Glowforge launched today

[AL Ursich]

Al: Can you expand on the "less capability"? What are you comparing to?

non-standard software is being touted here.

Matt, With the CarveWright the software is non standard and is less capable than say a G code where you can control the functions better like feed rate. The CW is more a Hobby Machine. IF you are willing to respecting the CW Limitations, I have been a very happy user working within the limitations like feed rate. I cut lots of FRP Sheet stock into Fire Tags and at first the feed rate was TOO fast and it was making a rough cut and pushing the tags off the double stick tape. A work around was to assign a 1/4 inch bit but actually use a 1/16th Circuit Board End Mill bit. By lying to the machine's non standard software, I trick the machine into staying in what I call 1st gear feed rate making for a perfect cut. Normally the machine would shift into 2nd gear after getting started and cause problems.

So first look at this Laser I see it being similar to the CW where you may have less capabilities compared to a Epilog with standard software. Even like the Cricut cutter compared to my FC7000.

I am new to the Cloud Software concept... I do have some interest in this Laser... My first limitation is that I don't even have a cell phone... so that would be a slight problem...

I have learned to work within my capabilities of the CarveWright and for my Small Business I snagged another Fire Tag Order this morning making three I am working on at the moment totaling over $8K. If I did not have the CW to cut the Sheet Stock into tags and Wood Handles for the Boards I make I would be sunk...

So as far as the Laser's Non Standard Software, looks like I may not be in a position to really comment on that. It was a first impression.... The CarveWright has gotten beat up over the years in the CNC forum for being non standard. That was my impression reading the many comments on the Laser.

AL

[Matt McCoy]

Matt, With the CarveWright the software is non standard and is less capable than say a G code where you can control the functions better like feed rate. The CW is more a Hobby Machine. IF you are willing to respecting the CW Limitations, I have been a very happy user working within the limitations like feed rate. I cut lots of FRP Sheet stock into Fire Tags and at first the feed rate was TOO fast and it was making a rough cut and pushing the tags off the double stick tape. A work around was to assign a 1/4 inch bit but actually use a 1/16th Circuit Board End Mill bit. By lying to the machine's non standard software, I trick the machine into staying in what I call 1st gear feed rate making for a perfect cut. Normally the machine would shift into 2nd gear after getting started and cause problems.

So first look at this Laser I see it being similar to the CW where you may have less capabilities compared to a Epilog with standard software. Even like the Cricut cutter compared to my FC7000.

I am new to the Cloud Software concept... I do have some interest in this Laser... My first limitation is that I don't even have a cell phone... so that would be a slight problem...

I have learned to work within my capabilities of the CarveWright and for my Small Business I snagged another Fire Tag Order this morning making three I am working on at the moment totaling over $8K. If I did not have the CW to cut the Sheet Stock into tags and Wood Handles for the Boards I make I would be sunk...

So as far as the Laser's Non Standard Software, looks like I may not be in a position to really comment on that. It was a first impression.... The CarveWright has gotten beat up over the years in the CNC forum for being non standard. That was my impression reading the many comments on the Laser.

AL

I appreciate that.

[Dave Sheldrake]

I'm giving up all this laser smaser stuff....I'm going to get into the toy business where safety isn't a consideration

GilbertAtomicOpen.jpg

[Lee DeRaud]

Al: Can you expand on the "less capability"? What are you comparing to?

Speed and Z-axis capacity for starters, compared with, well, just about anything any of us already own.
You can certainly make the case that non-standard software is a feature rather than a bug, but that requires it to do something the standard software can't: the proverbial "killer app".

[Lee DeRaud]

I'm giving up all this laser smaser stuff....I'm going to get into the toy business where safety isn't a consideration

GilbertAtomicOpen.jpg

That one is actually pretty benign compared to some of the stuff I recall being standard in 1950's chemistry sets.

[Dave Sheldrake]

That one is actually pretty benign compared to some of the stuff I recall being standard in 1950's chemistry sets.

