I have a very small workspace relative to the amount of equipment I have in use. In order to optimize my space, I would like to get a top-down dimensional footprint for the Glowforge with the filter. I have spent the last hour or so going through the forum posts and what I have gleaned is this:
The 'Forge itself is about 21 inches deep. The filter is the same. The fancy U-bend at the back is 4 inches diameter. This would lend me to think that I will need a total of 27 inches space allowance between the front of the Glowforge and anything behind it. 21 inches for the filter and Glowforge, 4 inches for the diameter of the U-Bend, and 2 inches center clearance, so that the U-bend can clear and to take into account any airflow requirements. My worktable will need to pull out of its corner (on wheels) to be accessed, so I need to make sure I have the correct dimension. As my searching has not yet produced a picture or even better a dimensional diagram of the combination of the air filter and Glowforge that displays the data I need, I would like to ask if this data can be released. @dan if a bribe is required that can probably be arranged. 
I really just need the distance from the front of the Glowforge to the end of the U-bend when installed.
Solid question, I don’t think we have a specific answer to this one yet. I would expect more than 4" for the connection between the unit and the filter though. 4" would assume a hard 90 top and bottom and that’s not terribly good for air pressure so Id expect a curve. Could be anywhere from 8-12" deep off the back of the unit depending on the distance between the inlet and outlet and the curvature desired to reduce the presssure drop. I’m interested in the answer as well
I don’t think those are good assumptions. The pipe diameter is 4 inches. How that translates into depth of the fitting is something else. Could you take a 4 inch hose/pipe and turn it around on itself in 4 inches of space? Possibly but I would take a piece of 4 inch flexi hose and measure the resulting depth of a U formed from it. Or grab 2 90 degree 4 inch elbows at Home Depot and see what they measure when placed together. There is a flange on the exhaust tube coming out the back of the GF that’s about an inch & a half if I recall (mine is covered by the flexi hose so I can’t tell you exactly). My guess is the U pipe will fit over that and do the same on the filter.
You can turn a hard 90 if you want if you are working with rigid plastic. As millersw mentioned, it isn’t the greatest for airflow. Which is why I assumed another 2 inches, which would mean the U-Bend would have 1 inch for connection interface and an additional inch for the bend, making the centerline radius of the bend 3 inches. This is what I have assumed based on reading several comments from Dan and others regarding the subject. This is why I am asking though; I need to be able to determine exactly how much I need because if I underestimate it the Glowforge won’t fit in my space and if I overestimate it I may have to sacrifice some other tool.
This seems to be a continuation of a conversation from last month:
In particular:
I don’t remember him answering, but I am also interested in the answer.
The most descriptive bit of info that I remember was hidden in a quote-response to a quoted statement, making it tough to look up. I have quoted the original statement, and eventual response below, as discourse does not allow quoting of quoted quotes. Still doesn’t answer your question re the space required.
This is the information I used to make the assumption above.
Yep it’s technically possible. But there’s a bit of height to the machine under the current exhaust outlet and I would expect a bit of filter housing above the intake on that box so it can’t be a hard 90 taken as a rotation around the edge of the 4 inch circle. What extra will be taken up by flanges as well as softening the curve is something Dan hasn’t said yet (to my knowledge).
One of the PR users has a pull out shelf for the Glowforge™ . Didn’t have time to search right now to see, but does anyone know what drawer slides would work to support that weight? (Or a good construction method to do a similar under drawer with slideout for the Glowforge™?
There are many options on Amazon. Most drawer rails have a 100 pound per set limit. You can spend a little more and find them at 150 or 200 pounds per set if you want the extra.
I would make sure that you have a strong outer frame with at least 1/4 inch plywood for the surface. A center support rib would be good also, going the long way. If you make an enclosed box shelf you will get even stiffer results. If you do enclose the shelf completely, I would fill the cavities with expanding foam so that it doesn’t resonate.
Build a chamber that can connect the GF to the Filter instead of trying to cram a bent vent in there.
Or, keep in mind that metal/flexible ducting is malleable. You can simply mash part of it in, to fit the space, it will maintain its cross sectional area. Not the best solution, but neither is a 180 degree bend in a duct.
Here’s a photo of semi-rigid metal flex duct bent into the tightest radius I could. I don’t have any of the flimsy stuff on hand to try out.
Mine’s only ~1/2" – seriously wish it were longer to make connecting/disconnecting the hose easier, but have zero expectations that the case is going to change at this point.
This is my installation. 500 lb.capcity glides, $80. Dont have a link handy, but they are heavy, thought there must have been 2 sets in the box. There is a pic around here of me sitting on the shelf. I’m 175 and the forge is 55 - they could hold both of us.
I used a 3/4 piece of Baltic birch with a 2" apron of oak glued and screwed front and back underneath. Glides mounted to the edge of the birch with 2 1/2"#10 wood screws, 3 per side.
I couldn’t possibly be any happier with it, I have zero room for any more tables or benches. I also have one of those rolling hospital bed tables that I mounted a 3 x 4 surface on that rolls under a bench. Big enough for the laser, but not strong enough for my tastes. It does a fine job of holding stacks of material though.
My Dropforge rolls out on ball bearings and tucks away completely under the workbench. I did have to talk myself into the $80 glides, but this thing is worth thousands - and I’m taking no prisoners. I want more. As @Jules said “I have to clean this place up, there’s pieces of wood everywhere” Seriously, you will need surface area for working.
I have 5 more pieces of that birch, and at least one of them will be mounted a couple of inches below another bench for pull out work space that I can tuck away as well.
Rockler has 500lb drawer slides…
Also found this site:
My Glowforge will be replacing the black frame and the storage bin. As you can see, there isn’t much room to spare. I just want to know how much to reserve for the Glowforge plus the attachment for the filter. Since the whole area in the picture will be built around the Glowforge work table, I really need to have accurate information so I can design the furniture to best use the space.
The Glowforge table will take up the space now occupied with the desk, and since the storage closet is just to the right of the table location, the table will have to move into the corner when not in use and roll out to the right when I am using it. The table will have work area built in and the new cabinet to the left side will have more work area and storage area. The whole thing is going to be along the lines of a ships galley though, so knowing the clearances and spaces is pretty vital to the design.
have you thought about getting a 3d printer
The stack of boxes behind the green one and under the blue one is an SLA kit. The flack frame is a large format printer that I haven’t completed because the designer is an idiot and I haven’t redesigned it yet. To the left there is another cabinet with four more printers on it. 
The purple and white box is a four material add-on unit for the printer in front of it that I don’t have a place to set up yet, that is part of this whole redesign - to have enough space for the SLA and the Pallete and its four material spools.
#thatsthejoke
cool nonetheless, though!
oh my god hashtags are headers in markdown that’s unexpectedly hilarious