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Laser cutter and engraver and stupid press
  • Some strange guys called their laser cutter/engraver - 3D laser printer and press eat this and publish all as said (btw leading to big number of people who will be surprised in reality).

    http://glowforge.com/

  • 6 Replies sorted by
  • Tested had a decent review of the tech with the company's founder. It seems to be an intuitive cutting system (the name is definitely misleading though).

  • I still have some issues about glass on top and overall flimsy case, as any reflection (like brushed alu or even small piece) on such laser can do big harm to you and your home.

  • Good call on the safety issues but all things considering that is a pretty neat machine. Exactly the opposite of a 3D printer. It is subtractive, not additive.

  • I've heard similar systems generate a lot of smoke and require a pretty well-ventilated space. I'll be curious to hear what people say when these start getting into people's hands.

  • Frankly, having only used a laser cutter once with the help of an experienced fabricator, this looks incredible. We spent a lot of time getting everything set just right, and still had to do two tries. This looks so easy. I would cut/engrave so many things if I had one. I know what I'm asking my wife for for Christmas!

    As for the name, everyone knows what a printer is. If you (I) hear laser cutter/engraver people are already thinking it sounds expensive and industrial. Throw in laser printer, and, while technically very inaccurate, it already conjures up an image of something that is accessible to everyone. So even if it isn't accurate, I think it is quite marketing ingenious. I also wonder about the clear top though. Seems like some laser beams could get refracted off of aluminum/other engravable metals and shoot up your shop.

  • Yep, you'll need an internet connection, and you'll need that at the start of the print. For medium-sized prints, you can cache everything and disconnect mid-print. For large prints it'll pause if it loses connectivity.

    This is also big warning sign, as I am sure that somewhere in license agreement you can find good explanation.

    Some info http://www.tested.com/tech/548192-going-depth-glowforge-laser-cutter/

    Btw, one big reason for their success is referral program so users and even big sites where interested to spread info.

    If you want to get more info check http://www.cnczone.com/forums/general-laser-engraving-cutting-machine-discussion/