I’m sorry your print didn’t turn out beautifully, @tesla14alex! When a Glowforge unit doesn’t cut through Proofgrade material using default settings, the solution is usually one of the following: Your materials might not be lying flat, your unit might need repair or cleaning, or your design or settings might need attention. Unfortunately, I don’t know which one is right for you.
I suggest the following steps to start:
If the Crumb tray is mispositioned or holding bits of material from packaging or printing, it could keep your material from lying flat. Even a millimeter difference in height could affect your laser’s ability to cut.
- Please remove the crumb tray, and inspect the dimples that the tray sits in. Is there any debris sitting there?
- Inspect the tray itself; is there anything caught in the honeycomb that might keep your material from resting flat? If so, remove it.
- Replace the tray, making sure that it’s facing the right direction (with the wide black band in the back) and that the tray’s four feet have dropped into the small dimples so that it no longer slides.
Even when the Crumb Tray is clean and flat the material may not be lying flat on the surface. Proofgrade™ material can develop a curve (called ‘warp’), and warped material may not cut as expected, especially if your print or the warp are large. If you lay the piece of hardwood that you used for the print on top of your Glowforge, does it lie flat?
If the laser isn’t able to travel freely, your materials won’t cut through. It’s possible that your unit’s lens or windows are damaged or dirty. Please follow the cleaning instructions for things that need wiping, and also check carefully for scratches or damage on the lens and windows on each step.
After inspecting and cleaning, would you please print the Founder’s Ruler again on a flat piece of Maple Plywood, and let me know how it goes?