I think Glowforge owes its customers an explanation as to why there is no Proofgrade material available. I’m sure there is a sensible reason - a certain virus would certainly count. But I depended on the Proofgrade materials and can’t find a reasonable equivalent online (especially the veneers, which I use the most). What gives?
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Until Proofgrade gets up to speed, you could check this place out. I’ve ordered from them in the past, and they were always good to work with.
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They did give us an explanation, prograde shortages were addressed in one of the recent announcements. Are you getting all your GF emails?
There are a lot of different veneer sources and types, what specific aspect about PG are you not finding? Perhaps someone here can provide a tip.
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Here’s one of the times the CEO of Glowforge has addressed the Proofgrade material shortages:
“But at the same time that we’ve been having record print volumes, we’ve been having record challenges in keeping Proofgrade materials in stock. Our operations team has been working long hours to keep our factory open, and can no longer travel to meet with suppliers. There’s a global acrylic shortage . Suppliers of wood, leather, and other products are experiencing their own challenges with staffing because of the crisis. We apologize. We’re working to keep a variety of materials in stock, but we don’t know how soon stock levels will return to normal.”
I can tell you that my pre-pandemic acrylic supplier is still on a 4-week delay filling orders because of shortages, my favorite plywood supplier hasn’t been able to keep his full catalog in-stock in months, and there’s now a shortage of 1/8" MDF (aka Draftboard) as well. Supply chains are a mess in so many industries right now. COVID is the primary reason.
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https://www.etsy.com/shop/planksandblanksllc
All you have to do is sand with a nice grit (I do 400) and finish, then tape! Cheaper and nicer.
Hi there - I’m sorry that we don’t have the materials that you want in stock! Due to a combination of challenges with inventory due to COVID-19 and unprecedented demand, we’ve had a hard time keeping Proofgrade materials in stock.
Though I know my colleagues are working hard to replenish, I don’t have any information about when materials will be available. You can sign up to be notified when we have them by clicking “Email Me When Available” on the page for a material at shop.glowforge.com – though it sounds like you’ve already done this.
In the meantime, if there’s a Joann near you, they may have the Proofgrade materials you want in stock, and many locations are offering curbside pick-up.
In addition, your Glowforge can print on many materials, as long as the supplier can confirm for you that it is laser-compatible. We’ve heard of customers purchasing at Inventables, Johnson Plastics, TAP Plastics, Lowes, and Home Depot. Please confirm with the supplier you choose to ensure it’s laser-compatible, though, as we aren’t experts on other companies’ products.
I hope this can help and so I am going to close this topic. If you have any further questions you can either email support@glowforge.com or create another forum post!