Maker by night, Creative Director by day. Laser cutting, soldering, sewing, and general making. I love sharing my process and experience with electronics and laser cutting.
I was on the verge of ordering a Glowforge Pro. That came to a hard stop when I learned that: 1) processing of files was performed on a remote server; 2) features of the software were locked behind a paywall; 3) "fast lane" access to server processing is used as an incentive to sell the full-featured version of the service; and 4) no ability to save the generated code files locally and load them to run repeat on demand. The Glowforge business model is completely unacceptable as it hinders your activities. There are too many competitors in the laser cutter / engraver market for the Glowforge model to continue to be successful.
THANK YOU! Your "least fave" list mirrors my exact concerns and stumbling blocks for considering a Glowforge. The cloud and no direct connection and the lack of being able to do production work by just repeating the last cuts. Great Video. Thanks!
Thanks for this great video. I used a laser engraver/cutter 15+ years ago and they've gotten better and less expensive. Lately, I've been thinking of getting one of my own just for a hobby. I've watched a few of your videos and appreciate your clear feedback and critique- it's really helpful and informative. It seems you know what you speak of re: the UI and how to use it, and I really respect your POV. Thank you!
I agree, not the precision, control, openness. Glowforge focus is on milking customers for money and keeping customers dependent on Glowforge. Like you, my company bought this and I would NEVER own a Glowforge. Their proof grade materials are several hundred % times the price of the same material from other sources. Every word here is right on especially if a person has used other laser engraver products.
And Catherine while you’re hating on Dan you know there’s professional settings and then there’s home professional home office you know this can be used professionally, but I think that you’re in an environment that you know would you let your children walk through while this laser is going you know and there are some that I’ve seen it no I would absolutely would not or my family or my dog or anybody and you know nothing OK And I think that for the purpose intended OK and for the margin of people that are going to use it for purpose intended OK you know come on now Catherine don’t be a hater lady and if you hated that much message me I’ll send you my address will take care of the situation real quick OK cause you’re not you’re just being a hater, and all these comments people are being to being turned away from Glowforge when it may be perfect For them OK so I think that when you’re creating these videos that you should maybe enlighten us a little bit on what kind of products you’re making OK and what your actual business it’s not that just you’re in the laser business I mean what are you doing? I mean are you making more keychains or are you making? Are you engraving team stones are you you know? What are you doing? What are you doing OK to give us a an idea of not just your education and all that but she stayed at all you know in your professional level what are you making lady your company you work for? What are you freaking Macon OK why don’t you tell us about that OK
Call Catherine if you’re so smart, not able to overcome these obstacles with your client forge it was purchased by your company OK if you’re so smart, you should be able to just bones over all this Catherine don’t be a hater the heat on Dan OK secretly you love your clipboard you just pissed that you didn’t think about yourself and once again having a lid open not everybody the purpose of God. I think you’re missing the purpose of a Glock 40 is glow forge is they have a professional quality yet in the Home OK you’re missing the term. They’re in the home yet not be a soccer ball a professional quality in the home OK is the whole point so everything you’re bitching about OK is the exact thing it’s supposed to be OK if you want a professional with all these other things then stay at work OK give your coworkers to go forward in the video home because it’s professional quality at home, so Catherine Don’t be a hater on Dan go back to work
They can quality control the materials. OK I’m sure that they do make a lot of money but you need on Amazon and buy every single one of those materials. OK it doesn’t have to come through clear forge. It doesn’t have to have a sticker but it’s only going to hand is still gonna have the same specs OK you’re not gonna be able to put a tree limb through it I mean, so what’s the matter you’re being real fucking nitpicky OK you’re still gonna only be able to put some in this thick of and that laser still only gonna cut this or engrave this, so what’s the matter Kathryn quit hating on Dan real
I think you just answer Jim question OK if you’re gonna use a Glowforge material OK and you’re putting it in there putting in there I think there’s a safety issue and you have to consider that some people are idiots. OK and you know it’s not like a piece of paper that I say print 50 and at 20 I run out of paper and I have to put in 30 more and I know for a fact I am doing this is that OK if you look at the people that are not use it properly or have not use the they put in the wrong material and I think I do the same thing even though, so I think there’s a purpose to sending it to the cloud there’s a purpose for that even if you have to do it every single time OK you’re not gonna print 20 copies in two seconds OK so what was it matter that you have to send that to the cloud OK I can agree that may be a storage, but then again the machine The Ziegler fortune needs to identify and know for a fact that this is that OK where if you hit if you hit repeat you’re not getting that extra security that you know your insurance won’t cover it. If your house burns down or some bullshit because you’re an idiot. When you went to put in paper you put in wood or whatever OK I think there’s a security issue there not a security issue a safety issue and I love you and used one and you answered your own question if you listen to yourself Catherine, stop hating on Dan bitch
