Why I Didn't Buy a Glowforge

[@geologist_luna]

WOW. You have just been the most informative seller of American lasers I've ever seen. Your unbiased opinion of the Glowforge and showing alternatives was exactly what I an my business partners were looking for! Thanks so much!

[@gaminggeek241]

Glad it was helpful! Good luck to you with your business!

[@jenliu1973]

Hi Mr.Luna, We are manufacturer of Co2 Laser machine and Fiber laser cutting machine with 16 years experience and servced over 160 counties. we are the supplier of BOSS, FSL Laser for a few years.we have globle customer center 24 hours/day online service. get free sample testing contact me please WhatsApp:[phone] E-mail: [e-mail]

[@AkaAka_AkaAka]

LMFAO glow forge was the first commercial before this video

[@ThingEngineer]

Came to a say that. Lmao

[@reyesfamily6050]

Lmao your so right!!

[@brennanpizer5004]

Same!

[@rawpaper412]

OMM 😂

[@KuntryServices]

😂😂😂

[@littlebdoodles]

Finally a review that didn’t spend the whole time bashing the glow forge and gave pretty realistic alternatives. As someone who is hoping to be a first time user in 2022 I’m still torn on what to get. My priority is bigger size (not deeper). I do wood working and the price of the thunder has gone up to almost 7,000 and their website says it’s going up even more in 2022. But I really appreciate your honest review and it gave me some options I hadn’t considered before!

[@Michael_Harrigan]

Great vid. Love the honest, detailed advise.

[@jjacrj]

Glowforve was the reason I got interested. But after research I found that it's too expensive, Glowforge keeps your design once you upload it which is concerning, and it doesn't do tumblers. I will put up with the learning curve for all the benefits.

[@iammenasco]

Can confirm: I watched your two videos and now all my ads on KZbin are for Glowforge.

[@gaminggeek241]

So sorry that happened! I thought it was because I went to their website but I guess you get targeted if you watch any laser video!

[@iammenasco]

@@gaminggeek241 Ha! Its all good. There is always a cycle of ads with all the makers I watch.

[@bbrcher]

Gaminggeek don’t feel bad! I found it hilarious to get their ad on a video that confirmed that I still don’t want a Glowforge.

[@timberry4709]

Haven't seen a Glowforge ad in ages. All I seem to get are ads for less than useful items (like that silly magnetic pen) on Kickstarter.

[@noway8233]

Its the yuotube algoritm, be the way, i really dont know, but now they put me CHiNISE advertise of i dont Know!! Wtf And i dont speak chinise

[@kelseystengel8241]

Thank you for this video! I’d love to see you make the tumblers on this machine if you could. That’s mainly the reason why I’m looking into getting a laser machine. I also wanted to suggest some people may have access to renting a small uhaul for approximately 50 dollars to go pick it up from the warehouse. Thank you very much looking forward to more laser videos!

[@chrisnas1483]

Iam curious, are you recommend me doing this or a glowforge ?

[@DavidClunie]

I'm a owner of a glowforge, don't buy a glowforge! Very limited on what you can do. Alignment issues galore, everything is in the cloud so if they go belly up you got a 2k paper weight. No way to upgrade anything. Again don't buy a glowforge! Also the 5w more and passthrough is a joke for the cost. And now they are trying to (actually I should say they are going through with their plan) to start charging on a subscription basis for features in the software that should be default (think of doing basic stuff like you would do in a vinyl cutter software e.g. circuit or silhouette, like adding text or basic shapes without having to go back to your design software on and then reimporting the files to cut. Also a big deal breaker is the speed! The glowforge is dog ass slow, certain engraved can take hours and hours, and it has resulted in fires on some people's machines, which glowforge doesn't cover because if you walk away and leave it unattended that voids your warranty and you've gotta pay for the repair yourself which includes packing it up in the box they sent it in (oh if you throw it away you have to buy a new box from them $249 and have it shipped to you at your cost) and sending the entire thing back for any repair... They won't let you repair it yourself else you void the warranty.

[@gaminggeek241]

What do you mean by "Alignment issues"? The laser doesn't hit where it is supposed to?

[@DavidClunie]

@@gaminggeek241 everything is done in camera from the lid and it's not a good camera. So if you cut something and then move it, say because it didn't cut all the way through, and want to run another pass, you'll never get it to align again. Despite their attempts to fix the issue (it's gotten better) you can still be off by 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch from the center to the edges (it gets worse the further to the edges galore) it's not alignment of the mirrors for the laser like you had to deal with but the alignment of the material and overlay of your design and of where it's going to cut on the materials.

[@gaminggeek241]

@@DavidClunie Ah, okay, I see what you are saying. Thanks for explaining. I can see the distortion being bad at the edges because of the fish eye lens being so close to the surface.

