Many thanks for sharing, been attempting to upgrade to a Pro simply for the pass through functionality, seems like some more research is in order now
I’ve never had any smell come out the passthrough slots on my Pro.
2 Likes
Very well-organized review that puts many of the salient features up for scrutiny. Thanks. It certainly opens up a discussion that would go something like this, “Why you might need a commercial, production-oriented laser and not a Glowforge.”
I do think that the word “only” in the above-quoted sentence is not a description of the reality I have experienced with positioning designs on random clear spots on material. I do realize that some folks are having odd issues with design placement. I think the camera positioning feature is very useful and don’t have any complaints for my normal usage.
Earlier promised double sided work or pass through alignment is another issue.
3 Likes
I would also advise that everyone reads the manual (both documents if you get a Pro). Read them before your GF is delivered, be familiar with them. It explains so much, easily, and explains quite clearly about keeping ALL the packing materials and widgets.
5 Likes
Great review and great points. I do think people who have issues with the commercial comments are confusing commercial and for profit; they are not the same thing.
If they get the drag and drop image positioning accurate ± 0.010 across the entire bed I will be satisfied for what I paid. It’s not a commercial machine but it will do it’s job for the price. Really all I want it to do is be easy enough to use for my wife to be comfortable operating a cnc device so she is less intimidated running the other cnc machine’s I have and in the future running a proper laser.
1 Like
I built a 13x9 office in my basement. Since where I was putting my GF, I had to run a 12 ft vent tube to the outside. I put an in-line fan in the center. I barely have any smell. I know there is one area that I still need to tape up, but it’s really minimal. The times that it’s noticable is when I’m doing a long engrave, usually 30 minutes or more. Wait for the fan to stop before opening the lid. I noticed that the fan is running longer now after the print has finished which is a good thing. Eventually I’ll get the area sealed, but it really hasn’t bothered me.
2 Likes
I also have a GF (I think I was a day 7 purchaser). I agree with everything sagertat said to some extent, but would like to emphasize two points.
-
I use mine in a bedroom that was converted into my office. I vent directly out the window. It smells like I’m a chain smoker in that room. So far I’ve only cut wood, but I’m worried about when I cut other things…
-
The software is really primitive. I feel like I’m a beta tester. I’m gratefully astounded how the machine can be so nicely built and thought out, and the software can be so beta.
And another thought— If you’re going to get the most out of this machine, you have to be good at CAD. My CAD skills and even Illustrator skills are weak, and it is frustrating. There are plenty of things I see to make that I want to make, and I know I can’t because I can’t make the cut file. I’m looking around for all my friends who have skills, and trying to offer them time on the machine in return for their help. So far, that only works when there is something we both want…
As far as not commercial grade, I’m not sure what is meant.
2 Likes
Well it also doesn’t except DXF files which is the best output for most CAD programs so even if you are a CAD designer you get to learn at least one new piece of software just to convert your stuff.
2 Likes
That sounds like it’s not sealed properly. Well sealed venting should not cause a persistent odor in the room. Also, make sure you dispose of used masking after you peel it off your project. If you leave it in the room it will tend to cause lingering odor as well.
Lots of posts about sealing your venting option. Best technique is to use the foil HVAC tape from Home Depot/Lowes on every conection and on the seams of any piping it’s attached to.
4 Likes
TL;DR: If you just attach the hose loosely and stick it out the window, the results probably depend on your personal sensitivity. But it is possible to seal every leak and avoid any smoke escaping.
I have been accused on this forum of having an overly sensitive nose. Smoke really does bother me, at fairly low levels. I bought an indoor pollution monitor just so I could get some quantitative data on it. Until I got all of my ductwork absolutely perfectly 100% sealed up, there was a detectable odor in the air, a spike in particulate levels according to the FooBot, and I got that rough/sore throat thing that happens to me when I’m around people smoking. The good news is that this was all due to a small leak, and I was able to fix it such that it no longer bothers me, the smell is entirely gone, and the PM2.5 level no longer increases when I use the Glowforge. Which is pretty impressive, since cooking a steak three floors away can cause it to turn red and tell me I’m going to die.
11 Likes
Or if you’re me and can’t get the foil tape to make a good seal on difficult angles, foil mastic tape is gooey and stinky but it’s a hell of a leak stopper.
1 Like
Or silicone caulk/glue. In increasing levels of permanence 
2 Likes
It’s sealed well. You should have seen the room before it was…. Like an old fashioned pool hall.
I probably just have a sensitive nose. Opening the door after the fan has turned off puts the smell in the room. Just having the parts around that I’ve cut smells like smoke. I’m not at all used to burning things, and in the past, any smell of smoke meant a big problem…
2 Likes
OnShape Kiri Moto app seamlessly integrates the 3D model and a Glowforge ready SVG. It allows for lots of options in the resulting SVG like offsets for kerf and material thickness. No intermediate conversions necessary. Learning OnShape factored up my productivity immensely, especially because now I can integrate 3D printing and Glowforge printing in one design.
