So if proofgrade wood doesnt cut then is it the machine or the wood? I bought some 1/4 inch proofgrade wood and used the correct cut settings and had to use up 1/3 of the material for a little bit of cutting. Pretty disappointed since a 12x20 sheet of 1/4 inch wood is pretty spendy.
When is the last time you cleaned your lenses and mirrors?
I clean them on and off when they are having trouble focusing mostly
Not cutting through is the very first symptom they need cleaning. 
The camera is the only thing involved in focusing.
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I’m not sure how often you are supposed to clean them. I finally got some zeiss wipes to clean them more frequently. I’ve never cleaned the mirrors
Then start there. The instructions say to clean every 40 hours of use, but you should also clean them whenever you notice you’re not cutting through cleanly, or when you can see visible deposits on them. Make sure you get ALL the places you need to clean.
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Awesome. Thank you, I’m sure that’s what it is then.
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I’m so sorry to hear that you’re hitting this snag. As @geek2nurse pointed out, ensuring that your optical components are clean and installed properly can help narrow down cut through related behavior.
If you still experience the same trouble after cleaning the optical components, Could you please do the following?
Turn off your Glowforge, then turn it back on
We included an extra piece of Proofgrade Draftboard with your materials shipment for troubleshooting. Place Proofgrade Draftboard in the bed and load the Gift of Good Measure design.
Set the score and engrave steps to ‘ignore.’ Print the Gift of Good measure using the default settings. Allow the print to finish.
When the print finishes, leave the lid closed and wait until the fans stop and the picture of the bed updates.
Check the completed print:
If the Gift of Good Measure fails to cut, please let us know the date and time of the print
If the Gift of Good Measure cuts successfully, please try another print of the design you saw the issue with, and let us know the results.
If the issue still occurs, please let us know the date and time of the finished print.
Let us know how everything goes. We’ll send over the next best steps if you run into the same behavior.
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Were you cleaning the lenses before you got Zeiss wipes? If so, with what? Camera lens or laser path windows?
Windex is all I had before I got the wipes
It will be much better to use Zeiss wipes in future. I am not sure that Windex does not leave a residue or impact the windows / lens negatively. Also important to use lens approved cloth / wipe material to avoid scratching. Think camera lens cleaning - I mean SLR lenses, not phone cameras.
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Yes I used a cotton towel and wiped slowly. There are no scratches and I tried not to do it often until I could find some zeiss wipes
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Thank you for the update. I’m glad to hear that you’re now back up and printing! I’m going to close this thread. If you run into trouble again, please either start a new thread or email support@glowforge.com. We’ll be happy to help!