[@TheEvermorian]

I don’t think this is a fair assessment. First, do these inexpensive laser cutters even have a bed camera that you can use for alignment? You can get pretty good alignment on most Glowforge machines using the camera if you have calibrated it. You can also use the same alignment techniques people have been using on laser cutters for decades (e.g., kzbin.info/www/bejne/fn-sqJiVlpxspa8 ). A Glowforge will cut a second pass in exactly the same spot if you don’t move your material and don’t move the design around in the interface. I don’t think you are going to be able to visually re-align a precision cut on a K-40 very well, either.

[@anuyear]

I’m glad I read this

[@jondrew55]

I accidentally typed glowforge the other day when looking up a Flashforge 3d printer. The ad blitz has been on ever since (including the ad that showed up before this video). I could probably get past that, but the fact you have to stay connected to glowforge thru the cloud to do anything is a hard no for me. What if they go belly up? $4000 paperweight? What if you start making money doing something with your engraver and all of a sudden some crazy subscription based usage gets piled on you? Thanks but no thanks.

[@SheRenovates]

Great info. I feel much more informed. Thanks for your honesty

[@SkallagrimGrimkjells]

I looked into grabbing a glowforge last year, and came to many of the same conclusions that you did. For me, the glowforge felt like it was overall a lesser product in a fancy box for way more money.

[@gaminggeek241]

So did you end up with a different laser or did you hold off?

[@SkallagrimGrimkjells]

Ended up holding off, wanted to redo the work space in the garage for the larger laser, but then covid, and well you know what they say: "How do you make god laugh?" "Make plans."

[@gaminggeek241]

@@SkallagrimGrimkjells Isn't that the truth! Although I wonder if Glowforge has made more money during Covid due to people being at home.

[@jorgeroldan8166]

Thanks great info! Funny now I am actually interested in the "Boss' and the "Nova 64". I agree, the Glow Forge ads are crazy!!! The Chinese model sounded awesome cept' I'm not good with tinkering.

[@J3rs3yM1k3]

I've owned a GlowForge Basic for over four years. I've had a couple of minor issues, which were handled right away. The question I think wasn't addressed properly is, what's your time worth to you? I unboxed it and started using it. The bar codes on their proofgrade material takes the trial and error out of determining the right settings for cutting/scoring/engraving. Additions are made to the software on a regular basis. That's also why I also paid a little more for my 3D printer. I plugged it in, leveled the bed and started printing. My time's too valuable to spend it pouring through community posts and fiddling with settings just to get my first successful output. If you're someone who enjoys doing that, more power to ya.

[@JohnJones-oy3md]

Similar to the Formlabs SLA printers. You pay for ease of use and (hopefully) predictable results.

[@gaminggeek241]

Yeah, I agree with you 100%. I own three Prusas and got rid of my Ender 5 because of this very reason. If the GlowForge works for you, more power to ya!

[@AllThingsJUDYTV]

Great review and very helpful.

[@dopeyone4697]

Excellent honest review. Thank you for taking the time. I would like a laser, however living in an apartment building not sure if the smells of cutting would be appreciated by my neighbors.

[@curtisbenson6114]

I’m curious. I wonder if a carbon air filter would remove the smell...

[@noway8233]

@@curtisbenson6114 yes , will help but yuo need to replace very soon

[@tux7]

I got a 50W laser on ebay mainly because of the price compared to the Glowforge, but the real killer for me was the dependence on the internet to operate. That was a deal breaker for me. Another I would have gotten instead of the G was the Full Spectrum. The 50W laser I got is over a year old and has been impeccable with the LightBurn software.

[@gaminggeek241]

Yeah, same here. Did you have to do much tweaking to get yours tuned in?

[@tux7]

@@gaminggeek241 Not at all. I must have lucked out. I just learned the buttons, tested it, then installed LightBurn with the camera. The only thing that took time tweaking was learning the power settings for different materials. But part of the fun was the exploration, first on this, then that and so on.

[@SoulEsne]

Dude I was shown two Glowforge ads on this video. I don't think they get the memo LOL Very informative video. I keep seeing more and more reasons to not go with GF unless you are looking for most basic of basic equipment just to get you into laser cutting.

[@davidstephenson4411]

I wish I had seen something like this video 2 years ago. I am now an ex-F...Glow yes I know I have that backwards but F@ck Glowforge) owner. Yes their camera can be tricky and alignment can be tough if you do not calibrate the camera. However, what goes out the fastest on them are their ribbon cables. They have a ribbon cable going to the lid for the led lights and the camera. In the early machines, that cable was too short and when you opened the lid too far, the sharp metal lip at the back eventually rubbed through the cable. They eventually got smart and lengthened that cable to combat that. However, there is also a white ribbon cable that goes to the print head and if you do regular cleaning on the print head you unplug and plug that ribbon every time. That is eventually what went out on mine and just out of warranty, my 4k machine was going to cost another 1000 - 1500 (including shipping) for them to estimate the repair and send me a refurbished machine. So no my 4k F...Glow is up to 5500. I scrapped that plan and got a 55watt OMTech for 2500 (this includes replacing the stock air with a better air assist, more led lights, and a chiller. This machine (which I received in just over a week after ordering) has a larger bed than any F...Glow, a front and rear pass though, and a higher watt tube that the F...Glow Pro. I now have a machine that I can service myself and can even replace the laser with up to 60Watt (replacing the tube and the power supply) for less than 500$.

