Leveraging the recently-released Set Focus tool, I’ve designed a tool to help place materials when the crumb tray has been removed, no maths required.
If your material is between the lines while resting on the bottom of your GF – not the crumb tray, you should be able to use Set Focus in the UI. If the top of your material is below the bottom line, use your favorite method (sheets of PG, tiles, 3-D printed stands, matching sets of trained hedgies, etc.) to elevate it and recheck. Repeat until the top is in the sweet spot between the lines.
I recommend elevating materials about halfway between the lines. It should be high enough for the focus to work correctly, but not so high as to interfere with the air-assist scoop.
Edited 10/20/2022: This file has been published in the Glowforge Catalog (linked below). It is listed as “Free with Premium,” and $1.49 (single)/$2.49 (unlimited prints) for those without the premium subscription.
ROFL! I’m gonna risk it! Thanks for the file…it’s a good idea! (And the general shape matches your earlier little half inch marker, so it keeps the stylishness going as well.)
Very awesome! I think it’ll pair well with the post I made in the FB group about oversized materiel and using set focus. Think I’ll post it here so I can link your tool.
Cute! Did you miss this @jules?
Thanks for the file. I’ve yet to run a job with the crumb tray out; partly because I’m not strong enough to open the front, etc., but also because I felt daunted about the math. I think this is a great incentive to come up with something to do and hubby can get the crumb tray out for me!
I still have yet to try anything without the tray in…I’ve been too intimidated. But, now I know there was a reason to wait so long…for someone to design a very cool simplified tool for me to use.
As long as the material is inbetween these lines does the machine automatically focus or is that a option I am looking over on my page? If you are using a non proofgrade material it asks for you to give an estimate on height…
Yes and no. It will autofocus either when you use the set focus tool or at the beginning of a print. The advantage of using the set focus tool first is that it will change the camera view based on the height it determined and so placement should be fairly accurate, this basically removes the need to enter a manual material height.