Here I am, a new GF owner. Just received my machine 3 weeks ago. I have had nothing but issues. I have treated this machine like my dying grandmother. Nothing but love and attention. I am at a loss. My laser doesn’t hold calibration more than two projects without recalibarating. I have tried everything. Now, my laser carriage is hitting the front of the GF super hard when doing a project or calibrating. I have emailed support and just keep getting the run around. I wish they would just take this machine back and send me a new one. Has anyone had this happen? I can not be alone. It originally started of with the control arm coming lose and crooked during a project. I thought a simple adjustment and tightening of the tension belt would fix it. It keeps doing it . I just don’t understand. I do set focus prior to finalizing and adjust accordingly. I havent used anything but wood. I am at a loss. Please send HELP!
Some things you can try:
-With the machine turned off, gently push the gantry to the back as far as it will go;
-Check all the rails and belt teeth for any debris that may impair movement;
-Make sure your wood is not overhanging the cutting area of the crumb tray. This may catch the gantry and skew it.
-Make sure nothing (hold down pins/magnets etc) is sticking up high enough to catch on the air assist fan which could also skew the gantry.
What is a Gantry? Is that located behind the carriage, On the other side of the tube? Sorry, New to all of this lingo. I do know what you are talking about. The black mechanism that is a fan? I have done all of the above. I ended up tightening the allen lock on the wheel itself seemed to do the trick briefly, now my set focus will not work. The laser is way off but caliberation says all is good and will not adjust. Yep…I have a fair at 7:30 am. I could cry. I LEGIT WANT TO THROW THIS MACHINE IN THE TRASH.
The gantry is the whole mechanism that moves the laser. It holds the laser tube and the laser head and rolls forward and aft. If it hits something on one side the other side will keep moving and throw it out of alignment.
The black square thing that rides on the front of the gantry is the laser head. It contains the focus lens a window and a mirror as well as a focus laser which shines a red light on the area it is focusing on.
The laser head rides on a carriage plate that has wheels and allows the laser to move left and right. That carriage plate has an air assist fan at the back underside. That fan hangs down lower than anything else and is what keeps the smoke blowing forward and away from the laser beam on the material. It also keeps flare ups to a minimum.
I don’t think you should resort to trying to adjust tension in belts until you get a better understanding of how this machine operates.
Not sure what that means.
I really agree with this. Other than any cleaning, I don’t think you should be adjusting anything without having someone instruct you to do that…and how to do it properly. You can end up messing your machine up even more than it already is.
In addition to the points above, make sure you’re not moving the head when the machine is on—that makes it not know where it is and can cause the issues you’re having (not to mention damaging the motors).
The wheel that sits on the track was loose. I went ahead and tightened it. Seemed to help for a minute. Now I am up at 4 am because when I went to do a custom order it went all hay wire again. I just do not get it. I have no idea what is making it go off like this. The whole control arm goes sideways. Then, when I manually adjust it and calibrate it works for about a project and half and goes wonky again. I need a reliable machine. I did read where there was a few folks who received machines that had faulty motors on the right side. I could see this being the issue. It is almost like one motor is pulling and the other is not.
I have a fair in 3 hours. I am panicking.
DEAR GLOWFORGE GODS,
PLEASE SEND HELP AND MAKE MY MACHINE WORK PROPERLY. Leave it to me, to buy an awesome machine, that is supposed to run like butter and doesn’t. This is really starting to become draining. As much as these machines cost, I should not be hhaving these issues so early in.
That does seem like the most likely issue. Send all this information to support along with a time of a print. They can review the before/after images and make a determination.
Still having horrible issues and still want to throw it in the trash and sue for my lost wages and fair fees. I am beyond frustrated. Has anynoe on here had a faulty motor? This is what my husband keeps saying. He believes my right side motor is bad. Will GF pay the shipping to send it back? At this point, I have spent more on this machine then my car. ughhhh
You bought a budget crafting machine. If you want business-quality, buy a business-quality machine.
If you’re under warranty and support determines (most likely from the logged pictures I mentioned), they will replace it at their expense.
