The very fact it’s been discussed shows that it has indeed garnered some focus from the team, not to mention Dan is on here reading and commenting on this very topic.
Just to be clear…I placed my order, gave my support, for a laser engraver/cutter with some new innovative software features…that’s what I want. Nothing more, nothing less. I shouldn’t have to wait any extended amount of time for some scope creep feature to be tweaked and optimized.
The AxiDraw is pretty cool but almost $500?! That seems like too much. The blue servo on the tool head looks like something I use in a model airplane, and it costs about $3.
I am having a hard time thinking of things that I’d want in place of the laser head. I can easily see them offering a “deluxe” head with another axis of movement so you could do undercuts… That would be a worthy upgrade.
That’s the nature of innovation. I know this sounds like sarcasm but I mean it honestly - if you think you can do it for cheaper you should, because there’s probably a market for it. They’re charging $500 because there’s not a lot like it out there.
Iirc makeblock sells a kit that can do something similar but it isn’t as nice. Additionally I bought a plotter kit from them that has been a nightmare to get working so I don’t generally recommend their stuff, but some people might have better luck.
The nature of innovation is also that the first sellers get to price based on what it’s worth to the customer (revenue or happiness) versus based on what it costs to make.
absosmurfly
Just thought of another potentially useful Expansion option: Glue Head.
Use case: Imagine cutting a large number of small items out of one sheet, for example:
In this instance a second layer has to be glued to hold the safety pin, so leaving the cut pieces in place, the Glue Head could be programmed to add glue in the appropriate places.
Another use might be for adding glue to a complex paper cut-out for layering on a second complete sheet for support/colour contrast.
Elmers have a number of glue pens. The action to use might be more a dabbing (up/down), rather than drawing like an ink pen.
It would be really useful for making pop-up greeting cards.
I like this idea!
We use automated adhesive dispensers at work a lot. We need to control the location and volume that we use. They usually are either pneumatic or auger driven.
I could see a head that uses cartridges of adhesive with an auger to drive it! Then you could change out the type of adhesive you use. Hmmm, silver filled epoxy to make electrical connections?
Really low-viscosity glues so you don’t move things? spray glues?
Question Solder head for circuit boards. That with a dremel for the vias and you are set.
so if we lined up 4 pros slot to slot we could etch off traces, dremel mounts, pick and place items, hit the solder head and then receive complete circuits out the back?
I see that laser reflow of surface-mount solder is a thing.
I like the printer aspect if it was in regards to a direct-to-garment tool for custom clothing. Having the glowforge cameras would be ideal to ensure the graphic ends up exactly where you want it on the article.
Pick and place add-on? 3D scanner? Pen plotter? Large format inkjet printer?
I like the idea of an inkjet printer head. We had an inkjet printer that could print on DVDs that had the pre-applied blank labels. I think it would be great to have something that could auto-align based on imaging and apply ink to where I specify. I could see some amazing applications especially if we could use different styles of ink beyond the normal inkjet printing cartridge.
I would also love to see soldering. That would be another interesting application.
3D printing for me even on a 2" z axis would actually be really nice. We have several projects we’ve been talking about that we could use a simple 3D printer for.
It can help to free up other equipment that needs to do larger prints or for those with very limited space. (Could also be a gateway drug to 3D printing.)
I could also see a simple CNC routing bit for simple projects. Again, the same idea as the 3D printing.
I really want a autopen style device. I love photography and would love to see a head that either had several width types built in or that you could attach several different sized pen heads to so you could get some great line differences. (Maybe even pressure sensitive.)
I was also thinking of an airbrush end. Lots of projects I have in mind could benefit from a machine driven painting mechanism. (I like model building, haven’t done it in a while but I think it would be a blast to be able to feed pieces of models through for custom paint jobs.
I think that’s just the beginning of the list. 
Just putting my two cents out there.
Some kind of printer head that could print directly on wood would be fabulous. Especially if it used a kind of ink that was less susceptible to bleeding on wood. So many applications for jewelry, puzzles, and other cool items!
I have often wondered why this hasn’t been invented yet
Me too! I guess there are some challenges though, like what kind of polymer or wax to add to the ink so it would sit on top but not absorb, yet still be fine enough to be pushed through a nozzle at decent dpis…
You may need some kind of finish layer on/in the wood. Which might or might not play nice with a laser…
LOL!!! I had to look up ‘fugue’ and when I saw the picture of a man scratching his head, I fell out laughing.