[@robjtko]

My friend thank you for this comment!! Some people probably have a little luck with the Forge but not this $100,000.oo annually crap. I have read several comments. Not hear, the others were buyers/owners on Amazon. I would guesstimate at least 40 if not 50% dissatisfaction from what I have read. Some of these people are just not as serious as people like you or they must be paid to write these wonderful reviews. If your review/comment was only 2 or 3 out of roughly 20 then I wouldn’t think much of it. But close to if not half give the Forge only 1, 2 or 3 stars out of 5. That to me is a clear “”KEEP OUT, DANGER”” sign. May I ask what you replaced it with?? Thanks again friend!!...... :))..............

[@davidstephenson4411]

@@robjtko I went with an OMTech 55 Watt machine. It does not have the autofocus bed, which is fine with me as I like to have more control over the focus height of the laser. It has a 16X24 bed with front and rear pass through and I ended up getting a S&A 5200 Chiller to help keep the distilled water temperature more stable.

[@robjtko]

@@davidstephenson4411 Thank you so much for getting back!!! May I ask just rough;y what your setup cost??? Thanks again and GOD bless!!..... :))........

[@timberry4709]

Thanks. Great information. I had previously watched your "installation" video which was another great source of info. 👍👍

[@gaminggeek241]

Glad it was helpful! Are you thinking of getting a laser?

[@timberry4709]

@@gaminggeek241 Since the introduction of the Glowforge I have been thinking about it but at this time I really don't have the space for one.

[@gaminggeek241]

@@timberry4709 Yeah, I had to rearrange my entire basement to find space for mine.

[@BrownKhild]

Lol whats Funny is the Ad before the video is saying buy a Glowforge but this Video is Not

[@KuntryServices]

😂😂

[@twiztidclownkiller]

Thanks for sharing. Very informative.

[@ChristianWheel]

Thanks for creating this video. Could you possibly share the name of the ebay seller you bought your laser from? I'm thinking of pulling the trigger on an 80W but I want to buy from a seller that actually has customer service, just in case, for example, my laser tube arrives damaged (lol). Cheers.

[@gaminggeek241]

I bought it from this seller. I'd shop around though and as long as they are shipping from the US, you should be able to communicate with them. www.ebay.com/itm/281882801833

[@elmaico9753]

This was a great video! I got around 5k - 7k to spend. Looking to engrave(wood, acrylic, etc), tumblers, cups, wood, and cut wood pieces for small projects. Looking to start a small side business, and will be used as a hobby item as well. What machine/model do you recommend to buy?

[@gaminggeek241]

If you go to 14:50, I give my recommendations for your price range if you are here in the U.S. and you will get great customer service to help set you up and troubleshoot, which I think is a must for a business.

[@elmaico9753]

@@gaminggeek241 Thanks!

[@bobcatt2294]

Thumbs up - great guidance.

[@chartle1]

The other thing about marketing its kind of a MLM. Everyone that buys a GF gets their own referral code that gives them a "kickback" and the new buyer a discount. Also todo anything real with the design interface, which is super basic shapes and words, you need to be a Premium Member for $250 a year. You also access to the fast servers. And then there is the Proof Grade material.

[@bruceha1615]

Hi Thanks for your quick explanation about the difference between those two laser cutters. I am seriously interested in getting one of those laser cutters sometime very soon and I was wondering how difficult it is to maintain it. Do you need to replace some of the parts routinely? If so, how often and how much does it cost? Please let me know. Thank you!

[@gaminggeek241]

No, I haven't had to replace any parts. Once you take the time to set it up, the Chinese laser works well. Only need to clean/align the mirrors every once in a while.

[@michaelwuchitech7598]

I saw an interview in the early days of the Glowforge, they said you could go direct, but it voids the warranty

[@gaminggeek241]

Huh, I thought there wasn't even a physical port available to plug into. This is from 2015: community.glowforge.com/t/can-we-use-the-gf-without-internet-connection/701

[@TheEvermorian]

Confirming that Glowforge requires an Internet connection and their cloud service to use. There is no direct option. There was a project working towards making an alternate firmware to allow direct printing called OpenGlow but, it has shut down due to lack of interest/participation.

[@momia5123]

Great video, thanks for it. Does this work for Education proposes? Students will be able to create their own designs and toy. what do you think? or any other product suggestions you have? thanks

[@gaminggeek241]

Yes, it can absolutely work for educational purposes, although make sure the kids don't burn themselves with the laser.

