I am a teeny tiny small business get getting started using my glowforge pro for ornament creation. Because I can’t vent my machine to outside, I have to use the air filter/filter cartridge. I am in a bind, in that my filter, without warning became full and I am dead in the water. I ordered a new cartridge on November 15th, have called three times after being promised I would get updates, have a show this Saturday and crickets from customer support after ensuring me with updates. I would rather have been told, we don’t know why the shipment isn’t happening than we understand. No they don’t. I apologize for this rant. Are there any non-glowforge replacement air filter cartridges that work?
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There are not.
The brutal reality is this is a hobby/crafting machine. The filter is intended for light, occasional use. Some people sell a few things here and there, but that can not sustain a living.
There is good reason industrial machines cost far more, and require significant investment not only to purchase, but to operate.
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I understand however, I do two shows a year. The 50-60 pieces are simple one dimensional glowforge sourced plywood and acrylic. I avoid draft board due to all the particles. I looked at an Epilog laser but I don’t make quantities large enough to justify the cost.
It would have been miles ahead if the first time I called and was told, they aren’t sure what is happening and I would need to check back. That’s all.
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Try vacuuming the top of your filter cartridge thoroughly with a strong vacuum- you might be able to get a little more use out of it in time for your show.
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Thank you for that suggestion. I do have a decent vacuum and will be doing that today after dinner. I appreciate how helpful this community has been.
Happy Thanksgiving 
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You can also rebuild the filter media. Someone posted some directions on the forum a few years ago when it finally got released and everyone found the performance was even worse than expected after GF backtracked from their original design and performance promises.
It’s simply a matter of drilling out the rivers that hold the filter cartridge together and replacing the media. You can get activated charcoal in quantity from Amazon as well as pre-filter pads that you stick in between the filter & the housing. Those fill up faster but they’re cheap and easy to replace.
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Thank you for that idea. I have an old still sitting around so that would be perfect to try that idea.
Keep in mind that MDF particularly is extremely dirty and can fill any filter in a fraction of the time cutting anything else wil do so. Far down that list oak is much less dirty thn MDF but is about the worst natural wood. Plywood with a MDF middle is still MDF.
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