Productivity to match desire seems to require some level of bitmap editing skills, especially for contrasts, prep for bitmap to svg traces and gradient production. 2D design like AI, Inkscape or Affinity, I’d say first skill to master. 3D modeling then brings in a whole new level of potential.
You can get fairly productive without knowing this type of software and just using found designs, but all should work toward it…
5 Likes
I cut a strip of cardboard to fill the gap under the window, with a hole for the vent hose, with the hose hanging a foot or two down from the window on the outside, and I don’t smell much inside (cutting wood). The Pro slot has a rubber skirt so the slot doesn’t leak air. I should probably tape the cardboard into the window, but I’m taking the air vent out of the window when I’m not using the Glowforge, so I’m being lazy. Hopefully the filter will come in a few months.
I have to say - very happy with the Glowforge so far. Cutting the supported material is painless, and tweaking settings for other materials is easy. And the unit looks great - certainly acceptable in a home.
7 Likes
That still requires pretty much any current CAD user to learn a new program though, which is what I was pointing out. Most if not all of the commonly used CAD programs are not set to output to svg.
2 Likes
That’s the size of my glowforge room, but my computer is in a different room. Some days there is a faint odor and others days no. I wouldn’t have a problem working there, but that is me.
Perfect venting like chris1 has or a filter, no matter how good, won’t stop the small whiff of odor you get when you open the lid after it’s done or the odor that lingers on the work itself (or its masking.) I’ve read comments about this odor on other boards and have seen comments from people who have bought laser cut items (say from Etsy) of things arriving and when they open the box it smells. So there will be some odor no matter what and sensitivity to it varies by person. If you’re concerned about it maybe you could go to a makerspace with a laser and just ask if you can hang around. Someone is bound to cut something on the laser.
Another poster mentioned his frustration with design software and designing things. As I’ve worked in development of new products for most of the last 30 years I knew how much work goes into a design, and the iterations, and I suspected a lot of people who pre-ordered did not. Without very advanced artificial intelligence this is always going to be the long pole (even if you’re experienced in the design tools.) The closer what you want to make is to what your skills are (or can become) the happier you will be. From my perspective the glowforge is freaking amazing at how fast it is.
My camera alignment has always been dead on in the front-to-back axis. When I first got it (August) it was dead on right to left as well. Then it was about an 1/8" off to the left (cut to the right of where it should have.) Then it seemed dead on again. Then it was off. Now it is back to being dead on. I place almost all of my material, and the design, to the far left (usually top) of the bed even if it is a tiny thing. Others report very poor placement; I guess I’m lucky. I believe that at the moment glowforge considers placement to within a 1/4" to be “in-spec” although that is supposed to change in the future.
Next up for me is 1/4" solid wood. I don’t anticipate any issues based on what others have cut in this range. A laser beam is hour glass shaped and leaves a sloped kerf. The thicker the material the more pronounced this will be. It is something that has to be dealt with in design and/or finishing. Compared to the issues a saw blade can introduce I’ll deal.
I’m impressed with the software, but again it is a big part of what I do so I’m probably very forgiving in progress made to date. What I am not forgiving about is the execution of what is released and I’m satisfied with it for being officially in beta still. As long as the company is doing well, and is well funded, it is very pessimistic to think the software will not improve and have features added.
6 Likes
Good point. I am probably not a typical user - I use OpenSCAD to design in, or Fusion360, both of which can output SVG. I should probably break down and get Adobe Illustrator, since so many people use it for making laser cut designs.
1 Like
Fusion360 is a great program and well priced so it is awesome that it does SVG because it is the natural pick for all the glowforge people getting into CAD. I don’t use it because I have about 10 years experience in solidworks I would have to unlearn and solidworks is a much more common program in my industry. Still I tell everyone who starts to learn CAD and doesn’t need it for a specific industry and fusion360 is a great way to go.
3 Likes
I use OpenSCAD and Inkscape. I’ve had to clean up some of the OpenSCAD output and I have an issue in the projection() command of OpenSCAD creating the correct SVG output. With one set of parameters everything is great. Make the piece larger (no code changes, just larger numbers for a couple of variables) and stuff is missing. Note: it is only missing in the projection, no other view or render. After much frustration I suspect it to be a combination of difference() and rotate(). I have a work around for the moment. I also have to clean up the occasional double line segment.
I use Inkscape for cleanup, to add artwork and to move parts around so they fit in the parameters of the glowforge bed. I also use it for other non-OpenSCAD work. Its Outset function could be a lot better, but otherwise I find it impressive for what I paid.
2 Likes