In another thread, I was derided because some of the “automatic GF defenders” (not using the term “Cheerleaders” anymore) made the assumption that I was looking for placement accuracy within .001".
The response was “If that’s what your looking for, go spend $25,000+ on a laser made for that. This is a Glowforge” (paraphrased).
In this thread, the excuse is that kerf adjustment is ridiculously complex for lasers (and you’re stupid if you don’t understand that), that in order to get the accuracy down to more than .002" that it is going to take Glowforge a long time to perfect it and we should patiently wait.
Bull****.
Right now, we have to take parts into a third party app, do a manual kerf correction by following a ridiculous amount of steps.
All anybody in this thread is asking for is that we have an -option- to set a -fixed- amount of kerf correction. This would save a buttload of time in many people’s workflow.
On the hummingbird project I am working on, this feature would have saved me a day’s worth of work - alone.
It is a simple request. Nobody is asking for super duper automated fancy down to the millionth of a millimeter automagical kerf correction. Just the option to say, “Hey, GF. Correct for X amount of kerf, please. Thank you.”
If they are worried that it will confuse people, bury it somewhere. Make us check a box in settings that enables “Advanced” features. Don’t hobble the equipment by playing to the least sophisticated audience.
It has a lot to do with people with little to no knowledge of the subject they’re arguing making proclamations as if they’re hardened CNC veterans. Citing the Dunning-Kruger effect is a bit cliché, but… seriously… what better explanation is there?
They may be happy with the Glowforge software being inferior to other CAM software, but I’m not, and I am willing to state my opinions bluntly.
Your hummingbird project is a great example of where it would be awesome (also DXF direct import, but that is another thing and easier to work around). I had planned on doing some of the same guy’s projects as well but without manual kerf correction there is no way I am doing them (I applaud you for doing it manually)
I am not sure if anything you said made me personally think that was your argument. But those are the two sides butting heads for no real gain in the thread. One side saying you cannot be flawless, and the other side saying they don’t want flawless (but better is possible). Yet somehow everybody thinking there is a disagreement.
I assume that the “But you cannot get it flawless!” side of the table assumes than the non-adjusted results are within the accuracy range of a kerf adjusted router, because the laser kerf is so small. But, that is only the case in certain materials. I have cut things which wound up with kerf widths around 1/16" quite a few times.
Well, Shaper Origin shipping notification comes through first! Should be here in Seattle in a few days. Maybe I’ll use it to build a table for the still-in-process glowforge… And a place to store my proof-grade materials, which have arrived.
The Shaper forum is awfully quiet regards to shipping notifications or deliveries, seems only one or two people on there have received theirs and nobody’s posting anything.
This seems to be a quotable sentiment from that article:
“Perhaps surprisingly, none of us came from the power tool industry,” Hebenstreit adds. “But perhaps that’s also not surprising, as not having a preconceived notion about how something should or should not be done often leads to significant developmental breakthroughs.”
Well, it’s going to be a CNC holiday season - the glowforge has now also shipped and both it and the Shaper Origin are due to arrive the same day! Time to clear some shop space…
Thanks for the reminder about the shaper forum - I hadn’t spent much time there yet, but you’re right most of the comments seem speculative. I need to dig in to the videos to prepare.
Could you review the shaper here? I’m really in the market for it and now with another delay upon my glowforge I’d rather spend the cash on a Shaper Origin.
I got my tracking number for my Origin - it should be here tomorra. Yippy!
I don’t have any specific needs for it at the moment so I’m not sure when I’ll actually break it out and use it “for reals”, but if there’s any questions/requests that I can answer by taking a close look at it, let me know.
(note: I sold my Glowforge so I prolly won’t be able to respond much beyond the middle of next week)
And a place to store my proof-grade materials, which have arrived.