Hey everyone,
I’ve been thinking a lot about the concept of endurance lately. It’s a theme that’s been on my mind as I reflect on the incredible longevity and resilience of our Glowforge community.
And the amazing resilience of the printers behind them. (And me).
You see, this trusty Glowforge behind me has been printing nonstop since 2018. You know what the first print on it was, ever?
If that looks familiar, it’s because I was printing prototypes for the catapult and earrings in this video:
That was print #1, and it hasn’t stopped since. Whether it’s for events, work-from-home days, family projects, or just turning ordinary moments into special ones, this machine has been my constant companion.
I talk about how they’re magical, but they’re also unbelievably durable. In fact, the majority of Glowforge printers ever made (since 2017) are still printing today.
Another 2018 Glowforge - at The Met Gala
Speaking of 2018 vintage printers… Glowforge owner Casey Curran has been doing unbelievable things with his laser since that auspicious year. Check out his first post in this forum about his 2018 Glowforge creation:
And this week, he took it to a new level. Casey was invited to create a stunning gown for the Met Gala. Take a look at this masterpiece of Glowforge creation:
And the making of:
https://www.instagram.com/p/C6xQ9T_gZOm/
We’ve Got You Covered!
Now, while we’re on the subject of endurance, I want to talk about our commitment to ensuring that your Glowforge experience is as seamless and trouble-free as possible. We know that your Glowforge is more than just a machine - it’s a trusted partner in your creative journey. That’s why we’re excited to announce some new and improved support options to keep your Glowforge running smoothly for years to come.
Most Glowforge printers never need a support call. Most never need repair. Most never get resold. But if they do… here’s how we’re making it better.
Expanded Phone Support 
One of the top requests we’ve heard from you is to take our phone support to the next level, and we’ve been working hard to make that happen. I’m thrilled to report that the average wait time to reach one of our friendly support experts is now less than 60 seconds. We know what a relief it is to have someone pick up the phone, solve the problem, and let you get right back to creating.
Now, I won’t sugarcoat it - there can be slightly longer waits during peak hours (I guess that’s the price of popularity!), but overall, we’ve managed to slash wait times by more than 10x across the board. And we’re not stopping there - the next most requested item was more support hours, and I’m happy to say we’ve rolled that out too, with phone, email and chat support available 7 days a week! We now offer live phone, email, and chat support on weekends too, from 10am PT to 3pm PT.
Remember, if you ever need advice or assistance, just give us a call at 1 (855) 338-2122, email us at support@glowforge.com, or go to support.glowforge.com for instant help including live chat. Our team will work with you to get you back up and running in no time.
New Option for Repairs 
Most Glowforge printers carry on for years with nothing more than a lens wipe. But occasionally more attention is needed.
As many of you know, all of our repairs are performed at the same factory where our machines are made. However, because it takes months to send a unit in, get it repaired, and get it back to you, we offer a cross-ship service instead. You don’t have to wait months - instead, as soon as someone sends a unit for repair, we ship them a repaired replacement right away. We do this for free under warranty, or for a fixed repair fee out of warranty. I want to be clear - we don’t make a dime on this; we charge only our actual shipping and repair costs, to keep Glowforge ownership as affordable as possible over the long haul.
But here’s the thing - we’ve heard from some of you who have a special bond with your specific Glowforge. Maybe it’s the googly eyes you’ve lovingly affixed to the front, or the comforting familiarity of a machine that’s been with you through thick and thin. Some of us have formed a real connection with our printers, and the thought of swapping them for another is tough to bear.
If that sounds like you, I’ve got great news. Wiregrass Technologies is an independent firm that specializes in Glowforge printers. They’re able to offer service to customers who want an out-of-warranty repair to their printer. If you would like a quote to repair your specific unit rather than have us cross-ship a unit, Wiregrass is a great option. Just keep in mind that they’re an independent company, so you’ll work with them directly - Glowforge isn’t involved in the process. To learn more, visit https://www.wiregrassmade.com/ and fill out their contact form.
Protecting Our Community 
Lastly, I want to address some troubling reports we’ve received over the past few months. It seems that there have been some unscrupulous folks out there taking advantage of our community’s trust.
People have reported buyers in user groups telling Glowforge owners that their machines were unfixable, just so they could buy them for a lowball price. You can guess what they do next - they use our cross-ship program to get a repaired unit, and sell it for a profit.
And then there are the heartbreaking cases of unsuspecting customers buying secondhand units on user groups, only to find out that they’re stolen, defective, or unsafe, and can’t be used at all.
This isn’t right, and it’s not what this community is about. We wrote a guide a few years back to help navigate the tricky world of second-hand Glowforge buying (Buying a Used or Second-hand Glowforge), but unfortunately, the problem has only gotten worse.
To that end, we’re changing our policy regarding unauthorized resellers. Of course we’ll continue to support Glowforge owners who need repairs or want to resell their printers! However, we will no longer offer repair or other services to unauthorized Glowforge resellers or the machines that they carry. If you hear about someone who’s taking advantage of Glowforge customers with unfair resale practices, please do let us know at support@glowforge.com.
Here’s to the magic
Some of us work in jewelry. Some of us in photographs. Some in fabric butterflies. We’re here because we can see beauty, innovation, creativity, and magic where others cannot. And we’re here to bring our spark to the world.
At the end of the day, your Glowforge is designed for years of creative magic, and we’ll be with you to make sure that magic endures.
As always, thank you for being a part of this community. Your creativity and resilience never cease to amaze me, and I can’t wait to see what you’ll create next.
Until next time,
-dan