Hi. We are planning on moving states shortly and as it is going to be a multi-day drive to get there I wasn’t sure the best way to move my Glowforge. We were thinking shipping it in it’s original packaging but wanted to get support’s opinion on this. We don’t want to risk it being on a cold moving truck for several days or same thing in the back of my vehicle. Does shipping it sound like the best option? If so, am I best leaving it packed up at a friends house and having them bring to UPS for shipping after we arrive? I would prefer to take it with us directly but I don’t see it working out unless I brought it in my vehicle and then brought it into the hotel with us on way down. Anyway looking for advice. Thank you. Mike
You’re probably going to treat it with more care than any shipping service. You’d probably even pay attention to the “this side up” warnings!
5 Likes
I would put it in your own vehicle or the moving truck over a shipping service any day.
It’ll cost you at least $300 to ship it by UPS or FedEx with insurance, by the slowest ground shipping available. And they’re going to throw that thing around, roll it end over end, ship it on its side or upside down where the coolant can leak out, etc. The freight trucks it’ll be on between depots aren’t any warmer than your moving truck.
If you put it in your car or moving truck, you know it’ll be sitting flat and safe the whole way to your new house.
8 Likes
I would drive with it and not ship it. When I have moved them I just remove the print head, put in the wheel locks and padding, and just put it in the car.
If I remember correctly, glowforge also ships with coolant not yet pumped through the system. And so if you ship it then keep in mind that your system already has it pumped through. Not really an issue but it could lead to leaking while shipping and is just a problem you would have to deal with on the receiving side.
2 Likes
It’s already been circulated through during testing. You’ll get the same reaction (needing to purge air from the system) if you move it around, or drive it around in an RV, jostle it, etc.
3 Likes
Yes but the level of dispersing that would occur during shipping would likely be much more then when just driving it. I use to cart my GF to and from STEM events and have done a road trip with one. My GF has not needed to purge as much as it has when it first arrives from shipping. Additionally, GF has commented before about the cap for the coolant that use to be an issue from time to time with shipping (they have replaced it now) but if the GF is one from the period of the other cap then that might just increase risk. Overall, the GF coolant system is fairly forgiving and simple, at least compared to the coolant system at work lol, but its still something to take into consideration when moving or working with the GF. That’s all I am trying to get at.
2 Likes
Thank you all for the replies. My unit is a pro that was purchased last November. What is this about purging? I don’t remember that from when I first got it. Thanks
You may have noticed bubbles the first time you plugged it in. The system is designed to purge out any air that’s within (the cause of the bubbles) as they can lead to hotspots in the tube. It’s all automated
2 Likes
Ok thank you
Hi @mrtoad! Thanks for asking. If you plan on moving your Glowforge to another floor or across the country, you’ll need to purchase replacement packaging. We want to make sure your Glowforge gets from point-A to point-B safely, and any damage from transportation after your Glowforge has been delivered isn’t covered by the warranty. You may also want to check out our Support article on Moving Your Glowforge.
I’m going to close this thread - should you have any further questions, go ahead and post a new topic!