[@mamadubwize]

Thank you for an honest detailed review/comparison. I have been looking into the Boss laser, thanks for introducing me to the Nova. The prices are pretty good for what one wil be getting, however i come to a hard stop when it comes to adding an extra grand or more for the fume extractor, which im assuming is a much needed accessory.. ive been looking at non brand fume extractors on ebay, but im new to this, any suggestions regarding lower cost fume extractors or other options, say for the Boss 1416 or the Mini Nova ? Thanks!

[@r1menace765]

can you post a link to the ebay lasers. the 40 an 60 please.

[@gaminggeek241]

Here are some quick searches. Just do some comparison shopping to get the best price and make sure the seller has a high rating. K40: www.ebay.com/itm/OMTech-40W-12-x-8-CO2-Laser-Engraver-Cutter-Cutting-Engraving-Machine-K40-DIY/162448714948?hash=item25d2b2acc4:g:zf0AAOSw00BfDCG2 60W: www.ebay.com/itm/Omtech-60W-24x16in-CO2-Laser-Engraver-Cutter-Engraving-Cutting-Machine-Ruida/264586622650?hash=item3d9a9776ba:g:IMEAAOSwZE1fDSYq

[@r1menace765]

@@gaminggeek241 thank you for responding back and giving me that information.

[@unis4444]

Would have liked to have known the quality of print differences on different material.

[@mariasheehan4606]

I'm a Glowforge basic owner. I've had it a year and a bit. It just stopped working this week out of warranty. They want me to swap machine and pay $1200 for a refurbished one. It has been a nightmare trying to get support. Do not buy a GF.

[@BrianWasHere]

Was hoping you would have provided some feedback on print quality, but otherwise good advice.

[@gaminggeek241]

Print and cut quality is amazing with my machine. From what I see with GF, their cuts and engraving are good as well so the only potential difference in quality would be with cuts on deeper material since the extra 50% of power in my 60W laser cuts quicker.

[@BrianWasHere]

@@gaminggeek241 Thanks for the reply! I'm not ready to buy one right now, so I'll keep watching more videos.... hint, I'd love to see a video of some high quality prints ;) Cheers!

[@douglasfinelli123]

Where did you purchase your laser?

[@gaminggeek241]

Off of ebay. All the info and links are in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/l3TLp6R3dp1ph68

[@TheEvermorian]

Regarding the support: Glowforge does NOT have phone support. If you dig up their phone number and call, you will get a machine with a message saying they won’t call you back for technical issues. All support is via email or the Problems and Support category of their forum. They seem to get issues resolved but, it can take a day or two to get an official response. Lots of issues are resolved by other users in the forums within minutes, though. A pedantic point: Glowforge took pre-orders directly during their design and production phase. They were never on Kickstarter.

[@chrisnas1483]

So what do you recommend me buying if I just wanna cut acrylic for car audio fabrication ?

[@maxspl153]

same bro haha , im leaning toward the glowforge , software and ability for pass through ( amp rack panels can get long)

[@chrisnas1483]

@@maxspl153 I would ask Steve mead, but if you get that info, let me know.

[@maxspl153]

He uses Laguna machines . Those are hard-core G-code machines . They start at 80 grand 🤯 if your tech savvy , I'd say a good 40-50 watt machine will do great , but you have to design in 1 program , export to another to change format and then import to the cutting software:-/

[@chrisnas1483]

@@maxspl153 that sounded hard.... 😆🤣

[@jonebrandi10]

I’m thinking a CVC Router instead of a laser to cut and engrave acrylic

[@ThunderLaserUSA]

Great Video!

[@gaminggeek241]

Glad you like it! Hope the shoutout to you guys was helpful.

[@ssjuwelier5297]

Can i also engrave jewelry with this one?

[@gaminggeek241]

Unfortunately not. To engrave metal, you will need a fiber laser which is much more expensive. With CO2 lasers, you are able to engrave anodized or painted metal where the laser is effectively burning off the coating but not the metal itself.

[@matchstickdesignco]

I still can't get past the fact that they refer to it a "3D Laser Printer", and that it has a "magic button". 🤣🤣🤣 A Glowforge is nothing more than a K40 with cloud based software, housed in an Apple-esque looking case, with zero ability to upgrade and a ridiculous price tag.

[@sz72909]

It being called a printer is so ridiculous!!! I spent 2 years waiting for my GF Pro, then I got tired and cancelled my pre-order!! They kept making excuses for the delays!! Also, I did not like the idea of being dependent on the cloud for it to continue working.

[@christophjoseph2406]

Do you have a link for the camera upgrade for an eBay engraver? Where did you find that? I have a 60 w and it would be nice to use a camera for positioning images rather than manually placing workpiece on bed in right location

[@gaminggeek241]

Head over to Lightburn (google) or check out my other laser video and I have links there.

