Specs update

We’ve made some small but important changes to the planned bed area of 12x20, and it’s a mix of good and bad news.

The bed area is wider and deeper than we planned (18" x 20.4") and we can accommodate thicker materials than planned (up to 2" with the tray removed instead of the 1.5" planned). However, our production units will have 11.5 x 20.4" working area, which is more width but less depth than planned. Also, the working area will be reduced somewhat when the laser operates at high speed, as it can take space for the laser to decelerate.

Every time we ship a unit, we send an exhaustive email explaining exactly what the system can and cannot do on the day they receive it. (In fact, the pre-release email is 7 pages long!) That lets each customer make sure they know exactly what they’re going to receive before they give us their address and get their shipment. We’ll include this in the pre-ship email, but since it’s a change that we can’t update later in software, I wanted to post this here asap.

I love sharing good news and hate sharing bad. I apologize.

56 Likes

I take this mean that the effective work area on the Pro will be further reduced relative to the Basic because of the higher maximum speed on the Pro?

4 Likes

Ha. That is good and bad news. Just have to resize our expectations. More landscapey!

8 Likes

Just to make sure I understand - we will still be able to fit a 12 inch piece of material into the bed area, correct? We just won’t be able to cut the entire 12 inches of it? (Only 11.5 inches that the laser can reach?)

12 Likes

So, to summarize, we lose a half inch in length, gain a half inch in width and gain a half inch in depth, or did I read it wrong. Personally the extra half inch in depth more than out weighs the loss of a half inch in the length (front to back). I’ll take it. :smile:

13 Likes

Don’t remember any statement indicating that the mechanics of the Pro heads moves any faster. Just that the power at the laser spot would be higher and because of this a job could be completed quicker. The problem Dan discussed is likely a mechanical issue to keep the head from slamming into stops. Is likely the same for both units.

7 Likes

Front to back is slightly shorter, side to side is slightly larger. If we are using 1/4" material with a Pro the loss front to back wouldn’t matter.

3 Likes

@jdodds: Apologies, I didn’t explain this well. Pro can cut through at higher speeds than Basic can. At cutting speed (relatively slowly), there isn’t much effect. It’s only at high speeds (scoring and engraving) that we need to reserve extra space for the head to slow down.

Exactly.

Actually, it can be up to 18" deep and fit - but yes, you’ll only be able to cut/engrave 11.5" of it (depth-wise).

Yup, that’s right.

Correct, other than having to do one extra “push through” if you’re cutting something that’s just a bit bigger than the print area.

20 Likes

Kewl. Just making sure I didn’t have to trim up all that 12 " ply. :relaxed:

19 Likes

This is huge!! Wow!! So many more possibilities!! So thrilled!! I’m willing to lose half an inch for this!

20 Likes

So if the material is 18 x 20, you could spin it around and continue cutting the top that as not reached?

13 Likes

Giving out the exact dimensions is exciting. It’s like a nominal 12"x20" gorilla just stepped out of the mist to reveal an actual 11.5"x20.4" beast.

20 Likes

Hi @dan ! I am massively excited to get my Glowforge, no matter the details. Just wondering, though- will the exterior dimensions/ footprint of the unit remain unchanged?

12 Likes

i’m ok with those changes

8 Likes

Yes indeed, the extra half inch of height clearance adds a lot of possibilities for engraving and angle cutting with a jig of some kind.

Good trade off.

13 Likes

How is that 11.5" located within the 18" interior space? Because that margin will ultimately determine the size of a piece we can play with.

4 Likes

Soo, will the software slow it down near the edges and speed up in the middle? Or will it force me to do the whole selection at a slower speed?

BTW this news doesn’t bother me at all. In fact I love the 18"x20.4" news, and when I found out about the 2" depth I freaked out!

So, ya. Keep mine comming!

12 Likes

Thanks, Dan. I’m sorry that you even felt badly about it at all. You wouldn’t have changed things if it weren’t necessary…and so far, me included, most folks are just fine with it.

13 Likes

Will the software inform us and prevent the job when this happens. I personally don’t see any major issue for me ( nothing specifically that large that I can think of where it would matter - and like many above comments I’ll take the depth trade off !), but curious if it this happens when laser speed is set higher, will the software say - “lower speed or reduce image”?

8 Likes