I purchased the pro model for the sole purpose of using the pass through feature. So far, I’ve used it for 1/8” thick material but my true use is for cutting boards. Unfortunately, I couldn’t figure out a way to engrave on a cutting board too big to fit in the Glowforge and too thick for the pass through slot. Is there a work around?
Yeah, sort of.
It’s possible to trick the glowforge into thinking that the front door is closed when it’s really open. The trick is magnets.
Search the forum for “interlocks” to find out more details.
Obviously this is dangerous: lasers are not great for your eyes. Use caution, wear your safety glasses, make sure nobody is going to walk into the room, etc.
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Thank you! I was so disappointed when it didn’t work.
Well what I’ve found is that in general working inside the glowforge’s capabilities from the start: design choices, material choices, etc… makes life way easier.
If I were in your shoes and wanted to do a lot of cutting boards I’d start looking for boards that fit inside the machine (note I didn’t say inside the cutting area; there’s a lot of space in the back) and embrace asymmetrical designs. You can do a great deal of cool work without needing the pass through, and it takes a great deal of technical difficulty right off the table.
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