Inconsistent cutting issues

Problems and Support
#1

Help before I pull my hair out. I have 10 pending orders and a charity order of up to 200 ornaments coming in next week. Now I have a glowforge that will no longer cut through the same birch I’ve been using the last 2 weeks. I’ve wasted 3 boards so far. I have been using the medium draft board setting for it (I use this setting after tryig a million other settings that didn’t consistently cut through a few weeks ago) and starting yesterday those same settings are no longer consistently cutting. Nothing has changed as far as I know. I cut a bunch of orders on Wednesday with no issues and then everything I cut or engraved yesterday was messed up. My engraving with the draft setting was burning everything, when I used a lighter setting it was barely marking the wood. I finally found a new setting that will engrave without burning but cuts are still not working.

We’ve cleaned everything, twice. I’ve tried adjusting settings. I’m about 6 cut hours into nothing working. Earlier the glowforge got stuck and jerked around twice and we turned it off, recentered and when it came back on it got stuck on homing for at least 10 minutes before we rebooted again. Now it’s on and I’m on my 3rd attempt to cut the same ornaments. Any ideas at all about what could have changed in the last 36 hours?

1 Like
#2

Welcome to the forum.
Cutting issues are usually related to clean optics, clean fans, and material inconsistencies. If you want support to evaluate your machine, I suggest you print the Gift of Good Measure on proofgrade material using proofgade settings. If it prints perfectly, your material is likely the problem. If it doesn’t print properly, post photos of the failed print along with the time and date of the print so Glowforge can look at your logs.

2 Likes
#3

Same problem. Can’t cut through proofgrade clear acrylic using the default settings. Support expects me to send them troubleshooting info that involves going to my shop and disassembling the parts of my glowforge to take a picture, then when I don’t do it quickly enough, starts sending me notices that they are going to close the case. I’m super frustrated right now.

#4

Well you do want their help and they are working remotely so you have to give them the assist they require.

2 Likes
#5

I would start with cleaning the optics with alcohol. You can clean the lens and mirror by letting it soak in the alcohol for about 10 minutes this will loosen any material that may be tougher to remove by just wiping. I then take a q-tip and gently wipe the the side of the head and the lens on the left side.

#6

Make sure you haven’t missed any of the optics. There’s a complete list on the support website under “things that need cleaning.” New owners often miss one or two of them.

#7

I don’t think they currently have any psychics on staff. :wink:

2 Likes
#8

Except I asked them to keep the case open. Don’t be haters, I know how tech support works.

#9

Also, please open your own thread. Per P&S thread guidelines, each person should have their own thread. It makes it much easier to help each person, especially the original poster.

#10

OP, since there have been several comments since your original post, I wanted to restate that you should print the Gift of Good Measure on proof grade and post both sides here in your thread. It will likely help and speed up support when they see this thread.

#11

I see you already emailed us about this and we’re working on it there, so I’m going to close this topic.

#12