The few times that I’ve cleaned my mirror the fit is so tight that it has been a struggle to get it out and then back in and properly seated. I posted here the first time it happened and it appeared that was just how it was supposed to fit.
Recently, I helped a student clean the mirror on our school’s Glowforge and was prepared for the worst but the mirror slipped out and in smoothly.
How am I supposed to know if my personal GF has a problem with the mirror? I worry every time I clean my mirror that the blue handle will pull off leaving my mirror stuck.
I’m afraid a picture would not help. From all appearances both the mirror and the hole it fits into seem perfectly symmetrical. Plus, I don’t want to remove the mirror again until I need to clean it.
After dealing with the mirror in the second GF I can only assume that my mirror is a few thousandths too large or the hole similarly too small. Or one of the mating surfaces is imperceptibly out of round.
With some manipulation, I always get it out and back in to the point where my GF works perfectly.
I was just hoping for some feedback to see if other owners also have tight-fitting mirrors and that is my lot in life. Or if I should contact GF support.
When you are sliding it in, are you sliding it in at an angle? It does fit a little snugly if you are trying to go straight down, but if you insert it at about a 30° angle, which is how it goes in, it’s completely smooth and slips right in there.
If smoke crud is an issue, how do you recommend I remove the crud? I assume the crud must be inside the tube of the head as the mirror is as shiny as new.
If as Jules suggests that the fit is supposed to be tight, should I be concerned that our school’s mirror is too loose because it slid in and out smoothly?
I have read the instructions and viewed the pictures and successfully cleaned my mirror a few times. It just never goes as smoothly as it did on the second GF.
When it is time for my next cleaning I will try to shoot some video showing the angle I maintain while working with the mirror. Hopefully, the video can capture the force required for removal an insertion.
I will double check the support site for instructions for cleaning the interior of the print head. I assume they will recommend carefully scrubbing with a Zeiss wipe inside mirror chamber.
As always thanks for the forums’ insights and quick responses. It is one of the many things I appreciate about my GF.
I use the alcohol hand cleaner as a universal solvent but the alcohol cleaners you use to clean the lenses and mirror would work great for that as well. when you use the zeiss or similar cleaner on the mirror, then use it on the rest of what you can reach.
I’m glad you resolved it! I’m going to close this thread. If you run into any other trouble, please start a new topic, or email us at support@glowforge.com. We’re here to help!