[@moonman805]

I have had my GlowForge basic for over a year now and it's ok , i wish i would have waited and checked out other machines . The ease of use is nice and it is compact . ..But now they are charging $50.00 a month for their premium service , which i think is a little steep for what you get . If i ever look for another laser , more than likely it won't be a Glowforge . Just my opinion .

[@gaminggeek241]

Wow, that is steep--basically $600/year. What is included in the premium service?

[@techguy3424]

@@gaminggeek241 they probably just add lube...

[@TanaMakes]

Yeah don't get the premium plan. $50 is ridiculous plus it's not like you need it to use the laser. If you really need engrave/cut files for fancy shapes or designs, you can easily buy them off of etsy for a couple bucks each.

[@J3rs3yM1k3]

If you had your GlowForge for a year as of this post, you had the opportunity to get Premium for $15/month. Everyone was offered that.

[@Artificial.Unintelligence]

I'm curious of the pros and cons you found with what you ended up with vs other options you considered (glowforge and others). I understand you touched on a bit of that here, but you'll need more time under your belt with your machine. I'm thinking things that more expensive machines (hopefully) make easier either with better software (hopefully not subscription $$) or more precise sensors, camera/ focusing or faster speeds while holding higher resolution. The other things, like you also started to touch on, is proprietary crap vs more open source struggles; cloud only sucks - what about proprietary information or like you said no internet? Proprietary software that might be better and do some things, but is there free software(s) that will let you do all the same? I don't have a laser yet but have wanted one for years now and it's finally coming more obtainable it seems.

[@gaminggeek241]

Yeah, you are correct I need to own the machine longer to know. The Chinese laser is like running a Linux machine where you have open source, community-run, free software, upgradeable machine whereas the Glowforge is like a Mac that has a great interface but is restricted and expensive. After posting this video, I saw someone else's that was arguing the Full Spectrum Muse is a way better machine for a little cheaper than the Glowforge but more reliable and out-of-the-box machine than the Chinese versions.

[@Artificial.Unintelligence]

@@gaminggeek241 I'm 80% against glowforge because of the internet only / have to use their service schtick. The US govt and any big business(or really anyone with the potential to handle intellectual property) would be immediately against this for the same reasons. And if they went down completely = paperweight.. or wanted to force you to upgrade or now subscribe for software.. they could. The other 20% of me likes the idea of ease of use, low fuss (little to no calibration), easy software (with probably some really unique features) that you'd expect to get for the premium pricing.

[@gaminggeek241]

@@Artificial.Unintelligence Yeah, there are pros and cons either way so it depends on which features are the most important. I would rather have an Android phone but the rest of my family are iphone users so I have one too. 😂

[@user-tw6fb6yz4h]

You could probably start your own company and be more successful than glow forge you seem to know more about this than they do just package the machines differently and focus on the hipsters and other trendy stuff in the marketing department .

[@IRONTOSS]

hipsters! lol" yeah alot of fake industrialist now doing ths stuff.

[@TheSkippy82]

Was the price of the eBay laser with shipping?

[@gaminggeek241]

Yes, although I paid $150 for it to be delivered from the distribution center to my house. You can save this fee if you have a truck or van and can pick it up from your city's distro center.

[@TheSkippy82]

@@gaminggeek241 awesome thank you!

[@AjKaArjun]

Would you say k40 is a good buy or should I opt for 50w? I currently have desktop 5w diode laser.

[@gaminggeek241]

K40 is good if you don't mind the bed size and doing the upgrades--it will be half the cost of the 50w. If you have the funds, room, and need to cut thicker stock, go with the 50w.

[@bobcatt2294]

@@gaminggeek241 I would opt for the 60w tube rather than the packaged 50w.

[@balla2172]

Not to mention ad it sits now if glowfo4ge goes out of business you have a brick

[@antonioluna4579]

Hello can this machine cut a acrylic 1/8’’ or thicker?

[@gaminggeek241]

If you are asking whether my Chinese laser can cut 1/8" acrylic, the answer is yes. I cut at 18 speed/40% power for that thickness. You could cut 1/4" fairly easily as well. I have no idea about the Glowforge.

[@bobcatt2294]

Would it not have been better to first qualify your selection based upon your intended use? What are you trying to achieve with this cutter? Is 40 watts enough for your projects? Honestly how can you go on with a review if first the criteria is not set forth?

[@gaminggeek241]

It's because these are entry level CO2 lasers that are 30-40 watts. People who need to cut thicker stock will not be using these machines (which is why I upgraded to 60W). Also diodes are another class unto themselves for just engraving and I don't mention them even though they are only a couple hundred dollars.

[@bobcatt2294]

@@gaminggeek241 My point being that what you have stated to me best be on your video to qualify product.

