I hope @dan et al. are watching the road signs or they are going to miss the turn.
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for all we know, they have an exit strategy before it gets that far? it’s hard to know, they’ve always been pretty close-to-the-vest about things like that.
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I have a refurbished pro. But ever since I’ve had it there has been nothing but one issue after another. I spend more time with maintenance or reprinting machine screw ups. I thought I was buying a Cadillac and not a ford. “Fix or repair daily”. So I’ve been looking at the xTool P2. If GF can’t come up with something that competes before this launches I’m getting one. Where is a price on this posted?
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Ouch. I’ve had a lot of Fords and only one ever let me down.
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Was that Ford made by Glowforge?
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Well the first letter of it’s name was G.
Sorry to hear. My Pro is over 5years old and has never had a single issue.
I note that this product is now pre-order, but seems to be shipping by next week Apr 11 in the EU). One issue I see is that there is no information yet on tube replacement, etc. Might be too early, but it would still be worth having insight on this. Would you have to ship it back like GF? Shipping these items is not the best set up…
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They sell tubes for their other CO2 lasers in the accessories section of their shop, so little reason to believe they won’t have tubes for the P2 there as well.
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Hmmm, interesting to know if they are easy to install. This is a tempting machine, if it is easy to swap the tube then it is really something to consider. I never had any GF problems, but I fear it may be inevitable.
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i’m hoping that GF either comes out with V2 or figures out a better way to deal with tubes before it comes to that for me. and hopefully it’s not an issue for me any time soon. but at some point, i’m going to have to investigate other options when it is that time. and this is on the list.
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I’ve already reached end-of-life for one Glowforge Pro tube, and had to deal with the hassle of shipping both ways to get a replacement. I don’t like the process, the cost, or that you end up with a different laser than you owned just to replace the tube.
It’s also had some sensor glitches recently – sometimes air assist fan errors, sometimes stuck on “scanning” until I open and close the lid a second time. As GF has raised the price for replacement machines substantially over the years, I feel less and less confident in using one alone as business equipment.
I ordered the xTool P2 yesterday during the early bird livestream for $3899. They cleanly cut 3/4" thick wood and acrylic with it on the livestream, in one pass, as proof they’re not overstating the 55W power. Not bad for less than the price of a Glowforge Basic. At just under 100 pounds, it’s one of the only options other than a Glowforge that can cut 1/4" thick material in one pass and that I can get up a flight of stairs without help.
OMTech Polar looked promising until I joined their social media groups and found that it’s less capable than advertised, and a general hassle to run and maintain.
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looking forward to seeing a review from you when you get yours.
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That is a good price! I am anxious to start hearing some reviews on this. I saw the claim they that could cut thick materials. That opens up a new game. Plus the riser and rotary tool are interesting too. Of course the auto focus would just make things easier. When will you receive the machine?
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They’re saying US orders will ship from a US distribution center starting in May.
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What kind of wood? I was never able to do that with a 60W CO2. That’s CNC router territory and that would require multiple passes for most machines.
I’m reminded of the old LensCrafters commercials where they were pitching their anti-scratch lenses and proving how good they were by rubbing them with steel wool. My brother-in-law worked for LensCrafters at the time and said they got special steel wool in the store so they could show a customer if they wanted to see the steel wool effect in real life. Unfortunately if you tried it at hand with any steel wool you bought at the hardware store, you’d end up with super scratched glasses. 
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Black walnut I think it was. Solid wood not plywood. They acknowledged it wouldn’t be able to cut plywood that thick.
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now i’m tempted to take some 1/2" walnut i have into the office and see how cleanly it cuts on our 75w universal. that feels a little sketchy to me, too. i could see maybe basswood or paulonia, or something softer like that. but a 3/4" hardwood like walnut? color me skeptical.
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Not defending the GF or suggesting it be used outside of it’s specifications, but I have cut - I think it was - 0.62" fence picket on it, one pass. Posted a pic here, very flamey. It just barely fit under the duct for the air assist. Did not try to focus on surface, and never do for anything over 5/32". I always focus mid-way or so - I also have a post about that, surface focus is not best in my experience for thicker materials.
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i did cut the 1/2" walnut on the GF. but, of course, the edges were a nasty, charry mess and i cut the circle slightly bigger than i needed so when i cleaned up the edges it would be close to the same size as the thinner pieces i cut would.
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