I was teaching a how-to-use class for my office, using ProofGrade Draft Board on default settings. Once it got to the cutting of the piece, the class noticed a lot of smoke pouring out of the edges of the lid.
I checked the vent tube and that was properly attached with no kinks or major bends. Has anyone else had this problem when using the GlowForge? This is being used in an office so we, of course, have a lot of people sensitive to smoke and such, so if it leaks this bad we might not be able to use it.
Pull the exhaust duct and closely inspect the fan grill for face loading. By design the exhaust fan moves greater CFM than the two intake fans, so there should be a negative pressure inside the machine.
If it is dirty you can use a small probe and a shopvac to clean it.
Nope, smoke isn’t supposed to leak out of the edges of the machine…the exhaust fan should be pulling enough air through the machine to have air going in through the cracks, not coming out.
Things to check…make sure the air intake under the right side of the machine is not blocked in any way. (Papers, materials stacked on the right side of the machine is a no-no. They can get sucked in and block the intake.)
Like @PrintToLaser said, the next thing to check is the whole exhaust setup. Remove the hose, check the back of the face plate on the fan for junk buildup, and check the outlet at the other end of the hose to make sure it isn’t blocked.
If the exhaust fan isn’t spinning up, that can affect things too, so check to see if it needs cleaning.
I want to pipe in with a little more information: Even with proper filtration, small amounts of smoke and fumes can enter the air around your Glowforge, producing a detectable odor. You may also smell an odor when you open the Glowforge lid, even long after a print is complete. This is not harmful.
However, if you detect a strong, sharp smell that also causes eyes, nose, or throat irritation, or if there is visible smoke escaping while the lid is closed, shut off your Glowforge unit immediately. Smoke and fumes could be entering the room in excessive concentrations.
If you’re still seeing or smelling excessive smoke or fumes when using Proofgrade materials, we’re here for you. Please email support@glowforge.com (or reply here) with photos of your Glowforge and your exhaust system. Thanks!
It’s been a little while since I’ve seen any replies on this thread so I’m going to close it. If you still need help with this please either start a new thread or email support@glowforge.com.