TO ALL,
Your Customer Service needs work,
The fact that I was sent a faulty unit and resent a unit that looks used/ if not used, then is extremely poorly thrown together. IS INSANITY! NOW TWO of your representatives are telling me this unit is new, which it may be. but it is not okay to operate and it is extremely poorly cleaned and put together. Finally, today. I was reached out by Andy, claims she is the manager of her team? This woman Andy, made it known she had to clear her schedule, to talk to me. Andy, spoke to me as if I DID THIS TO the machine. Which is the farthest from the truth. Andy, informed me on how much usage I got out of it. I explained, that the usage I got, was minimal if at all sell-able. The control arm was popping off!! These issues came about within the first week of owning it. I have emails and videos and weeks of back and forth. i HAD TO TURN MY PIECES IN RIDICULOUS AND METICULOUS ANGLES TO EVEN GET IT TO PRINT REMOTELY ACCURATE. This took me hours, just so i could get my christmas orders out, which I ended up refunding, cancelling and not being able to do shows. Andy proceeds to tell me she was only authorized $250 gift card and I keep the faulty machine OR I GET A NEW MACHINE AND NO GIFT CARD. This pissed me off. I felt bullied and attacked. My time was only worth $250 are you serious? I again explain, I am a licensed paralegal by trade, and this was not okay to do to a consumer, that I would be contacting the Attorney Generals Office if this isn’t resolved. I want upper management, higher than her. I asked who was above her and she told me she was it!!
I pray, that you have higher management to deal with these issues. I was bullied and pressured to take a gift card and she attempted to deter me from asking for a new machine. Andy, your management team leader used passive aggressive tactics and at exactly 30 mins in, she disengaged the call.
I would like a higher manager than Andy who couldn’t get back to me except after business hours or right before the end of day. I would like someone to please here me. I do not want to wait two weeks! This is what I was told by Andy, after I was not going to take the pathetic 250 gift card. I am furious that glow forge would insult me like this. I was so thrilled to have this machine. I even was going to give Andy the benefit of the doubt and said make it a $500 gift card and replace my now replacement and we have a almost satisfactory deal. She told me in a rude tone that this was what she was authorized to do All I know, would it have been beneficial to just have offered me a nice gift card a new machine and go about life. Or have me spend hours on the internet attempting to reach MR. Shapiro himself, for a resolution. Because, this is ridiculous. I WANT THE HIGHEST IN CHARGE TO CALL ME. DO NOT SEND A ROOKIE. I WANT SOME ONE WITH PULL AND THAT CAN ACTUALLY OFFER A RESOLUTION. IF not, please send me direct information to your legal department. I will contact clicklease and let them know that multiple BBB complaints have been filed on glow forge and that I am not alone. I will not just rollover and accept this.
LINDSEY WIRTH
314-285-2241
You’re not talking to anyone in support here who can help you. We are just owners / users like yourself. You will need to continue working with support directly as you have been doing.
As an owner for 5+ years, I would venture to say that all the tweaking and tightening you’ve been doing on your own could very well be part of the problems with your machine. You should never be doing stuff like that when you don’t know what you’re doing nor what the outcome will be.
Not sure why you directed this to me. I am a glowforge owner just like you. Heck, I don’t even live in the USA.
I agree with you in that their customer service is terrible.
You’re only recourse is to continue dealing with whoever you can get in the customer support group. I’m pretty sure they have heard it all with regard to threats. The old saying “A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel” may be your best route here.
I wish you luck.
As a fellow user here from very early on… there is the big secret to getting someone to interact with you.
Use this link and they will treat you with the same speed and attention they reserve for us oldest customers that we have been receiving all along.
Once you do this, it will put you immediately into the first spot for people who do this. Be careful though as using this secret could be too potent and using it frequently may result in constantly be kept in the first available spot as multiple people look into your issues.
The individuals that attend the other end of this secret way of communication will be very willing to listen and acknowledge all of your thoughts and demands. They have been thoroughly trained to make sure to hear everything you have to say to them. Rest assured this confidential back door into the system will get the attention of whoever it gets assigned to for the appropriate amount of time and effort it deserves.
https://support.glowforge.com/
Have a great day. 
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