[@ninamerle1072]

Thanks for your review , I’m awaiting a refund for my GF Pro , I wish I had seen this video and really researched. Looking at the Boss 1416 as I am basically a hobbyist , doing a few sales here and there .

[@gaminggeek241]

Yeah, Boss has a great reputation for good customer service so you definitely won't lose with them!

[@pribulhoes]

Hey!! I am about to do that! My machine has 5 months and it’s malfunctioning. Can you give me details, please?!

[@TheStuartstardust]

Anyone know what SW he use? Stating 160 USD in SW upgrade.

[@gaminggeek241]

Lightburn software $80 and camera for another $80. You can check out my detailed breakdown here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/l3TLp6R3dp1ph68

[@TheStuartstardust]

@@gaminggeek241 thanks man! Was seeing the camera expense, so was thinking if it was for scanning like a glow forge or beamo - but just for viewing, which is also nice 🙂 If you have not found a bed solution - aluminum which has been chamfered on top is a nice option 🤓

[@gaminggeek241]

@@TheStuartstardust Yes, the camera is just for viewing so that I can use sheets that I've already cut into so I'm minimizing waste. There might be software which allows for scanning, I'm not sure. Also, I am using angled aluminum to raise my pieces!

[@PedroPerez-ct4ew]

wow.. super informative plus sold me on chinese machine and not glowforge. Just wanted to reach out and say thank you very much! you just saved me huge!!!!!!!

[@gaminggeek241]

Glad to be helpful!

[@amandasevenlegends6698]

So price is an issue for me, but I was willing to spend the $6000 for the glowforge plus when I debate it in my head. But I want more. I want to be able to do small or large items, and I would love a rotary option. But when it comes to designing, I'm stuck. I own a 3d printer and can generate files for that. I tried a base level 3018 cnc laser and I can't figure out cutting or engraving for the life of me. So I need simple. I need to be able to import an image, tell it to cut or engrave and be done. I can't handle the tinkering or the measurements 🥴 any suggestions for me? My main area of interest is creating sublimation blanks, engrave ornaments or keychains, and name puzzles. Eventually I would like the option to move onto bigger wall signs etc. Thank you!

[@gaminggeek241]

As I mentioned in the video, Thunderlaser is a good option. I would also ask in this helpful FB group: facebook.com/groups/1843200505896555/ But regardless of which laser you buy, you will need to do some work in order to engrave and cut, similar to how you create STL files for 3D printing. I think it is fairly easy.

[@djgeorgie79]

I don't have a job because the pandemic...and I'm interested in this.....but I dont know where or how to start??? What you recomend

[@gaminggeek241]

Sorry to hear about your circumstances. The cheapest option is a diode laser like the Ortur Laser Master 7W for about $160USD but it will only engrave and not really cut. Then the next jump up is the K40 which will be about $600 with some necessary upgrades. After that is the 50W which is what I have. Hope that helps!

[@bobcatt2294]

@@gaminggeek241 Cut designs in these useless covid mask.

[@spacebase1805]

So let me get this straight. You telling me that if I buy this it's going to take 3 weeks to figure out the instructions don't work and it's so frustrating that there's already a support group for other people who's going through I think $1,000 is worth it. He said in terms of troubleshooting your machine there is no phone number to call.

[@gaminggeek241]

Yeah, that's what my comparison chart shows and if you don't want to mess with DIY troubleshooting, to pay more for better support (but GF doesn't seem to have better support--I'd try Thunder Laser, Boss, or Muse).

[@scottmoore9553]

Can you do images with this unit? Maximum LPI? Or does it just do scoring and cutting?

[@gaminggeek241]

Definitely does images. When engraving photographs, I burn at 600 dpi and LPI of .042mm. I don't know what the maximum is.

[@scottmoore9553]

@@gaminggeek241 What software? I'm looking to get a larger working bed for my next laser

[@gaminggeek241]

@@scottmoore9553 I use Lightburn. Costs $80 but is worth it. They have a one month free trial.

[@scottmoore9553]

@@gaminggeek241 Thank you. I guess my next decision is what machine to buy. LOL

[@gaminggeek241]

@@scottmoore9553 I've found this group to be a good place to ask questions: facebook.com/groups/1843200505896555/?multi_permalinks=2930982190451709

[@ThoughtFission]

Do you get the parts required to cool the tube in the ebay unit?

[@gaminggeek241]

Any CO2 tube will have the cooling built in as it is made out of glass. You just need to hook up the hoses to the glass ends. These hoses come with the laser or you can buy more at Lowes or Home Depot.

[@timesparsenjr7479]

Try living in Hawaii and getting a big Co2 machine out here!!! Shipping is straight up ridiculous

[@phantienhung93]

thank you

[@shednut2666]

Thank you

[@MamaArrow]

I have a glowforge and let me tell you it has so many issues after 4 months i needed a new one becwuse ut stopped working and not even a month after the replacement it has electrical issues again!!!!! I dont know but it all looks nice on the outside but the parts must be cheap becwuse its always breaking. And I spent 4k on mine.