I have also thought about this and I’ve also thought about how beneficial it is to know that somebody created some thing invented some thing and it’s not gonna be used for a bunch of garbage OK the illegal people in the world and I’m not saying that you specifically, but I think there’s a little munch monitoring here that’s going on a little ““supervision because some of the things that can be done with the clipboards or any laser, especially a glow forge the way it builds up and it’s so precise. OK the criminal aspects that’s why I lean towards glow forge is because it is ““going down the bumper rails OK and maybe that’s not why he did it but that’s what I think of OK. Some of these you don’t have to use the Internet that you can whatever plug-in OK oh that are very high-quality. There’s $80,000 laser Seeno but some of the things I can be done with him. I mean the laser printer the laser engraver is nothing new OK I mean you can go to Lowe’s OK and then get your keys and you’re done you know but it’s nothing new taking a picture in it and putting something engraving something is you prefer difficult? It’s nothing new, but what I do like about this is that you have the peace of mind that from one OK you can’t steal one of these you can’t use it for the legal bullshit OK and I think that even though that’s none of our business factor or you know with the other guy does doesn’t make a shit I think that is a, a a a taking pride in your invention OK and it’s not these for me to bullshit. I could be completely wrong once again I’ll get one someday and I’ll find out another McKernan. I’ll find out you know because you have to have an account you have to have the Internet you have to go through their system and I think that fishes out a lot of bullshit why Dan did it I have no idea I don’t know Dan so I don’t know maybe we should ask and so far I think that you’re kind of a bitch because you start out real quickly in your voice and in that tells me you’re not resecure and what you’re saying because you almost sound like you’re gonna break down OK not like you’re thinking ahead and put it in words but I think that you’re just being a bitch today and Catherine that’s all.
Your first comment about their marketing is a printer and when they say print this print that lets print is so on so on and you look at it you put on a printing or cutting. It’s not 3-D it’s flat but the thing is is that you make things with it you’re not you’re not talking about one surface your buildings that you know you make it 3-D, OK and instead of engraving a chunk of wood you can layer out a chat layers of wood OK and I think that that’s where the printing concept comes from versus the engraving where when we think of printer, we think of a flat surface or 3-D printer, which you know is when you gob where with a Glowforge, your engraving in layers, therefore creating a 3-D print and I had to think about that for a minute and I have no laser experience but I want you so fucking bad I can’t stand it but you’re not printing your cutting which is 3-D printing because you you are building it you are building up and I think that that’s kind of where the concept comes from versus a 3-D printer that you know is this hot gooey crap that you got it but OK This is more specific and exact . No experience so I could be totally wrong, but
Hello Kathryn, my wife an I are looking to start a small business and trying to figure out what might be worth getting into. We were looking to possibly starting a laser engraving business but unsure how difficult it may be to get into actually finding buyers for the products. Would you mind responding with a short message on this? Thank you!
Didn't know any of this - great information. All I had seen had been positive, now I am not interested in a Glowforge (I was not really thinking anyway as it was way too expensive).
OK once again, Paul, don’t let this lady deter you from a glow forge. She is a professional that is used to working in a professional environment. OK the glow forge is created to be a professional tool in a professional environment but still get a professional quality at home OK for somebody does not ring millions of dollars OK but a professional at home so there’s certain safety things and what not so don’t let this lady to tear you OK You know there’s a difference between engraving a tombstone and engraving a coaster OK you know he’s professional and home in his professional at home and I think it is finally in there and that this lady trying to two people from the glow forge Paul would you have to understand Catherine is a hater and she doesn’t like Dan I think I think she has an issue in Catherine’s hating on Dan that’s all so I wish that you would read at the reviews before you decide against the clippers and I spoke that and I’m not gonna proofread it
I’ve been wanting to purchase a glow forge but I’m glad I came across this today maybe I better look at epilogue and see what I can find out about that. This is the biggest expense of purchase for me so I want to make sure I make the right choice. I’m a crafter basically in a course I always want the best in any machine that I buy so I’m willing to pay a bit more but I want to make sure it does everything I wanted to do. I think what was a scaring me off an epilogue was that I was afraid that I might not be able to figure out the computer part of it Your advice it was very helpful so now I’ve got more conflicted right now about what I want thank you
Thanks for the video. Sounds like the the laser for putzes, just wow. Proprietary cloud software was enough to cross that one off the list....and then it got worse! lol. No need for that nonsense with the intensity of competition in the laser market.
