I just got done with a ~2 hour cut on my CNC, and after my bit change, which took place in a different spot from where I originally reset my machine’s home position, I accidentally zeroed out all axis points instead of just Z like I normally do with a bit change. Then I didn’t notice until it started cutting again, 1/2" away from where it “should” have been.
I’m soooooo looking forward to not having to worry about things like bit changes!!!
What has you most eagerly excited for your GF in terms of how it will help/improve your workflow?
Like @markevans36301 said, I know I’ll find ways to screw up, that is my favorite learning method, but the visual alignment seems to be a game changer to me.
Oh I KNOW there will be plenty of ways to mess up. And I am sure I will find most of them.
I’ll be hanging onto my CNC, but for the things I have in mind with the GF, I do foresee probably (hopefully) being able to sell the X-Carve at some point and free up some much needed space in the garage.
Not an owner of a cnc, laser, or even a Cricut type device. I’ve been watching a bunch of videos on how people have to do stuff for lasers and reading about the experience of others, though, and I will be thankful to not have to deal with a bunch of the stuff they have to. Buckets of water to cool their k40. Adjusting the focus of the laser. Dealing with the awful software. Paying $10k+ for something at the bottom end of reasonable out of the box. Figuring out where home is or having to send a 0% power rectangle to see where things will “print” all the time. Being “on my own” because my laser doesn’t have real customer service to speak of or a warranty. And more. I’m sure I haven’t even mentioned or seen half of the issues or inconveniences that are out there right now. I know that I’ve seen more that I’ve not included.
That being said, it’s encouraging to see the community that is out there for homemade lasers and the support they provide each other. We’ve got a pretty good community here even before we have lasers. There will be plenty to figure out, but I believe we’ll be leaps and bounds ahead of where we would be otherwise.
I have been fascinated by clockworks lately and I’m sure my forge will be cutting gears right out of the box. Cutting gears on an upright mill is Super slow and unless they are pretty big a CNC just isn’t quite right.
Now tonight I was at the tail end of another run of the same 2hr cut from last night and when I checked on the cut, I was reminded of how utterly worthless Windows is. Mid-cut the computer automatically began restarting to install updates. And at the pace they are installing, it is going to completely kill any cutting that I will be doing tonight. If I was at work, I’d dead in the water for hours.
So thank you Glowforge for being cloud-based and removing most of the potential for local computer problems to pop up. And fortunately I can use my bulletproof Mac and leave garbage Windows for the CNC.
Can you tell that the word of the night is “frustrated”?
(and yes, as soon as this restart is done, which at this pace will be in at least an hour), I will be shutting off automatic restarts - and I want to know in what world an auto shutdown/restart is a good idea)
And it’s not like a Mac would be immune either. I don’t know how many times I’ve got right in the middle of some video/graphic work, or compositing and my MAC decides it’s time to index - which they give you absolutely no way to stop, or even know it’s doing it, except your computer grinds to a stop . That’s why I never get sucked into the “My brand of computer is better than yours.” Some days, they all suck.
You could always turn off indexing for the time you are working on mission critical projects, and turn it back on to index overnight. It can also be disabled altogether… but I find spotlight useful.
I do turn it off when it happens, problem is I’m rough on my mac-premier, after effect, photoshop, illustrator, and more all chugging all at the same time
This happened to me once when I was 3d printing a bunny for Easter(8 hour print). Computer restarted half way through. I turned off auto update after that. But now I have a nice piece to show people the inside of a 3d printed object.
Octopi. It will cost you whatever the bottom-of-the-line rate is for a raspberry pi and whatever networking you need, but it will untether your prints from your “real” computer. (I set mine up after an unfortunate incident where I thought I was uploading code to an Arduino project I was working on, but it turned out I was uploading code to the Arduino-equivalent inside the printer.)
The octoprint software does automatic checking for upgrades, but it has code that very particularly refuses to do an update while a print is in process.
- Rich
. That’s why I never get sucked into the “My brand of computer is better than yours.” Some days, they all suck.
