My hypothesis is that the machine was probably standing on one end for a good length of ground travel. Theres a good chance the weight of the gantry and shaking pulled that one bolt free. If only they had distribution centers across the US… would probably cut down on the shipping damages
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I’m stressed that the third one will also be damaged.
It’s stressful because I have to request off (last minute, given the way my schedule works) in order to make sure it arrives. I’ve lucked out these last two deliveries, but I can’t always get out of work when I ask.
I’ve basically lost money these last two weeks for no reason, and it’s the slow season at my work, so that’s not nothing.
Your condescending tone isn’t really helping matters, so I’m gonna go ahead and leave this dialogue. Every smug response you’ve given in this situation are the ONLY ones among everyone else’s, who have been helpful or, at very least, supportive.
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This was my thought as well (in re: to vertical travel)
I seriously doubt there will be multiple distribution centers unless production is ramped up significantly, though.
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I agree. Once production is ramped up it could be very beneficial for them. Paying a conscientious driver to haul a truck full of forges across the country to an east coast UPS center would be a lot cheaper than shipping units individually, and reduce uncontrolled transit time drastically. Removing the potential of broken units will save them way more than they would probably save on the difference between 1 way shipping.
Too bad its not already in place. I hope the next one is everything the first two should have been! Cant wait to see what you make
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This just plain sucks. I completely freaked out when UPS changed their schedule at the last minute and I thought my machine would be sitting in the front yard. I can’t imagine how bummed I would have been if it were broken.
I hope the next one is the last one you ever need!
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That’s a good point. The bolt is only threaded into the gantry and locks it in the Y-position where the end of the bolt goes into the rail, however it’s not threaded into the rail so it could float left to right a little. After a closer look, that bolt/pin actually lifts the wheel off the track for the silicone strips to fit underneath, so give it enough of a jolt and those silicone strips knock loose then the gantry is disengaged from the rail completely.
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Does the gantry just ride on top of the rail with only gravity holding it down? Doesn’t it have a third wheel underneath as well?
Yes, there is a third wheel underneath riding on a second rail, it is spring loaded with just about 1/8" of travel and all three wheels maintain contact at all times under normal use. You can however lift the gantry and because the bottom wheel is off-center from the top two, the top wheel towards the front of the unit can lift about 1/4" off the rail if you pivot the gantry.
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I often feel like a spring loaded third wheel riding on a second rail…
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UPDATE: The 3rd Glowforge has arrived!
As I suspected, this is how they pack these in the truck.
Big gash in the bottom of the box.
Only one plastic handle out of the four was still intact.
ALL THAT SAID, my Glowforge seems to be functioning
(The lid sticks a little in the front left. I have to bear down a little for it to shut all the way.)
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“this side up” is only a suggestion… 
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No footprints? Looks like it got kicked a few times to make it fit…
Congrats that it seems to be working 
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over all happy to see 3rd times a charm work for you. Also good to know they been good about getting replacements out.
with them avoiding the “this side up” might make it so they dont use it as a stool to get something off the top shelf in the van. 
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I have personally packed and shipped about 8,000 packages of playing cards (to extremely picky collectors) in the last few years and I have learned, definitively, that weight is the single biggest factor in potential damage. It’s super simple: the heavier the package is, the more likely it will be damaged, and the less your packing material and method matters.
You can pack a paltry 10lbs of something delicate as carefully as you can imagine, double/triple protected, bubble wrap, cardboard, stiff boxes, and if someone wants to roughly boot it through their process it will get dinged/crushed/torn. If mass goes up, so does the effect when it gets dropped. I do not envy GF at all in shipping these machines, but from what I’ve seen on the forum it looks to me they are doing all they can to alleviate issues and package them securely.
It’s a tough job, and unfortunately any shipping method other than hand-concierge delivery is a process built around speed and efficiency, with gentle care being rather far down the list. I would be disappointed, for sure, if my unit showed up busted but it does seem like GF will take care of you quickly, and that’s what you hope for.
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Seems like most of the delivered units are missing one or more of the plastic handles. Maybe they are mistaken for forklift slots. 
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Hmm if those handles are slipping out maybe that explains shipping damages… I mean, if’n yer handle lets loose, yer hand is short to follow.
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Not a bad point.
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They probably grab only one to slide it around, and the handles are probably no designed to take the whole load…
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I bet the edges of the plastic are catching on things and pulling out. They’re supposed to lock in place but if they’re not installed correctly they’ll pull out.
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they’re also probably not designed to drag the box sideways along the bed of the van.
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