carbide3D ship me the aluminum baseplate for my Shapeoko 3. That was nearly $100 by the time the courier was through with me, just for the shipping component.

I’m aware, though at least for this first “free” “purchase”, Dan has said they’d cover shipping.

[steph]

As people have already said, I can’t imagine the amount of courage it must have taken @dan to hit the post button for this topic. Thank you for the straightforward update, and while I know I won’t be the only one trying to figure out what to do with myself for another six months, knowing that the end product is going to be as good as it can get is worth it for me in the long run!

@morganstanfield

I’ll take their death-fabric

Best phrase I’ve seen all day I would be so excited if leather was included in the materials kit; I’ve never worked with it so I have absolutely no idea how to go about finding good, laserable samples lol.

[jrnelson]

Announcements are all also made in the Announcements subforum; you can check there if you’re concerned you missed out on something.

The beta list was a google form, if I recall correctly, so if you got the “successful” message when you filled it out, they’ve got it, since it was hosted on Google.

[kyle_emerick]

It was stated in the latest update email about the book again. I did not receive one previously as I chimed in too late. Can I still receive one while I wait on my GF?

[morganstanfield]

Ah, you just need to get onto this thread:

Where to buy leather?

Best place to get bulk, consistent leather? I know you can buy on ebay and such, but any other leads? Thanks!

Lots of sources are listed. If TLDR, the best bet is to go to a leather supply warehouse of some kind and buy yourself some smooth, unscarred scraps or a hide of vegetable-tanned leather to play with. It comes in a lot of thicknesses, and you can dye it any color you want.

[dhanvinddvs]

Remeber, that’s just Canada. Dan has said that the shipping is on them, so I’m sure the cost will even out to be about 200 per person.

[takitus]

I see all the announcements, and was one of the first people to finish a beta application. I even filled out the beta version of the beta application when they were putting it together. I just find it strange that I got an email from Dan in december about the books but have nothing in my inbox for this. Im hoping I wasnt removed from the mailing list for some reason.

It looks like the last email I got was an automated referral email from glowforge on the 9th. Hoping im not on the naughty list or something to that effect…

[imitating]

I agree, no thoughts of cancelling mine either! …just an extra 90days for me to obsess on a daily basis of how much fun owning a GF will be.

[andistarnes]

Knowing nothing about leather but wanting to stockpile materials early, I stopped by a Tandy Leather Factory and told their employees what I was planning to do. They helped me pick out some veg tanned leather and all of the right dyes and everything else I would need to make completed projects. I believe they are nationwide and they took so much time to help me figure out what I needed even though I had to ask a ton of questions, so that’s where I would start if you need materials.

I do agree, though, I would love to see what the leather they have is like as part of the package, if nothing else just to compare it to what I have purchased. Happy with the freebies either way, though.

[chris.majewski]

Dan,

I’m heartbroken by this news.

Expecting to find no alternative I’d prefer to have that 200$ apply directly to the cost of the device. I have my materiel and patterns, and many project plans for them.

Also, to founder discounts; I can’t tell for sure what we’d be getting. Between this:

Your Glowforge Founder status entitles you to a 10% discount on all catalog and materials purchases.
(implying no expiry)

and this:

You’ll get a 10% discount on all of your Proofgrade™ material orders through 2017.
You’ll get a 10% discount when purchasing from our design catalog through 2017.
We’ll recognize you as a Glowforge Founder in your profile forever.

are we getting a 20% or 10% discount till Jan 1st 2018? After that is it a 10% or a 0% discount? I assume 10% then 0%.

Also, oddly enough, reading about other people’s beta access or demos in cities I don’t live in will likely make me feel worse. Both trigger my Gimmie Gimmie instinct.

All joking asside, I’m likely backing out if I can find a cheap maker shop I can rent a laser from this weekend. Why buy into something that’ll likely become a service in a couple years, it only really made sense at this price if I could start monetizing this Christmas before easy to use services pop up in 2017-18.

-c

[dan]

@gburton

When you say “schedule delays”, what exactly are the cause of those delays?

The power supplies repeatedly failed testing. They came in so far behind schedule that we no longer have enough QA time to ensure the unit is high enough quality without delaying production.

