Random Cut - Laser Problem?

[Coolkeum]

Hello everyone,

This is my first post here, so I hope I’m doing this properly.

Someone recently gave me a GlowForge Basic, and I’m just getting started with it.

However, when I try to cut simple paper, the cut starts fine but randomly it stops and then resumes well again, it’s like the laser isn’t powerful enough or stops working during few seconds.

I’m worried the laser is at the end of its life. Or could it be a connection issue somewhere?

I can post a video of a cut test here if it helps people understand my problem.

Thanks for your help,

Romain

[dklgood]

It would be helpful to cut/engrave the Gift of Good Measure which is a known Glowforge file and share the results. You can print this on cardstock or 20# typing paper using Proofgrade settings.

[Coolkeum]

Hi dklgood,

Thanks you for your quick answer.

If I test with the “Good Measure” model and the default settings :

First test, I get a sheet of paper almost intact, we can just see the mark of where the paper should be cut:

If I change the “Proofgrade Cut” adjustment profile from this:

To this:

Second test, the sheet of paper is cut well (even if it moved during cutting because of the fan) but we still don’t see any marks:

Third test, I tried the same “Good Measure” model several times with the cut parameter at “full power” as for the second test and I get this:

Here we can see that the laser stopped cutting at some point…

[dklgood]

Something is wrong if full power on paper results in this type of cut.

Inspect and clean all of the optics and contact Glowforge support.

[eflyguy]

Dirty optics would cause the cut to get weaker as the head moves further to the right. A broken cut like that indicates a power supply or tube issue.

How old is the machine? The tube has a lifespan of just a few years, used or not, and the power supply has been known to fail.

When you say it was “given” to you, was it packed in the original shipping carton with the protective parts installed?

[Coolkeum]

Hi eflguy,

Sorry for the delay to answer.

I think that is really a tube issue because the machine is pretty old. Even if it was given to me well packed, I think that I will have to transform it for another usage because this sort of tube can’t be remplaced easily

Thanks everybody.