Lets Crowdfund elsewhere?

Everything Else
1
  • I’d be interested in joining a crowdfunded ‘best discount’ approach to a Chinese competitor.
  • Not for me no.

0 voters

Show results

I’m a fan of the Massdrop site, whereby users vote to join a bulk-buy discounted purchase of various goods.
If there enough people like me, who could spare a grand or so on asking a high-quality Chinese factory to make and send a proven model at a great price.

If anyone has knowledge of how difficult this would be to manage… sort out escrow fund management and good stuff like that, please add your thoughts if you can spare a moment.

[Edit. I didn’t say anything about cancelling GlowForge of orders. FWIW I self-flagged this post for review, and it has been]

1 Like
2

For what it’s worth, I wouldn’t call the sub-$1000 lasers proven. I think they’re worth getting just to play around with tho. If you look around on eBay you can sometimes see them go for as little as $500 usd. It’s unlikely that you’ll get much of a discount off of that I’m afraid.

3

Thanks for the reply.

Yeah I was aware those were prices commonly mentioned on the FB laser group, just throwing it out there to see what the interest was in my imaginery laser-knight-in-shining-armour.

Probably less risk just throwing money at a Cheapie with solid customer support.

4

https://fslaser.com/Products/Lasers Here is a laser i was told about 4months ago that made me wish I hadn’t invested in glowforge. I am getting a refund and checking it out.

5

That’s fine but FSL has notoriously poor customer service and basically flipped off our local makerspace. I wouldn’t touch them with a ten foot pole even if they do have some happy customers.

5 Likes
6

I too have had friends who have had terrible experiences with FSL. just beware that most of their lasers are just Chinese lasers with their name printed on the case. Same quality, same support.

4 Likes
7

In fairness they do substantially more than rebadge, and I believe some are fully their design these days.

2 Likes
8

Aye, the muse looks to be a bit more custom, we will have to wait to see what kind of components go into it.

9

Wasnt that supposed to be out in November?? Where’s the backlash on that?? Lol

8 Likes
10

I never saw anyone excited enough about it for there to be a backlash lol

3 Likes
11

Although Glowforge has been lenient about threads like this, and even though Dan himself might disagree with me, I’d say using this forum to organize a “group buy” of a competitor’s laser cutter is crossing the line.

7 Likes
12

Oh, I don’t know. I think if you click on the results of the survey, this thread is a net positive for GF.

4 Likes
13

They dont have my money for one… and if you would call november a missed deadline then it would only be the first one… pretty obvious why there isnt any backlash on their product

1 Like
14

My complaint is with the premise of the thread, not its current state.

4 Likes
15

Today’s not normal, so if people are being civil, I’m going to let them communicate here… I apologize that that means the forum will be a little more chaotic and offtopic than usual.

10 Likes
16

I appreciate the understanding and attitude shown.

I have witnessed countless other companies close forums completely when events such as this upset their communication goals.

For me I have healed from the hurt of yesterdays annoucement.

Only an hour ago I showed my Wife the 3D engraving picture for the for the first time and her jaw literally dropped in amazement.

I have this tattooed on my forearm, “The Obstacle is the Way” and this obstacle will be overcome.

I am not prone to changing my tune so quickly (translates to “grumpy old basturd”) but I hope what’s happened to me happens to others.

9 Likes
17

Ehhhhhhh I had one. That’s what I sold to get the Glowforge. I had issues with the UI and the laser head jumping around while raster engraving.

1 Like
18

Yeah. FSL just flat out abandons their own 3D printer support forum but leaves it open.

2 Likes
19

Speaking of them, someone just posted on Reddit about how their FSL electronics caught fire and burned the laser down.

7 Likes
20

They just updated it - now says “Inspiration arrives December 2016.” ( yesterday still said November) I wonder what it will say after NewYears…

4 Likes