My Glowforge is a month old and frequently causes problem when cutting the materials. It was working fine few days ago. I’ve gone through it and cleaned it thoroughly, following the guidance.
The material is always perfectly flat against the crumb tray. I tried doing everything people do when they had problems of cutting materials. Also, adjusted different power settings. Still, no luck of cutting materials.
The common material I’m using, is draftboard from homedepot, 0.125". (Same thickness to the proofgrade material from GF)
Did anything happen that you’re not mentioning yet? Like what changed, if anything?
We can try to help, but If you are trying to get support from Glowforge staff, they don’t look in this category. You should either email support@glowforge.com or post to “problems and support”.
And, unfortunately, welcome to the community. This is a bummer of a way to make your first post, but maybe we can get you going. Send a little more detail and maybe we’ll think of something.
Thank you!
Just posted pictures that show what is happening with my GF.
I emailed support but i get a reply that they cant offer support since I’m not using proofgrade materials
Right off the bat the “thick” lines on the left looks like maybe your focus is off. Are you 100% sure the lens is in correctly? It should go in like a “bowl”. It’s in the cleaning instructions.
Yess!
100% sure the lens is in correct. “Bowl”.
I was cleaning while i was looking at the cleaning instructions. And plus, cutting problems were happening way before cleaning happened
A common reason that good cutting suddenly isn’t with folks with a new Glowforge is that when cleaning they accidentally put the main lens upside down, at which time it acts like a dirty lens and refuses to cut all the way through though still engraves making a wider cit than before. That may not be the problem, but it is something to check.
There are also two windows and a mirror plus the lens that even a fingerprint sharply reduces the power making it through and produces that effect the tiniest spot of smoke that comes in contact with any of those will weld itself on even seeming like the lens damage it will become if left in the way of the laser beam long enough,
And there can be significant variation in the non Proofgrade mdf board itself (different glues & binders etc) even if you are buying from the same source as in the past. These things can have a huge effect on cuttability. If the Proofgrade Draftboard cuts okay, I’d say it’s your mdf.
Is that stuff .11" / (3mm) by chance? I use that a lot and on my basic I get a nice clean cut at speed 125 power 100.
I agree with another comment about how dark some of those cuts look on the left. That doesn’t look good. The only time that ever happened to me was when I put the lens in upside down. It could also happen though if the laser is unfocused. Are you using “set focus”?
Having the lens in upside down or dirty optics does not account for complete sections of letters being missing.
That said, the only way you can expect support is to put in the spare draftboard they sent with the machine, and print the “Gift of Good Measure” using standard settings. Then post pics of the result, front and rear in the Problems and Support forum.
I’m trying to understand the different line thickness. As others have said the thick lines look like an upside down lens. When replacing the lens “Cup goes Up”.
