For some people this might be good eventually. I do wonder, if the announcement has slipped from november to december, how accurate that shipping date will be. And just what will be shipping. (Sadly, it doesn’t take much with the current state of consumer-grade laser software for someone to be able to claim “industry-leading”.)
It had already slipped to November from June or July (can’t remember exactly) so… increase salt grain size 
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Except perhaps for the venom. Haven’t heard anyone here bellowing “vaporware”, but here I see a major manufacturer emulating the Glowforge - which includes air, cooling and features like enclosed beam path (I notice an unprotected lens mounted horizontally on the head. Nice dust catcher)
It looks like a solid machine, and the ability to stack is a great innovation, but from what I have seen it doesn’t measure up to the inclusive, feature rich basic I got for less than half that price.
What is your assessment?
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The tripod light is awesome. As retribution I would like Glowforge to copy that item and put it in the catalog. The funniest part for me was that tool wall. The only tool that could cut anything is a carpenters hatchet. So options are cut with a precision laser cutter or cut with a hatchet.
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Interesting to see the link and some specs and other info available now for the Muse. They’ll send you a sample for the cost of shipping ($10) so I just ordered the engraving of the Aztec Calendar. It looked like you could submit your own file for cutting/engraving.
It’s their Hobby laser in a fancy case with the added camera functionality. A Chinese laser assembled in the US which is fine if they provided excellent support but unfortunately they have a terrible history of poor support.
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Keep in mind the samples probably weren’t done on a Muse. I have one of the Aztec calendars that they were giving out at the maker faire in Seattle. It was done on whichever non-hobby laser they were demoing.
That being said I’d love to see the Glowforge folks attempt an Aztec calendar (or maybe do a Mayan calendar so as not to run afoul of the lawyers!)
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Aztec Calendars must be the “Stanford bunny” of the laser world. Epilog sends them (engraved into leather) out as part of their free sample pack.
Here’s a couple of 3D printed bunnies of the Stanford variety…
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I was really wondering they were going to surprise us with internal cooling.
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I am assuming most of the people who say this is a Glowforge knockoff just don’t have much experience with lasers yet.
The tube is stationary, unlike Glowforge. No filter option. No included cooling and air assist.
This is very much a standard laser + camera.
Initially I was onboard with the idea of it being a glowforge knockoff, back when it was just an image and a name with mention of the camera.
But now… it is just a small form factor laser. I like the drop-away floor with the option for expanding the Z height while retaining some degree of air containment with the expansion sleeve. We even suggested such a thing on here for the GF 2.0.
Anyway… if I had a school asking me which laser to buy, I would have to carefully think about it, and likely wait to see how the software plays for each of the two systems. There are some things about the Muse that the Glowforge lacks, but fortunately there are some thinkgs the Glowforge has that the Muse lacks as well.
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It looks like it could be a decent machine, depending on what you are looking for.
Here is my rough assessment.
Pros:
Ethernet connection
Expandable Z axis
Rotary
Cons:
Separate water chiller
Separate air pump?
Exposed Optics
Potentially a Class IV laser
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Probably not. Just because the floor can be removed and a sleeve added to give added height doesn’t mean there are any exposed pathways - it’s not an open door. If there were no floor, then that’d be different. But a removable one that allows the top unit to sit on a form-fitting bottom unit wouldn’t be materially different than being able to unscrew the floor of the GF or take the lid off.
What makes the GF Pro a class 4 laser is that when it is operated as intended there is an exposed pathway by design - you can’t use the pass-through without having some pathway exposed no matter how well managed & shielded - you can’t physically allow for sliding material in without having some room around it.
Comments like this made me think that if it can be opened up and ran in any way then it would (after being certified or something) be a class IV. I’m certainly no expert, though. And, we don’t know what kind of safety stops there are on the Muse. So, maybe there is a way. At this point I still think no, but I don’t have a problem being wrong sometimes.
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The Glowforge Basic would technically be able to be run while open, if one tricked the sensors using magnets (or some other means, but I believe the door open/close sensor is magnetic.) But that doesn’t make it a Class IV.
Pro is class IV because the pass-through is designed to be opened while in operation.
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What did you think of the FSL Aztec engraving? Did it have multiple depths?
Just got notice that my sample shipped so I should find out for myself next week some time.
Hmmm… that looks like the wrong quote now that I am reading it again. There was one, maybe in the thread about modding the case, that said something about “if it could be made to open, then it couldn’t be classified as a class I enclosure.” It was in reference to Glowforge selling upgrade cases to add pass through to a Basic. Ah, well. Either way.
Edit: and this from their site makes me think class IV
Break out of the box with a
removable floor for bigger projects
such as engraving doors.
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My thoughts exactly…could well be a K40 in a pretty new package with a camera.
Lasers are, well, lasers…its the extras that make Glowforge different…the internal cooling and onboard air assist, the trace function, the software and UI just to name a small few…its not the laser part thats remarkable…its what it makes the laser do that is…
I hate to keep saying this but its hard to appreciate the wonders of a smart phone if you’ve never had to endure the basic only functions of a dumb phone…
Thats how I feel about the Glowforge.
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Nope. It has to do with how it’s designed. The Muse (& GF Basic) are designed without an open pathway. The floor has to be removed on the Muse and replaced by the expansion unit.
The GF Pro is a Class 4 due to the designed to be open slot. With that designed, it doesn’t become Class 1 with the door slot taped over or closed - the classification is set at manufacture. If you cut a slot into the Basic it would still be a Class 1 officially although it would now have an open pathway and operating as a Class 4.
The Muse is the same - it’s designed as a closed box. The matter of safety stops is irrelevant to the determination of classification. Safeties fail so they don’t factor in on the laser device class determination.
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One of the biggest reasons (not the only) I bought the GF is the autofocus, and the many things that helps you do. I did not see that feature advertised for the Muse…anyone see that (maybe I missed it)? I only know of one other laser manufacturer that does that near this price point. - Rich
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I just have to say though - I’m so glad to see that the AOL running man finally found employment !!
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