Print head lense stuck

Ive cleaned my machine several times with no problems, this time i followed through rest of video on cleaning the print head lense, i removed it by the blue angled piece, gently placed it back in, and the machine ran but didnt cut. I brought it back out and placed it again, then stuck on focusing. I went to grab it out to inspect it and the sticky pad pulled off the blue piece and lense is stuck there now. What can.i do from here?

Need a new mirror at a minimum. Doesn’t come out with needle nose pliers, tweezers or fingers? Turned it upside down?

If it’s melted in there, that ain’t cheap. New head. Warranty?

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Support will be along to help you. As @rpegg said, your going to want a replacement mirror at the least. Those are sold in the store.

As just another user, if it were mine, I would use tweezers and try to pull the mirror in the direction of bore, about a 45 degree angle. It should lift out with no resistance unless it is stuck.

I dont think it could be melted in there as i had it out shortly before and machine was stuck in focusing. I didnt try to find a way to get it out yet as the top blue part came off the sticker part of the foam part that attatches it to and i didnt want to cause any damage with it. As far as a new mirror hoping they get them back in stock soon then

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Ok thank you for replying, hopefully they are fast at getting more of these back in stock

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I’m so sorry to hear that you’re running into trouble, and for the mirror being damaged.

I’ve extracted the log files from your Glowforge to review your most recent prints, and compared them with the details you’ve provided. I’d like to review two connections.

Could you please do the following?

  1. Turn off your Glowforge.
  2. Holding only the finished black surfaces, grasp the printer head as shown. Pull gently up and back to disengage the magnets and remove the head.
  3. There is a small tab in the center of the wire ribbon. Push down fully on the tab to release it, and gently pull the wire ribbon plug from the printer head.
  4. Take a clear photo of the gold pins inside the printer head where you just unplugged the wire ribbon. It should look like this.
  5. Pick up the printer head and wire ribbon. Make sure the tab on the wire ribbon is facing up. Slide the ribbon back into the head until it clicks.
  6. As shown, lower the printer head over the metal plate so that it rests next to the two round posts. Then push it gently away from you – you’ll feel a “click” as magnets pull the printer head until it sits snugly atop the metal plate.
  7. Pull the laser arm all the way forward.
  8. Reach over the laser arm, and to the left of the inside of the unit and you’ll see this circuit board:
  9. Take a photo of the circuit board. If the cable I’ve indicated above with the red arrow appears to be loose, please reconnect it and try printing again. This cable should ‘click’ back into place.
  10. Turn your Glowforge back on.
  11. Send us the photos you took in step 4 and step 9.

In Regards to the Stuck Mirror

  1. Please turn off your Glowforge before performing these steps

  2. Holding only the finished black surfaces, grasp the printer head as shown. Pull gently up and back to disengage the magnets and remove the head.

  3. There is a small tab in the center of the wire ribbon. Push down fully on the tab to release it, and gently pull the wire ribbon plug from the printer head.

  4. Gently insert the lens tool into bottom of the head with the “Remove” arrow pointing in. When you hear the magnet click, withdraw the tool and the lens.

  5. Set the lens aside

  6. Remove the top of the Printer Head
    The top of the Printer Head is held on by strong magnets. Grasping only the top, pull up carefully to remove it and set it aside.

  7. Turn the printer head over so you are looking at the bottom of it

  8. Use a chopstick or the eraser end of a pencil from the bottom of the head to gently push the mirror out of the top of the printer head

Once we can review the two connections, and can confirm that the mirror has been removed, we’ll work on getting you a replacement mirror as soon as possible.

Hi @brandisteffen!

It looks like we resolved this issue directly over email, so I’m going to close this thread.