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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
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    2

    Glowforge, Too good to be true?

    Searched hadn`t seem to be mentioned before:

    Glowforge – the 3D Laser Printer | The Affordable Desktop Laser Cutter Engraver

    40W CO2 cutter hyped as a 3D printer, ahem, the GUI looks nice but kind of struggling to see what cloud based crunching is needed for 2D cad...

    The fume extraction is glossed over, hey we even do a model with air filters,not conv inced thats the best way with some materials.

    Tube cooling, er, none visible, guessing its got a recirculator and rad from a P.C. liquid cooler, but with the cutting operations in same cab seems like quite a lot of heat.

    Air assist, don`t need no stinking air assist apparently.

    Is the optical focussing sytstem to track uneven surfaces practical? It sounds good and as if it should be out of AF phone cam parts but a lot of Kickstarter tyoe things thrive on the sound like they shoudl be possible.

    Not about to purchase one of these but am I just being too cynical?

    Thanks
    Adam

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Posts
    492

    Re: Glowforge, Too good to be true?

    No I don't think your being to cynical , the machine is way over hyped and is dangerous.Its just a souped up K40. Boarders being false advertising. They make everything look so easy, just pop in a piece of leather and out pops a 100 dollar pocket book.Just pop in some wood and out pops a doll house.Not to mention its run from a cloud, if you lose internet connection it doesn't work.People are sending in their money for a machine thats never been tested tested in. a public setting. Saying its safe and easy I'm not falling for that send me 2000$ and I'll send you one in 3 or 4 months yea OK

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Posts
    8

    Re: Glowforge, Too good to be true?

    I think you should drop them some questions, to see if they are knowing what they are talking about.
    It will make a lot more sense than asking here ;-)
    And if you get something / data out of them you can ask if it's possible or not...

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Posts
    2

    Re: Glowforge, Too good to be true?

    Quote Originally Posted by Harvid22 View Post
    I think you should drop them some questions, to see if they are knowing what they are talking about.
    It will make a lot more sense than asking here ;-)
    And if you get something / data out of them you can ask if it's possible or not...
    Oh sure they know how to talk to investors, the Makerbot model, reference to supplying pre matched materials has investors drooling at an ongoing income stream from laser cutters in classrooms slicing out lanterns from high markup cheap ply.

    No, I think asking here, the largest collection of machinists on the planet with many man years of experience operating CO2 lasers , it is the most sensible place to ask. The other laser forums I lurk in are more populated with display laser topics

    May I ask if you are involved in the Glowforge project in any way?

    Well have an interest in lasers of all kinds stretching back , er , some 30 years and take an interest in developments, wouldn`t in any way claim to be an expert so came here to ask experts with lots of experience of exactly this type of laser , what is possible.

    Some of the claims made by Glowforge and methodology used is interesting to say the least, if it is possible would expect them to be unable to discuss them further due to their pending Patent applications, can see no reference to pending patents on their site.

    Perhaps they are relying on trade secrets that they would naturally wish to protect until the unit is ini the wild and gets reverse engineered.

    Or it could be the fluent b**lks getting talked on the promo and the deliberate mixing of 3D printing and 2D cutting terms raise a massive red flag.

    Meet the Glowforge 3D Laser Printer - Tested

    Much talk of using `the cloud` , honestly struggling to see where the cloud does much for 2D CAD and image processing , presumably the cutting file is downloaded in whole to the machine before commencing a cut, wobbly wifi could be a bit of a liability otherwise....

    The focussing thing, it sounds like it should be possible, has everyone else being doing it wrong by moving the bed?

    In the Tested video make a point of they`ve moved to mode 0 tubes, think he meant Tem00 tube, but with what still lokks like restrictive cooling , unless they have beaten the Coherents of this world to a super efficient air cooled CO2 tube the heat has to go somewhere,efficiency and mode purity may take a hit.

    Air assist and fume extraction...

    Mebbe all these have been solved and it`s a revolution :-)

    Cheers
    Adam

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Posts
    8

    Re: Glowforge, Too good to be true?

    I really think you misunderstood me
    If it sounds too good to be true it probably is, but on the other hand they are not guilty before the other has been shown...
    The earth is round and a airplane fly ;-)

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Posts
    492

    Re: Glowforge, Too good to be true?

    quote from a guy who was at the NY makers fair on Friday " glowforge had 3 machines here none of them were working. When I asked why they said later. ask other questions and got different answers from different reps." Now I ask you what kind of company would take a product that didn't work to a makers fair .
    Oh I did send them questions last week still have not heard back from them.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Posts
    329

    Re: Glowforge, Too good to be true?

