The incredibly smokey Glowforge

Community Support
21

It’s going to depend a lot on the inner surface of the duct, how long the duct is, how straight the duct is, and what the outlet looks like (is there a vent hood, for example?) but I’d guess there’s a fair amount of static pressure in the duct when the fan is running, if it’s pushing air that hard it’s going to be “preternaturally” prone to leaking smoke into the surrounds.

I had to guess on the fan I bought. Now I know my 220CFM is sufficient! Thanks!

22

Thanks for providing that photo.

Since you mentioned there’s two feet of hose, would you mind providing another photo that shows the entire length of the hose, from the exhaust connection to the window. Keep in mind the hose should not extend outside the window and hang down.

Could you also do the following:

  1. Remove the hose and take a photo of the exhaust connection. I’d like to see if the fan is obstructed at all.
  2. Run a print with the hose still disconnected and no material in the bed
    • Remove any material from the bed, leaving the crumb tray
    • Turn the Glowforge on and go to app.glowforge.com
    • Upload or select a simple, quick design, such as a single outline cut
    • Click “Unknown” to select a material
    • Search for and choose “Thin Natural Leather” as your material
    • Start the print (Note: This may create some odor, but it is not hazardous)
  3. Take a video of the print
    • While the print is running, place your hand near the front right corner of the bottom of the Glowforge. You may be able to feel air sucking into the unit, but you definitely should not feel air coming out of this area.
    • Check the areas near the door for any air coming out of the unit.
  4. Upload the photos and video (you can also email them to support@glowforge.com if you’d prefer) and let us know how it goes!
3 Likes
23

Hi Jules,

Thanks for looking so closely, that is a shadow. Also, this has an inner tube, insulation, then the outer covering you are seeing. So there would need to be holes in both sections if it was causing the leak. https://amzn.to/2EkWI2o

I am going to mount this https://amzn.to/2GzjHwS in the window and see if it solves my flow problem. @jaz Any problem with that plan?

24

Here is a pic of the exhaust vent. I vacuumed it again and a couple small chunks came out when I did the quick laser test print.

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There was decent air flow as well during the test. Several small chunks came out during the test.

https://youtu.be/wPc6EEWybAE Very loud!!

25

It literally blows chunks :grin:

5 Likes
26

@jaz Hey any updates on this?

27

Thanks for sending that video. Did the smoke still come out of the front of the unit when you ran this print with the hose disconnected?

If so, I’d like to see it. Would you mind trying the print again and taking another video of where the smoke comes out? I’ve provided instructions below:

  1. Run a print with the hose still disconnected and no material in the bed
    • Remove any material from the bed, leaving the crumb tray
    • Turn the Glowforge on and go to app.glowforge.com
    • Upload or select a simple, quick design, such as a single outline cut
    • Click “Unknown” to select a material
    • Search for and choose “Thin Natural Leather” as your material
    • Start the print (Note: This may create some odor, but it is not hazardous)
  2. Take a video of the print that shows smoke coming out of the front unit
  3. Send me the video by uploading it here or emailing it to support@glowforge.com

Thank you.

28

@Jaz I think my fan is failing. I now have smoke coming out the front…

29

I was looking at the same thing and a chimney sweep through the exhaust hose revealed a huge pile up of wood fibers blocking up the hose like it was stuffed with cotton.

30

It’s a brand new hose.

31

How much wood ( particularly oak but any wood) have you cut since adding the new hose? And you might want to add an exhaust fan at the end as well.
I stuck the brush through the grill and got what I could off the fan as well. I am suspecting it will need a new treatment soon also but the exhaust hose is old and a bit funky (ie a few dents and kinks, not enough to impede airflow but enough to give fibers a place to hang up on.)

32

No oak wood. I cleaned the fan last week.

33

@jaz I can feel air coming out both sides of the front door. No losses from the exhaust tube and I got a new hose and shorted the run to 1 foot by raising the table.

I tried cutting some business cards and a ton of smoke came out the front. It’s never had this much before…

34

Unfortunately, it looks like your unit is experiencing an issue that we can’t resolve remotely. I’ll be in touch via email to sort out the details. I’m sorry about the bad news.

1 Like