[@originalfallinggirl]

Does this work with my Commodore 64?

[@gaminggeek241]

Yes, the Commodore 64, VIC-20, and the Apple 1. Glowforge won't work with any of those cause it needs an internet connection. 😜

[@originalfallinggirl]

@@gaminggeek241 Damn, 😂👍 . . Btw, thanks for the awesome video. Love your stuff. 👍🙏🏻

[@MrMakemusicmike]

Yes, but you have to first install the Bruce Lee for Commodore 64.

[@happyphotoshooter]

Should you not have covered Muse as well? They work standalone and are not cloud based. Yes they are more expensive, but you have an American product that works out of the box. In the long run, you get what you pay for. The extra cost for such items have paid off in longevity and support.

[@gaminggeek241]

Yeah, after I made this video, someone else mentioned the Muse and I think it is a way better buy than the Glowforge for the exact reasons you mention.

[@BritgirlTX]

I think you get what you pay for. It's like my button machine. I payed the higher amount for a Tecre and no problems with it. Some go the cheaper route and get the cheaper imported machines and they end up not working after a short while. I still think I'll go Glowforge ... sorry.

[@gaminggeek241]

Hey, no need to apologize! Like I said in the video, it really depends on priorities and I totally understand if people go for a more reliable machine.

[@HeatherValentineMsFoodie]

I pay for NO ADS 😁 love your comparison Thank you

[@j453]

Uhm, if you don't mind my asking. What is your day job?

[@gaminggeek241]

I'm an editor for really boring analyst reports. Why do you ask?

[@j453]

@@gaminggeek241 thank you, just curious is all. 👍😁

[@gaminggeek241]

@@j453 Yeah, it's not the most scintillating work but enables me to save up enough for a laser! And I'm thankful to have a job right now as I know a lot of people are struggling.

[@j453]

@@gaminggeek241 yeah, me too. Very thankful

[@bobcatt2294]

@@gaminggeek241 I think the curiosity stems from your persona as a technical, prudent, and well organized. I would go a step further and place you as a mentor.

[@entropytango5348]

Not very helpful. The Chinese product may give you more bang for buck. But we know nothing about reliability or getting the unit fixed/serviced. You may have a cheaper paperweight sitting around instead.

[@krisknowlton5935]

Peter Brouwer, actually we do know something about their reliability. If you watch RDWorks Learning Lab you will see that Russ has been running his 50 watt Chinese laser for probably about 6 years now and I think over four years on the same tube. Plus he has been able to do some very amazing things on his laser. It seems that getting parts for these lasers is not a big deal as I have watched a lot of videos of guys upgrading their Chinese lasers. I personally have a diode laser that I have been able to do more with than you would think. (Cutting clear acrylic on a diode laser is all but impossible so if that is part of what you want to do get a CO2 laser).

[@chartle1]

yes the Chinese laser is using a lot of off the shelf parts. If you need a new tube for a GF, 2 year life, you box it up* and send it back to GF and for $500 they replace the tube and pay for shipping both ways. * You must use the box it came in. If you tossed it its another $250 for just the box!!!!!

[@cirobranchizio1840]

Great Video, thanks. I have been for some time debating on purchasing a beginners model to see if I like it as a hobby, what would you recommend? thanks again Ciro

[@gaminggeek241]

I would recommend getting the K40 since it is around $600 with some key upgrades. This is as long as you are okay with some tinkering. An even cheaper option is the Ortur engravers but you are limited to just engraving and not a lot of cutting.

[@cirobranchizio1840]

@@gaminggeek241 can you tell me if these engravers can engrave nature stone

[@gaminggeek241]

@@cirobranchizio1840 Seems like it, although in this video, they are using some kind of transfer: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mpS6oZ6EhcRspqc Not sure about slate or other materials, but I think you can.

[@OfficialGlitchLab]

For Glowforge you messed up it should of said "None". LOL The phone number is for buying not support to fix. I am sorry we are sour about the service provided. Instead of putting money towards providing better support they are pouring it all into marketing.

[@wiredkustomsmotorsports]

Good luck in 2-3 years. If it breaks you’ll get out the entire $ spent. My thoughts

[@jsmith7310]

These machines are really simple to work on. Basic mechanical skills coupled with information from forums and youtube is enough to troubleshoot and repair any problems you may encounter.

[@TLPLC]

My company runs a public fablab. We have used a chinese laser cutter such as this one for 7 years now ans its use IS free. It os quite robust. We had to change some parts (tube and lens). No problems getting the parts and installing them. The software part could be better though.

[@Liviarzita]

My internet is not reliable at all.