    I wonder how good wifi reception was near their booth? I have been at trade show that had crappy reception.
    Joescnc 4x4 R&P Router, Minimill, Minilathe, CNC Foamcutter, laser cutter, Vectric Aspire. http://makermasters.com, http://themakersguide.com

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Posts
    492

    Re: Glowforge, Too good to be true?

    OH YEA no internet machines don't work.So everytime you loose your internet no laser, stormy days,snowy days, you on dial up forget it.great way to introduce your new state of the art new technology, super safe laser engraver cutter hahahahahahahahaha

    Quote Originally Posted by bgriggs View Post
    I wonder how good wifi reception was near their booth? I have been at trade show that had crappy reception.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Posts
    290

    Re: Glowforge, Too good to be true?

    I ordered one, I have been wanting a cheap laser for some time. But do not trust the ebay machines, at least with this one there is a american company behind it who you can contact for support. The simple interface is a large part of what caught my interest. Not for my own projects, but friends and family. With this if they want something cut, They can do most of the leg work without wasting my time.

    I do not expect this to be a machine that I can run 8 hours a day, more like a hour here and there. This is more of a fancy laser toy that will make some parts I make at home easier then running on my RF45 CNC mill. I plan on using it to make plastic brackets, and prototype flat parts before cutting them on the mill. Might also be able to use it for first op on some parts, cutting down on waste and setup time. But I am waiting till I actually have the machine and test it out before I decide how much use it will get.

    And for a hobby grade machine, I do not see how the cloud issue is such a big problem? Most of what I do at home is online now. Power outages affect me a lot more then when I have to reboot my modem.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    35538

    Re: Glowforge, Too good to be true?

    I've seen a lot of comments on other forums on the potential dangers of cutting plastics with the Glowforge.
    Gerry

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    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Posts
    3063

    Re: Glowforge, Too good to be true?

    Quote Originally Posted by ger21 View Post
    I've seen a lot of comments on other forums on the potential dangers of cutting plastics with the Glowforge.
    Which plastics had the potential danger? Chlorinated and fluorinated compounds, like PVC or Teflon seem obvious, but are there others that one might commonly want to cut?

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
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    5728

    Re: Glowforge, Too good to be true?

    Polycarbonate is a no-no, as is any urethane.
    Andrew Werby
    Website

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Posts
    290

    Re: Glowforge, Too good to be true?

    That is not a glowforge specific problem, that goes for all laser cutters.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Posts
    35538

    Re: Glowforge, Too good to be true?

    Quote Originally Posted by MikeC8 View Post
    That is not a glowforge specific problem, that goes for all laser cutters.
    Other lasers don't show people using them on their kitchen table with no exhaust for the smoke and fumes.
    Gerry

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    JointCAM - CNC Dovetails & Box Joints
    http://www.g-forcecnc.com/jointcam.html

    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Posts
    20

    Re: Glowforge, Too good to be true?

    Yeah, tried to contact them, but no reply yet. 3 days ago.
    Well.. I give up..

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Posts
    3063

    Re: Glowforge, Too good to be true?

    Thanks Andrew - what happens when polycarbonate or urethane are laser cut or engraved?

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Posts
    6618

    Re: Glowforge, Too good to be true?

    I am not sure what happens when you laser cut PC, but when you put too much heat to it, it bubbles like lava. It readily absorbs moisture from the air.
    The fabricate with it using heat, you normally stick it in an oven at 200 degrees F for about a day or so. That dries it out so that the exact forming temperate can be achieved without it bubbling up.
    Lee

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Posts
    138

    Re: Glowforge, Too good to be true?

    Ars Technica has a post on Glowforge:
    We use a $2,000 Glowforge to make stuff out of frickin? lasers | Ars Technica
    They are usually pretty good on tech.

    Steve

  19. #19
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    Apr 2004
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    5728

    Re: Glowforge, Too good to be true?

    Quote Originally Posted by MichaelHenry View Post
    Thanks Andrew - what happens when polycarbonate or urethane are laser cut or engraved?
    Combustion products you really don't want to breathe. For polycarbonate: HAZARDOUS PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION:
    Carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, bisphenol A, diphenyl carbonate, phenol and phenol
    derivatives. Traces of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, aldehydes and acids. (http://web.mit.edu/rocketteam/www/us...ycarbonate.pdf )

    For urethanes:"Burning produces intense heat, dense smoke, and toxic gases such as carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, and traces of cyanide...Other combustion products are hydrogen cyanide, aromatic and Aliphatic hydrocarbons... Vapors from hot wire cutting can be irritating and
    result in coughing. The vapors may contain trace amounts of toluene diisocyanate (TDI) or diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI). http://harknessindustries.com/wp-con...RevFeb2014.pdf
    Andrew Werby
    Website

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Posts
    6618

    Re: Glowforge, Too good to be true?

    Needless to say, a good ventilation system is a must on a laser.
    Lee

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