Had a lot of experience with Po^210....horrible stuff....low order Alpha and low KeV gamma emitter but makes cyanide look like candy toxicity wise

[Clark Pace]

So one of my customer friend is getting a glow forge. I'll see if I can get you updates.

[Bert Kemp]

Gonna be a wait since they don't ship the first ones till December I think he said.

[Kev Williams]

So one of my customer friend is getting a glow forge. I'll see if I can get you updates.

Throughout my career in this wierd biz, I've had several customers who took me out of their loop by buying their own engraver. Pretty much every one of them came back. Just yesterday a customer I haven't seen since the '90's called for a quote. I didn't even know they bought their own engraving equipment. Only one of my customers, large company, ever made a real go of doing their own engraving. But they still haven't figured out how to laser stainless, so I still get that work from them.

Just saying, don't bother worrying about these things stealing business away from you. Even if they do, it won't be for long...

[brian saban]

So I just got back from the NY world maker fair and got to check out the Glowforge. So here's the thing, it's basically built like a HP inkjet with lots of plastic, it has a large glass tube in plain sight. Although the strangest thing was they has 3 machines on hand and none of them operating and no matter who you asked each had a different answer as to why. Most said later, but with an hour left of the faire that never happen, one employee said there was an issue with the water cooling system which is in a separate box (although that doesn't add up as there are 3 machines. They kept touting how it can cut 3/4" ply, but only had samples of 1/8th in on hand. It just doesn't add up, I'll hold judgement till I see one in operation.
glow.jpg

[Rich Harman]

Things I like about the Glowforge;

• Continuous focus of the lens/pre-mapping of material height.
• Being able to position graphics via the overhead camera.
• Enclosed mirrors
• Cooling, air assist and exhaust fan are integrated into the base machine.

Things I dislike;

• Requirement of being connected to the internet to use the machine. (that's a big one for me)
• Calling it a 3D printer (!?)
• Pretending that it is safer than it is.

When asked if the Glowforge should be watched while it is operating Shapiro responds with something like "who wouldn't want to watch it?", when pressed he says it's probably a good idea to keep an eye on it. The message that people will take away from that is that it is fine to leave it. A friend of his lost a laser to fire when it was left unattended - he knows the dangers. Why is he not emphasizing that it is very important not to leave a machine like that (any laser) to run by itself? It would be easy to make that point without hurting the image of the product.

I think the main issue most people have with Glowforge is not the machine itself, but the way it is being presented.

[Jason Hilton]

Glowforge isn't marketing any differently than any other laser manufacturer. There's no mention of safety or potential fires or any of the obvious dangers of operating a laser in any of the marketing or interview videos I've seen from any other laser manufacturer. Hell, Epilog all but guarantees that buying one of their lasers is all it takes to create a successful engraving business.

Despite several people's assertions I still believe that the fear is the same that professional photographers had when digital cameras started to become ubiquitous: You're afraid your business will suffer as more people have access to less expensive, easy to use tools. What you should really be spending your energy on is how to innovate in your business to take on the change in the market.

[Rich Harman]

Glowforge isn't marketing any differently than any other laser manufacturer.

Yeah, I think they are marketing differently than any other laser manufacturer. Regardless, it doesn't make it right.

It is amazing to me the general acceptance, even approval, of deceptive marketing. Everybody does it, so everybody has to do it more - I guess that is the theory anyway...

[Bert Kemp]

Jason I don't think anyone here is afraid somones going to steel their business, this machine is not capable of any sort of production, its a glorified toy that I think for the most part people will buy it, play with it for a few days or a week or two at most then its goin to be a dust collector. I look at the many people that have bought decent lasers and couldn't make a go of it. I think what most of us here are concerned about is the way its being presented and safety.

[Anthony Scira]

Man if it works as advertised the big names will have some catchup to do.

I am thinking it will not even come close to working as advertised.