@gburton

I think we need real answers to keep our money locked into this unproven project.

I understand - if you decide you want to give up your pre-order, I don’t blame you. We planned to have this to you sooner, and the extra materials, designs, and discount won’t make it up for everyone. Instructions to cancel your pre-order are here.

@viearical

would it be possible to put that $200 towards including a GlowForge Air Filter?

No plans to that effect right now, but I’ll look in to it.

@numosbk

I am not happy about the delay, but I really want a great machine and would rather wait for the no problem machine, than have an unfinished still in the work project.

I hate that we had to decide between those possibilities.

@Mike13

I could see lots of companies waiting until June and then each month saying “one more month”.

I know how people are counting on this. I didn’t want to string you along.

@rebecca

On a bit of a side note, I am hoping the catalog designs are accompanied by simple tutorial videos. I will use the tutorials. They will be invaluable to me.

We’re still thinking about how best to make catalog designs easy to print - videos, instructions, etc. Some will be very straightforward and some will be… weekend projects.

[dan]

@brandon1

From what I can tell, most of you are sticking it out. Not me.

I respect that, and I’m sorry we couldn’t deliver for you. Thank you so much for your support up to this point, and I apologize for letting you down.

[jdodds]

@JonS

I will never understand investing in a first-gen pre-developed product to be used for business. There are risks you take in every business, but there are also risks you should avoid at all costs…

Common sense in my opinion.

Wow, criticize a person that believed in the sales pitch and implicitly absolve the one who made it. Not cool.

[JeremyNielsen]

@jdodds

Wow, criticize a person that believed in the sales pitch and implicitly absolve the one who made it. Not cool.

I am one of those people. I believed in their product and continue to! But, I didn’t go into this without a backup plan.

[millersw.628]

@dan I’ve been a silent observer here in the background since October but I just wanted to chime in here. I’m honestly relieved with the delay, as an engineer knowing you guys didn’t get your power issues sorted till just recently I was worried you’d all burn yourselves out trying to nail that June deadline. Keep up the good work!

[jenamos]

Ugh! Seriously…? So bummed.

[dan]

@jamescush

Honestly, that they’re being made in the USA instead of overseas is what makes the delay palatable for me.

Thanks James. We were really excited to be able to build your units here too.

@nathan

I wish there was a second round of beta units

We are continuing to roll out beta units, and it’s not too late to apply - you can see the beta thread here for all the details.

@dhanvinddvs

what the Glowforge offers me is the ability to open up that creative outlet to my wife and child.

I think of my family all the time, and don’t want to ship a product that isn’t going to make them proud to use. As my daughter said this morning, “It’s OK daddy. It will be better later.”

@a.novakovic999

what happens with us who are overseas and will move countries in the meantime?

We’ll gather updated shipping information when the units are ready to go out, and modify countries etc. then.

@B_and_D_T

As such, my gut tells me that this new 6 month later estimate has a whole bunch of new slack built in

Right. We thought the schedule from scratch, we didn’t just tack a few months on the end.

@stephanie

my confidence in your company is greatly diminished.

I don’t blame you. We failed you, and that is my fault. I am truly sorry. Let us know if you need to cancel and we will take care of that for you posthaste.

@henryhbk

A questionable PSU is worth a delay for.

Yes - it’s one of the things we have to get absolutely right; it’s not like software, where we can update it later.

@Star-Lord

They’ll just ignore me like I don’t exist and I will remain a blissful idiot who awaits the splendor of having what was promised, just not as promised and not when promised.

I’m so sorry, @Star-Lord. I can see we’ve let you down in our communications and our delivery. I don’t blame you for being upset. Please let us know if you’d like to cancel and we’ll take care of that for you right away. I apologize.

[andistarnes]

I’m imagining everyone has been going crazy trying to hit the deadline and worried about the same thing. Hopefully this means less stress for all of the employees.

[steph]

Thanks @andistarnes and @morganstanfield for the leather info!!!

@chris.majewski, on the 10% discounts, how I understand it is that the materials store and the design catalog will be two separate shops, so just the 10% discount through each individually.