And “Phoenix” has come back from the dead a second time, this time shined up almost good as new. I don’t know how they got the tube this clean again! Tested and working.
This is Jerry and I’m working closely with Mark on this ticket. Thanks for reaching out and for being such a supportive friend, we really appreciate that you’re trying to help get their Glowforge back up and running. While we no longer offer refurbished units, we’re definitely committed to exploring the best available options for your friend. In order to do that, we’ll need to take a closer look at the situation with their current machine. If possible, could you please send us a few photos showing the condition of the printer and any visible issues? This will help us better understand what’s going on and allow us to recommend the most appropriate solution, which may include discounted replacement options. We’re here to help and will do our best to find the right path forward. Looking forward to hearing from you!
Technically, I could say I have one too - but the unit I was sold as a refurb was as new as they get. That was what I meant - it was a new machine as far as I could tell. Just “sold” as a refurb. I’m not alone in my experience, and am eternally grateful for it.
That really should be part of their official story. I can’t think of another multi-thousand dollar consumer electronic that doesn’t have officially sanctioned ways to repair it vs getting a small discount on buying a new machine. Having Wiregrass available is nice but that’s not the same as being able to contact the seller and having them arrange for a repair. Throwing away a 6K device because you can’t get a $300 part replaced is nuts.
U.S. based support and service was a big reason I backed them. It’s like they’re doing everything they can to drive the market to other devices. Such squandering of goodwill and their initial value prop is breathtaking.
I have a refurb as well. For some reason it doesn’t seem to focus as well as my other Glowforge but if I didn’t have that stellar machine to compare against, I don’t think I would notice.
The one thing I would say, not in disagreement, is that Glowforge is tiny compared to most consumer electronics companies.
This is a very specialized machine we own, not something you’ll find in your local department store. My personal experience of their attempt to break in to the home-craft market was dismal. Money wasted on pointless displays, no person in-store who even knew what the heck it was sitting there, let alone how to use it. I even offered to help - nobody was interested. The materials selection was dismal - nothing I would ever buy, and what they did have was beaten to the point of being near-worthless anyway.
May I ask how old your Glowforge is? Mine is 5 yrs old and when I contacted Wiregrass they told me that due to the age of the laser, they could not work on it and would not give advise due to the age of the laser.
Mine was a refurbished one that I had gotten about 8 months before the problem. I am surprised that they turned you down. Everything that I saw was a can do attitude. Sorry to hear the bad news.
The laser tube would be relatively easy to change out, if there were new ones available. It’s not a “hours used” component, they age out even sitting on a shelf.
As a result of the tube being completely bespoke to our machines, and the low volume of machines produced, there is not a stockpile simply sitting around..
i think refurbs have always been spotty. when i needed a replacement, it was supposed to be a refurb, but none were in stock. after a couple of months i started complaining loudly and they eventually just gave me a new machine because they never got a refurb in for me. who knows how many people were in front of me.
Last year my 5+ year old GlowForge Pro needed repair. After taking many pictures and trying all the things Support told me to do, I was offered a refurbished machine. I took it and it lasted for about two months and Glowforge sent me another machine. That one lasted just over a year.. This time no refurbished machine was offered. They did offer a $1000 discount on a new pro machine and told me about Wiregrass Technologies. I didn’t want to spend $5000 on a new machine so I sent an email to Wiregrass. They sent me an email on how to proceed. So last week I paid the $300 shipping fee, packed up my machine and UPS picked it up. After a couple of days Wiregrass sent me an email with an invoice for $304.50. I paid that and just this morning I received aN EMAIL from UPS saying that my machine would be delivered tomorrow between 2:00 and 4:00 pm. I am so amazed by Wiregrass’ efficiency.
My machine arrived yesterday (Sunday) and today I gave it a workout. It works perfectly and looks brand new. Wiregrass cleaned it - even the laser tube. I’m very impressed by them. They did a great job.
totally agree, if I new I’d need to pay so much money just to replace a laser tube I’d never buy a glowforge. I’m about to buy a second machine and the parts support is the reason why I won’t buy GF or recommend it to my friends It’s just too far from New York.
I’m glad Wiregrass is very fast and responsive to help
Not to make anyone jelly but sometimes life works out! Wiregrass Electronics is just across town for me, so if a repair is economical, I am good to go.
I might be in the same boat. I mean, when I got the thing I couldn’t see ANY sign of being refurbished. I just presume they do a REALLY good job refurbishing. LOL
So I’m also in the discount/refurb/repair zone. GF Pro stopped operation with a yellow button. GF support says they can’t fix. Options are a $1000 discount on a new machine, refurb, or Wiregrass repair. Having not gone thru this before, after reading thru this thread I thought that a $1700 refurb would not be too bad. Unfortunately, the best refurb deal is $4000 + another $600 for shipping and taxes. The good news is you get an entire 90 day warrenty. Guess I’ll try Wiregrass; good reviews and they’re within driving distance. Worst case - there are now multiple desktop laser options with better specifications than GF and costing less than the price of a refurb GF.
It’s just too far from New York.