Customer service is horrible. I have owned mine for 7-8 months and its trash. You can only respond by email and to fix mine they will send me a refurbished and I have to pay 1125.00. I am furious over this situation.
You forgot about the automatic Updates that can just Ruin your old settings as well as there server occasionally wiping out the Desing settings, UGH ! Looking at a Muse now for my next laser.
I came here from your dremel video. Thanks for this video. I am just an hobbyist, but I still care about the limitations you mentioned. I bought my first 3d printer used and it has some much online integration/drm; it was terrible. It was tied to online services, the previous owner had to deactivate it from his account to allow me to activate for use. Will never deal with that stuff again so will not consider buying anything that requires an online connection. Specially when you are paying so much for it. The only thing that 3d printer had going for it was that it was the cheapest I could find.
They seem to be abandoning their Digi-lab stuff. I own the 3d-45 printer. I wanted to buy this for a matching set since I also like the design aesthetic. Might still buy it if I find it cheap, but yeah, its disappointing that they are slowly abandoning that wing of their business. I will look into glowforge, since you mentioned it.
Really appreciated this. I just bought a glow forge, I wanted a muse but they wouldn’t give me a price to ship to Uk and I went with what was available. Sadly it only burns on one side so I’m awaiting a service call. The price of the proprietary stuff is indeed preposterous. Thank you for your hard work in making this
Yeah, the QR trick 100% works and some other RU-vidrs use it. I usually use strictly acrylic, so I just use their "Medium" or "Thick" acrylic settings and never have problems. I do have all sorts with wood though, thankfully it's a rare material for my own personal use.
All the things you mentioned bother me, but the thing that really gets me, is the hinge-lid joint design. My glowforge lid came off on my hand last night. It's a common problem. They attached a smooth sheet of glass to a smooth bit of metal with adhesive, right at the spot that feels the most intense mechanical forces in the whole machine. Over time I expect every unit to suffer the same failure.
This exactly the inspiration I needed. I've had my Glowforge for more than 2 years and I've had so many issues getting it working etc.... SO NOW - I'm fighting with the concept of TIME. :) It always helps to see others struggles and you're info here is SUPER helpful. I love how you brainstorm and create prototypes. I have so many ideas swimming in my head -- you've given me great inspiration to get going! Thank you!
So I watched your "Things I Don't Like" video first and it really seems like your negatives heavily outweighed your postives. Some of your "Favorites" seem like a stretch LOL. I am new to laser cutters but have been woodworking for many years as a hobby. You have a lot of experience with lasers and know what you like and don't like. I'm trying to decide which laser system is going to work for me best once I get familiar with it. I do have some CAD/CAM training and know my way around a computer fairly well. My learning curve should be very short with this machine and I'm afraid "outgrowing" it quickly and wanting more control. Being a beautiful machine is not high on my list, but I get that a lot of people are working in their homes and how the aesthetics of the GF might come into play. Seems like you ripped it up pretty good on all the things that really matter and then said it's "pretty". I think I may have to go with the "Things you "hate" video and get a Dremel or a FS. Thank you very much for the info :-)
Can this model actually cut a circle in a piece of wood 10-20mm thick or it will struggle? I haven't seen a youtube reviewer put any of these tools to work instead they talk.
Hmm, none of these reasons were really applicable to me, except the cost of the proprietary materials, which I buy other sources at pretty good prices, so I’m still a happy camper with my GF!!
How do you feel about the Muse? I think I am steering towards that instead of the GF. I have never operated a laser cutter but am familiar with the Cricut explore & maker. I also have the access to adobe programs. I have some knowledge of creating cut files. Any thought would be greatly appreciated 🙏🏽
My biggest issue is having the dimensions change from Inkscape to the dashboard of Glowforge. Still not sure why it does that! And that the wood they sell is expensive. I'm actually surprised they sell any especially when you can get good quality wood from other suppliers.
This makes me kind of glad that when I was shopping around for my laser, I decided against Dremel and just went straight through Full Spectrum. It sucks for everyone who invested in the Dremel though :T
I love the geometries and the play between natural lines and the harsher lines of the geometries I love your mixed combinations of materials too I love your Art Deco style wood earrings and your last piece is amazing the pearl white against the wood is striking and the glitter acrylic against the wood too .
