Interestingly enough, one of the only units that arrived with all 4 shipping handles ( I think it was all 4) and a box in pristine shape was shipped to Hawaii. Think shipping most of the way via aircraft is a good thing.
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Us internationals might actually have a leg up in that respect that the packages might get treated a bit better because of that… One can hope anyway.
I still don’t understand how those handles keep coming off… They use similar handles for shipping flatscreens and those are always super secure.
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Thanks for a well-thought out path to a decision. You have some time to collect more data points, but the uncertainty of having a painless delivery, International shipping logistics and realities and long-term success in using the Glowforge might indicate that for peace of mind in the short term, excepting the vagaries of currency fluxuation, cancelling might be the better option. At least you have some time to figure it out.
Uncertainties about non-catastrophic losses that lead to death by a thousand cuts is a puzzle.
Non-catastrophic as in, a tube fails, under warranty, can get replaced but…any other complications adds up pretty quickly to not worth the effort, such as worrying about the random destruction of a Glowforge during shipping.
Hard to make a clear cost/benefit analysis with such little data collected over such a short time. Sticking it out can be justified and lead to a happily ever after. All the concerns can be addressed in some way, but that little feeling of dread that you have bet on the wrong horse in a neck and neck race that only will disappear when you collect the winnings…
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Yeah, our couriers in Australia appear to be a LOT less… special… than your US ones.
I sent 3D printer kits all over the world with UPS and a lot to the US with UPS express saver. It only took about 2 days to anywhere in the US and there was very little damage. They did only weigh 10kg though so easy for one person to carry.
UPS were out preferred courier believe it or not, but a lot of US customers were wary of using them. I think the express service is probably a lot better because it goes by air instead of overland. So overseas shipments might have a much better success rate.
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The boxes are being stored/transported long side up and instead of picked up, dragged so they’re being torn out by door jams, steps, and the like. Also, they are not by design meant to be lifted “out” as they are being grabbed from a vertical position. Essentially UPS is turning the boxes on the side and pulling outwards on a handle meant for upwards load(upwards being relative to the box’s/Gf’s top).
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As some one who has handled freight I can tell you when you have to move weight from A to B, the first thing you look for is a handle.
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Can’t blame you. I’m in canada but right beside the border so it is easier for me to return for warranty. If I wasn’t I would also cancel and buy a proper laser.
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I’ll say it.
Things are good.
Screw that. Things are great! This machine is fantastic! SO glad we bought it. Hands down the coolest thing I’ve gotten in years! Problem-free? Nope. But close enough for now! Advances appear to be happening very frequently. Meanwhile, I don’t feel any limitations or lack of features or really anything negative. It just works. And works brilliantly.
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Sounds like you are setting yourself up for disappointment then.
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No, for the price I’m happy with what the machine seems to be able to do. Really all I’d like to see improved ASAP is accurate positioning and kerf offset built in. Other than that I can’t expect much more for the price.
But it’s a hobby laser not a production laser so it is going to need more work and maintenance and not have the same level of support. Being in canada without an easy way of getting it across the border so repairs shipping is covered means there will be a bunch of added costs over the lasers life. I would just spend that cost up front on a production machine and get more bang for my buck.
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October 25th you said your PRU was barely working. Does that mean it’s been barely working this whole time? I’m still waiting for my machine and trying to decide if it’s worth waiting for (will it meet my needs). Information that appears to be contradictory is very confusing.
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@takitus received one of the first Prerelease units, it was still in very early development stages and lacked a lot of functionality that the later units had.
So his has never done as much as some of the later models. (He still managed to get some really beautiful things out of it.)
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Like @Jules said, also the new software and functionality for the Production units essentially renders much of his Pre Release Unit obsolete.
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Takitus pre release build would’t take any of the major updates. None of the fine power control we have is available to his unit - he can hard engrave and cut, but can’t manage the degree of control he sees others enjoy.
When I got it this pre release it compared to his, but was updated with the rest of the new ones. His description qualifies. This is a different machine now than when I first got it.
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If I’m not mistaken, that Hawaiian order is one that had to have the first field-replacement head gantry, though.
I’ve broken down and asked Glowforge to ship mine to Sweet Grass MT for pickup. I’m not entirely confident it’ll arrive intact (it’s not like I’ll be getting it from an airport hub, it has to be ground travelled to get there)… but we’ll see.
You could always cancel your order and put the money into Bitcoin… it’s gone up 550% since the start of the year, and about 15% in the last month alone…
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So you are getting your machine soon? That’s awesome! It will be interesting to get your perspective on it.
I can’t do a lot of things on my laser any more due to the recent software changes that were made (like 3d engrave etc). My older hardware doesn’t work with the new software.
I also had a bad tube from the beginning and it is still the same tube, so I’m missing the bottom 2/5 of the grayscale range for Engraving. Anything in that range comes out as tumory looking static.
To go along with that my unit doesn’t have a temperature sensor shutoff, so it will run at any temp. This means it is slowly killing itself. The power output isn’t what it used to be, but when I got it, it already wasn’t super great. The output of a new unit with proper temperature tracking is so much better, like the one I got to use at MakerFaire:SF.
On top of that my head cuts at an angle instead of straight down, so no right angle joins for me.
Having said all that, you can see that my PRU was not the greatest unit to have (compared to a standard basic), but has definitely been fun in the meantime. However, compared to the new units out there, I am very very limited in what I can do with it. It’s not because it’s broken over time, it’s just because it was a PRU with limitations out the gate. It’s continued to function just like it did when I got it and I could probably use it for another 1-2 years before the tube goes out. Do I want to? Nah I’d like my pro please!
They’ve obviously worked the kinks out, which I got to see firsthand at MF:SF, and I’ve been anxiously awaiting my real forge ever since. I think if you wait it out you’ll be pleasantly surprised!
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