Tube Replacement Policy - SOLVE IT IN XX DAYS! - Vote please!

Fair i guess

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The problem is that if the issue is technical they can’t fix this next year, because their hardware in the field won’t support field replacing the laser. That is, can a user snap out the old laser (and associated parts) and snap in a new one? If they ship units out that can’t be field serviced, it’ll have to be shipped back forever.

If the problem isn’t engineering but their lawyer, I’d suggest fixing the lawyer. They need to figure out how every other laser company has figured out how to sell replacement tubes to customers.

And if they really can’t support selling replacement parts for people to install, they should work out a business arrangement so that “send all units back to GF for laser replacements” is a viable for customers. For example, get fixed rate shipping pre-negotiated, and ship out replacements immediately, then have people ship the broken units back in the same container for a credit back. Then the down time is just the shipping time from GF to the customer (an businesses can pay rush shipping) and people don’t have to save huge boxes for years. Lots of equipment companies do this, and customers love it.

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Even if it’s engineering there are plenty of smartsy pants workarounds that are possible. We’re talking about something that is years away. The tone of the announcement today was lets get this bad boy shipped and backburner non-critical issues. A tube that is under warranty for a year isn’t critical anyway you slice it.

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Unless the people who couldn’t come up with a solution in the past 2 years still can’t in the next year and you’re left with one choice - spend a thousand plus to get a new tube because your other option to get a refund went away when you took delivery sure of their ability to fix it until they couldn’t.

Read. New Announcement.

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Purely speculative, there is always more than one option, not to mention any changes in policy that may come from GF itself.

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They caved. Read above.

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Caved has a negative connotation to it. They updated their policy earlier rather than later, in direct opposition to all the dooms dayers. :sunglasses:

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I think we can be nice. Doesn’t hurt us at all, really, and it actually makes things a little better…

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Only has a negative connotation if you think that changing your mind according to the wishes of others is a bad thing. I cave all the time to my wife’s wishes and never give it a passing thought. The original plan was not this, folks wanted something different and now there is a new plan. They caved to the wishes of others. Semantics.

Have never intentionally said an unkind word to anyone. Doesn’t mean I haven’t. Probably do it all the time. Just don’t know when I do it. Empathy was not an advertised option in my original code.

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Cheers to the 3% that voted 24 Hours!

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Who had the over-under at less than a day?

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Super glad they changed their mind, yet also will do it for non savey fixers. I almost had to walk away. Hope the tubes last more than a couple hundred hours.

I wonder how many already cancelled before the updated announcement.

I see a strong resemblance in the mouth… besides the sense of humor.

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@ryanf wins!

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GF has spoken: Update to the update: We'll sell replacement tubes

Poll closed.

Thnks all.

They’re claiming (and it’s pretty standard) a couple of thousands of hours of life to a tube. Sometimes CO2 laser tubes live much longer. (And sometimes shorter but that’s less frequent.)

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And the lifetime isn’t an absolute. Lasers don’t (usually) blow out the way incandescent lightbulbs do - they just gradually fade in power, meaning operations have to be slower, until you eventually decide to replace the tube. So if money is tight, or you can’t afford the down-time, you can just put it off.

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