[@AaronPritchett-o1r]

I bought the Glowforge Pro and it was the WORST decision I could have made. It quickly went out of alignment and the fisheye camera is TERRIBLE the further you get away from the center. total waste of $5500. I just ordered an Omtech auto focus 60 watt with a 20x28 bed. much larger, more powerful and significantly cheaper. I am still waiting for it to come in but i expect it to FAR outperform the glowforge.

[@n00bi3b4sh]

The Basic cost now 3800$, they absolutely lost their mind ^^. marketing did work i guess

[@hillaryclinton2415]

Requiring an internet connection is the first NO. I don't need to go past this.. it's not a voting machine.

[@marinp9190]

Nova 24 is $7,400 now!!!

[@gfortiz5544]

Thanks for that info. I personally was teetering on which way to go. That is a lot of money to spend. I liked the idea of the Glowforge no hassle setup usage but, what turned me off was the fact that you’re typed to the internet. The Chinese one sounded great until you said the manual was trash and very difficult to set up. I would like to have one but I have no idea how they work and nothing about the software. So, I’m not buying any of them. I’ll work my hobby the old way.

[@gaminggeek241]

Some others have mentioned the Muse as a good alternative to the Glowforge as you aren't tied to the internet and it seems slightly cheaper too. But I have no personal experience with it and you are still talking over $2K. So doing it the "old way" is definitely the better option unless you have a compelling reason to drop that money.

[@MilanKarakas]

loud based laser engraving or cutting?! No way, even if their machine is for free.

[@msmith2961]

Cloud based so they can 'upgrade' their customers onto a subscription model later? Like how Cricut tried with their customers earlier this year.

[@reytrinidad809]

I bought that Chinese machine and was a waste of money and this guy is not honest at all, Is cheaper but the software 🤮, high temperature, manual graduation of the mirror is a pain in the a** and a looot of little details the you figure out when u unpack that little monster

[@Humuculero]

Both are cheesy equipment. Buying on price vs quality is bad thinking.

[@GossipswithEunice]

He lost me at Chinese made. Chinese products though cheaper don’t work properly. Definitely not worth going cheaper for a laser printer if the product doesn’t work well. Definitely going to go with glowforge because of this video.

[@josephgrn2818]

Maybe, but almost all electronics are made there. I think some companies produce quality.

[@ironmonkey1512]

Chinese will make anything to spec, look at the i-phone. If you pay cheap garbage price you will get garbage.

[@MacAttack001]

As an owner of the Glowforge Pro (acquired via the Kickstarter) I am not only happy with my laser cutter but that I have had no need to ask for support of any kind. Next 30 complaints out of a campaign that raised $27.9 million dollars in 30 day, is phenomenal...to intimate otherwise is not cool in the slightest. So, at the 10:48 minute mark I stopped watching your video when you came out and said their customer service was iffy. I am also the person who gave you a thumbs down for this video.

[@gaminggeek241]

Hey, you are totally free to disagree with me and give me a thumbs down. Like I said at the beginning, there seems to be a lot of folks who are making awesome stuff with their GF machines and I'm glad you have had a good experience with them. I said in the video that it's hard to say looking at the BBB site what customer service is like but that some have not liked their business practices. That's what I mean by "iffy". But to each their own and it's cool you like your machine.

[@DavidClunie]

Soooo because they raised a ton of money in a short amount of time all is forgiven? What kind of arugment is that? Gaming geeks video is a fair video raising pros and cons for both, and why he went with his choice, how can you fault someone for that? let alone you quit watching the entire video... Also how many years did you wait for your pro, still waiting on that filter too? Any cracked carriage wheels yet, how often do you even use it... 🤔

[@ForsakenFx]

That is your experience with the product, but you have also not had experience with the customer support by your own words. I have 5 friends who have had issues with their Glowforge, and of those 3 of them have had major issues with customer support where they have moved to other products. Gaminggeek didn't even say anything bad about Glowforge, he only said what he had found so that people could see the comparison to his laser without any support; if anything he is weighting it towards Glowforge, and is only showing his findings. Reviews are also anecdotal; your experience isn't going to be the experience everyone else has with a product, and blindly believing a company or product is perfect in every way and throwing out anyone elses experience is just blind fanboyism.

[@MacAttack001]

@@DavidClunie The money point was to illustrate how MANY people (at least 14000) bought the Glowforge and 30 complaints on BBB are INSIGNIFICANT (a NON-EVENT). Yes, I waited a long time to get it. No filter, I vented it outside. As I said no problems with it. Should I send you my logs as to how much I use it? I can fault a person for calling 'iffy' custom service for 30 complaints on BBB. Which was my original point which still stands.

[@MacAttack001]

@@ForsakenFx Dude, don't know how to break this to you but you have something brown on the end of your nose. For the record, I call bullshit. There is NO way you have 5 friends.

[@nine_inch_nulls]

I wont buy one just because I'm being drowned in there stupid ads. Made the poor choice of googling it once. Now its 1 in 3 ads I see.